ZIP Code 61279 — Buffalo Prairie CDP, IL Demographics & Data

ZIP code 61279 covers Buffalo Prairie, IL in Mercer County with a population of about 960.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 41.4 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area codes 309, 861; U.S. House district IL-17; the DAVENPORT - R. ISLAND - MOLINE media market.

Median household income in ZIP 61279 is about $87,279 — about 16% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 3.4%; unemployment rate near 2.9%; 20.2% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 13.5 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Healthcare, Construction, and Finance and insurance; about 10.6% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 4.6 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $164,700 — about 53% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $768 (about 34% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 93.8% (about 28.4 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 61279 in Buffalo Prairie, IL, a household would need roughly $45,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,058. That sits below the local median household income ($87,279), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Buffalo Prairie CDP, IL as Very Low (composite score 8.8), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (11.3) and flood (9.2). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Buffalo Prairie CDP, IL show little to no average snow and around 39.1 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 53 for ZIP 61279 (Buffalo Prairie CDP, IL) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.