Bayfield County is a county of 16,575 people in Wisconsin. The median age is 54.6, about 16 years above the US median. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. That puts it in the top 10% of US counties for household income. There are 11 people per square mile. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $71,151, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 54.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 51%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Bayfield County
What changed most since 1990
Median age37.1 → 54.6(+17.5 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Median home value (2024 dollars)$108,003 → $240,800(+123%)US over the same years: +67%
White share90.3% → 83.7%(−6.6 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)14.9%(221)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19%(282)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.9%(579)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War6%(89)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(8)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 1,488 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Bayfield County, decade by decade
Bayfield County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
14,008
$49,600
$108,003
18.3%
22.0
2000
15,013
$60,825
$159,395
21.6%
26.2
2010
15,014
$62,112
$226,287
26.8%
30.3
2020
16,220
$69,398
$214,410
32.1%
37.1
2024
16,575
$71,151
$240,800
35.0%
35.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
