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COUNTY

Bayfield County

Wisconsin · 16,787 residents (2025 est.) · 1,477.881 sq mi
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The short version

Bayfield County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $71,151. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $240,800. With a median age of 54.6, the population is older than the US median of 38.9. It sits in the top 10% of US counties for household income.

At a glance
Lower income
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
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
16,575
+10%since 2000
from 15,013 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
11 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 10 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
54.6
+30%since 2000
from 42.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:16,787 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
14K15K15K16K17K1990201020202024Bayfield County
202417K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.9%(639)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.4%(732)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.8%(799)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 194.8%(794)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.9%(639)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 347.9%(1,314)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4410.1%(1,671)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.8%(1,796)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6418.1%(3,006)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7419.8%(3,284)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 848.5%(1,404)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over3%(497)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$71,151
+17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,390 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$41,199
+151%since 2000
from $16,407 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
47.2%
+25.4 ptssince 2009
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
9.8%
−2.8 ptssince 2000
from 12.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.426
+5%since 2010
from 0.406 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information10%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade9.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction3.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration3%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.9%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0.7%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$240,800
+51%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $87,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$812
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $369 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
83.9%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 82.6% in 2000
16.1% rent
Vacancy rate
44.3%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 46.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
19.6%
−7.0 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
35.3%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.4
−8%since 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
61
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Bayfield County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic88.2%(13,247)
Black0.1%(20)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(91)
Asian0.3%(41)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic83.7%(13,873)
Black0.7%(109)
Hispanic / Latino2.1%(351)
Asian0.4%(74)
Other13.1%(2,168)
Diversity Score
35
+24%since 2009
from 28 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
40
−20%since 2020
from 50 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1%(159)
Puerto Rican0.2%(37)
Cuban0.2%(30)
Spaniard0.1%(14)
Salvadoran0.1%(13)
Colombian0.1%(10)
Chilean0%(3)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(31)
Taiwanese0.1%(19)
Pakistani0.1%(14)
Hmong0.1%(12)
Korean0%(3)
Thai0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(1)
Ancestry
German26.8%(4,443)
Norwegian11%(1,822)
Irish10.9%(1,814)
English9.3%(1,541)
Swedish8.9%(1,473)
Polish6.2%(1,021)
Finnish5.7%(949)
French3.3%(539)
Italian2.8%(460)
American2.7%(443)
Dutch1.8%(297)
Croatian1.8%(294)
+ 31 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.4%(239)
Scottish1.2%(202)
Slovak1.2%(197)
Hungarian1%(162)
Danish0.9%(152)
Swiss0.7%(110)
Belgian0.5%(84)
Scotch-Irish0.5%(76)
Russian0.4%(69)
Welsh0.3%(57)
Austrian0.3%(55)
Lithuanian0.3%(42)
Bulgarian0.2%(38)
British0.2%(37)
Slovene0.2%(33)
Greek0.2%(32)
Ukrainian0.2%(27)
Arab0.1%(20)
Lebanese0.1%(17)
Canadian0.1%(12)
Latvian0%(8)
Serbian0%(8)
Syrian0%(3)
RANKED:Largest German population · Largest Norwegian population · Largest Irish population · Largest English population · Largest Swedish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
35.0%
+13.4 ptssince 2000
from 21.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
96.0%
+9.0 ptssince 2000
from 86.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
13.2%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 6.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.3 min
+54%since 2000
from 15.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
71.0%
−3.2 ptssince 2009
from 74.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.8%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
13.4%
+5.4 ptssince 2009
from 8.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
3.6%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.8%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.2%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.6%
−4.5 ptssince 2011
from 8.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
52.9%
−6.9 ptssince 2011
from 59.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
17.2%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 16.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
39.9%
−26.3 ptssince 2009
from 66.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Female
49.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Foreign born
1.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
10.7%
−39.3 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.6%
+1.2 ptssince 2012
from 15.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.3%
−83.4 ptssince 2013
from 88.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
89.8%
+13.7 ptssince 2017
from 76.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2016
from 96.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 1.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married24%(1,759)
Married61.3%(4,487)
Widowed3.5%(258)
Divorced11.1%(812)
Women 15+
Never married19.7%(1,394)
Married58.9%(4,177)
Widowed10.2%(726)
Divorced11.2%(792)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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Head to head

Compare Bayfield County to nearby counties

BAYFIELD COUNTY VS
Ashland County
Income$62,462−12%
Home value$170,300−29%
Population16,203−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BAYFIELD COUNTY VS
Douglas County
Income$75,099+6%
Home value$205,800−15%
Population43,990+162%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BAYFIELD COUNTY VS
Iron County
Income$60,625−15%
Home value$165,900−31%
Population6,127−64%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BAYFIELD COUNTY VS
Sawyer County
Income$60,801−15%
Home value$236,200−2%
Population18,846+12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Bayfield County, Wisconsin?

Bayfield County, Wisconsin has about 16,575 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Bayfield County, Wisconsin?

The typical household in Bayfield County, Wisconsin earns about $71,151 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Bayfield County, Wisconsin expensive?

In Bayfield County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $240,800, and the typical rent is about $812 a month.

How educated are people in Bayfield County, Wisconsin?

About 35.0% of adults age 25 and over in Bayfield County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Bayfield County, Wisconsin?

About 9.8% of people in Bayfield County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.

Has Bayfield County, Wisconsin grown since 1990?

Yes, Bayfield County, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,567 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

7 census tracts
Census Tract 9603Census Tract 9604.02Census Tract 9601Census Tract 9606Census Tract 9604.01Census Tract 9602Census Tract 9900
10 ZIP codes
ZIP 54891ZIP 54814ZIP 54847ZIP 54856ZIP 54821ZIP 54865ZIP 54832ZIP 54839ZIP 54827ZIP 54844
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →