Buffalo County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Buffalo County, WI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
-
B
Health Around average
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B
Income Around average
-
D
Education Well below averageLess educated than 75% of counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,393 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 18.9 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.13% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 47.7 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 5,720 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Buffalo County declined by 2.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 13,393 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Buffalo County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 23.0% of residents. That is 2.3 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,359 17.6% -3.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,362 17.6% -3.1 pts
- Gen X 45–60 3,086 23.0% +2.3 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,927 21.9% +4.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Wisconsin, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 49.4% of the people living in Buffalo County and men 50.6%.
- Women 49.4% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 50.6% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Buffalo County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Buffalo County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $71,222 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.84% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.8% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Buffalo County is about 8% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $216,666 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $875 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 77.5% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Buffalo County is about 20.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $875 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Buffalo County spend about 45 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 188 hours, about 7.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.6 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 45.2 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 188 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,837 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,590 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 451 | 811 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Wisconsin:
Ashland County (12.8 min), Door County (13.6 min), Eau Claire County (15.3 min).
Slowest:
Oconto County (26.4 min), St. Croix County (25.3 min), Waushara County (23.9 min).
The average commute time in Buffalo County is 23 minutes, longer than the 19 minutes in Wisconsin.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Buffalo County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.1% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | 2.33 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.4), Ozaukee County (0.4), Waukesha County (0.4).
Lowest:
Clark County (0.2), Adams County (0.2), Juneau County (0.2).
Health
Buffalo County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.8 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 13.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 18.5% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.8), Waukesha County (0.8), Ozaukee County (0.8).
Lowest:
Menominee County (0.8), Clark County (0.8), Forest County (0.8).
Buffalo County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Buffalo County, WI is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 13,393 residents against a local median of 39,051. Buffalo County, WI's median home price, at $216,666, runs 139% above the $90,667 typical of the counties around it.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 22.6 min against a local median of 18.6 min, 21% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 21% above the local median it puts Buffalo County, WI at the weaker end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $86,179 on median home price, so Buffalo County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Buffalo County, WI has the highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County, WI | 13,393 | $71,222 #4/5 | $216,666 #1/5 | 22.6 min #4/5 |
| Winona County, MN | 49,782 | $70,228 | $72,999 | 13.2 min |
| Trempealeau County, WI | 28,321 | $75,990 | $67,667 | 21.9 min |
| Wabasha County, MN | 21,565 | $82,094 | $153,846 | 22.8 min |
| Eau Claire County, WI | 107,100 | $74,505 | $108,335 | 15.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
How many people live in Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
About 13,393 people live in Buffalo County, Wisconsin, in 5,720 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 47.7, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 10 years.
Is Buffalo County, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Buffalo County, Wisconsin has 19 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 22% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 3.0 times the median household income ($216,666 against $71,222), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $875 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Buffalo County, Wisconsin is only 2.8%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Buffalo County, Wisconsin have a college degree?
20.1% of adults in Buffalo County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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