Buffalo County, Wisconsin Income Statistics
Buffalo County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Buffalo County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $71,222 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,484 | $59,261 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.4% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 9.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Buffalo County is about 8% lower than in Wisconsin. Income has been growing slower in Buffalo County (3.8%/yr) than in Wisconsin (4.4%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Buffalo County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Wisconsin average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Buffalo County, Wisconsin grew by 58.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $71,222 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Buffalo County
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.470 | 0.503 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,001 | $67,892 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,462 | $54,788 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.9% | 19.3% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Buffalo County, it is 0.470, lower than Wisconsin's 0.503, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $403,865 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Buffalo County, Wisconsin has narrowed from about 28% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 16% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $327 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Buffalo County | Wisconsin Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.0% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 199 people are unemployed in Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
The average commute time in Buffalo County is 22 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Wisconsin.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Buffalo County, Wisconsin has fallen from 4.9% to 2.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 2.0% in 2019.
Buffalo County, WI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Buffalo County, WI is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,393 residents against a local median of 28,321. Buffalo County, WI's unemployment, at 2.8%, runs 24% above the 2.3% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.8%/yr against a local median of 4.7%/yr, 18% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Buffalo County, WI reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 0.9% on unemployment, so Buffalo County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Buffalo County, WI has the 4th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County, WI | 13,393 | $71,222 #5/6 | 3.8%/yr #5/6 | 2.8% #4/6 | 0.470 #2/6 |
| Pepin County, WI | 7,431 | $75,426 | 5.0%/yr | 3.1% | 0.466 |
| Winona County, MN | 49,782 | $70,228 | 3.7%/yr | 2.3% | 0.512 |
| Trempealeau County, WI | 28,321 | $75,990 | 4.7%/yr | 2.3% | 0.474 |
| Wabasha County, MN | 21,565 | $82,094 | 4.2%/yr | 2.2% | 0.473 |
| Eau Claire County, WI | 107,100 | $74,505 | 5.0%/yr | 3.0% | 0.496 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Buffalo County, Wisconsin has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Wisconsin, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Buffalo County, Wisconsin.
How Rich Is Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
Buffalo County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $71,222, about 8% lower than the Wisconsin average of $77,698.
How fast is household income rising in Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Buffalo County, Wisconsin rose 58%, from $44,954 to $71,222. Over the same years, income here outpaced Wisconsin as a whole: +58% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Buffalo County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Buffalo County, Wisconsin was $68,113, up 6% from $64,391 in 2022. The Wisconsin median that year was $75,781.
What was the median household income in Buffalo County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Buffalo County, Wisconsin was $58,358. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $71,222.
What is the Gini coefficient in Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
The Gini coefficient in Buffalo County is 0.470. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Buffalo County, Wisconsin has narrowed from about 28% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 16% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $327 since 2009.
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