Buffalo County vs Forest County
A side-by-side comparison of Buffalo County and Forest County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buffalo County and Forest County are counties in Wisconsin. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Buffalo County has the higher population (13,341 vs 9,261 in Forest County). Buffalo County has the higher median household income ($68,722 vs $59,727 in Forest County). Buffalo County has the higher median home value ($197,600 vs $170,000 in Forest County).
Population, income & housing
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,341 | 9,261 |
| Median age | 46.4 yrs | 49.1 yrs |
| Median household income | $68,722 | $59,727 |
| Median home value | $197,600 | $170,000 |
| Median gross rent | $822 | $585 |
| Housing units | 6,546 | 8,696 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 82.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 15.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 3.5% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,126 → 13,341 (+1.6%) | 8,995 → 9,261 (+3.0%) |
| Median household income | $57,829 → $68,722 (+18.8%) | $45,536 → $59,727 (+31.2%) |
| Median home value | $159,700 → $197,600 (+23.7%) | $132,300 → $170,000 (+28.5%) |
| Median gross rent | $765 → $822 (+7.5%) | $506 → $585 (+15.6%) |
Buffalo County
13,12613,341
$57,829$68,722
$159,700$197,600
$765$822
Forest County
8,9959,261
$45,536$59,727
$132,300$170,000
$506$585
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.3% | 13.9% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.7% | 6.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.8% | 9.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 10.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.0% | 11.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.2% | 17.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.7% | 15.4% |
| 75 and over | 9.5% | 9.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.2% | 77.9% |
| Black or African American | 0.5% | 0.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 11.4% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 1.5% |
| Two or more races | 2.3% | 6.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.7% | 2.2% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.0% | 9.3% |
| High school graduate | 38.1% | 37.9% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.8% | 37.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.0% | 11.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.1% | 3.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 79.5% | 79.2% |
| Carpooled | 5.5% | 9.6% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 4.0% | 3.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 0.1% |
| Worked from home | 9.4% | 6.5% |
| Other means | 1.0% | 1.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 81.8% | 85.9% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.0% | 0.4% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.5% | 1.1% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.5% | 2.8% |
| 20 or more units | 1.5% | 0.2% |
| Mobile home & other | 5.7% | 9.7% |
Poverty & households
| Buffalo County | Forest County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 15.0% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | 2.29 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1970 | 1980 |
Full profiles
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