Buffalo County vs Iron County
A side-by-side comparison of Buffalo County and Iron County: population, income, housing, and more.
Buffalo County and Iron 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 6,164 in Iron County). Buffalo County has the higher median household income ($68,722 vs $59,058 in Iron County). Buffalo County has the higher median home value ($197,600 vs $155,200 in Iron County).
Population, income & housing
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,341 | 6,164 |
| Median age | 46.4 yrs | 55.9 yrs |
| Median household income | $68,722 | $59,058 |
| Median home value | $197,600 | $155,200 |
| Median gross rent | $822 | $640 |
| Housing units | 6,546 | 5,572 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 86.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.1% | 23.4% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% | 2.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,126 → 13,341 (+1.6%) | 5,687 → 6,164 (+8.4%) |
| Median household income | $57,829 → $68,722 (+18.8%) | $43,798 → $59,058 (+34.8%) |
| Median home value | $159,700 → $197,600 (+23.7%) | $119,000 → $155,200 (+30.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $765 → $822 (+7.5%) | $538 → $640 (+19.0%) |
Buffalo County
13,12613,341
$57,829$68,722
$159,700$197,600
$765$822
Iron County
5,6876,164
$43,798$59,058
$119,000$155,200
$538$640
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.8% | 3.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.3% | 11.8% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.7% | 4.4% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.8% | 8.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 9.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.0% | 11.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 16.2% | 18.5% |
| 65 to 74 | 13.7% | 18.6% |
| 75 and over | 9.5% | 13.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 94.2% | 94.0% |
| Black or African American | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Asian | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 2.3% | 3.8% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 2.7% | 1.6% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 8.0% | 4.6% |
| High school graduate | 38.1% | 32.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 31.8% | 39.6% |
| Bachelor's degree | 16.0% | 17.1% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.1% | 6.3% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 79.5% | 81.3% |
| Carpooled | 5.5% | 9.2% |
| Public transit | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 4.0% | 1.9% |
| Bicycle | 0.5% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 9.4% | 5.6% |
| Other means | 1.0% | 1.9% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 81.8% | 88.2% |
| 1-unit, attached | 2.0% | 2.5% |
| 2 to 4 units | 5.5% | 2.6% |
| 5 to 19 units | 3.5% | 2.6% |
| 20 or more units | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 5.7% | 2.6% |
Poverty & households
| Buffalo County | Iron County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 8.7% | 11.6% |
| Average household size | 2.32 | 2.05 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 25 | 21 |
| Median year structure built | 1970 | 1973 |
Full profiles
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