City · Wisconsin
Bayfield, Wisconsin
Bayfield, city, in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. Bayfield had 589 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 584 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 565 (±118). GEOID 5505350.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
589
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 584 · ACS 2020-2024: 565 ±118
Median household income
$70,982
±$21,103 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$320,100
±$31,647 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$1,142
±$133 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Bayfield and what county is it in?
Bayfield is a city in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. It covers 0.9 square miles of land, 673 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Bayfield, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 589 people lived in Bayfield on July 1, 2025, up 0.3% since 2020, slower than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 584 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 565 (±118).
| Measure | Bayfield | Bayfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 565 ±118 | 16,575 | no clear change |
| Households | 283 ±58 | 7,437 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.00 ±0.22 | 2.21 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 444 ±76 | 13,356 | no clear change |
Bayfield's population since 2000
From 611 in 2000 to 589 in 2025: down 3.6%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Bayfield as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Bayfield?
The median resident of Bayfield is 63.5 years old; 11.9% are under 18 and 47.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 75.2%, then non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaska Native residents at 12.6%.
| Measure | Bayfield | Bayfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.5 ±10.3 | 54.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 11.9% ±4.5 pts | 16.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 47.6% ±9.5 pts | 31.3% | – |
| Male | 50.3% ±5.6 pts | 50.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.5% ±1.9 pts | 2.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 75.2% ±7.5 pts | 83.7% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 12.6% ±5.9 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 9.2% ±5.1 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.5% ±1.1 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.5% ±1.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.2% ±3.1 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 17.0% ±6.1 pts | 10.7% | – |
| With a disability | 9.9% ±3.3 pts | 16.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 9.2% ±6.1 pts | 5.3% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 100.0% ±4.7 pts | 96.0% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 53.6% ±8.8 pts | 35.0% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 24.3% ±8.6 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 89.7% ±6.3 pts | 91.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±1.4 pts | 2.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Bayfield earn?
Half of Bayfield's 283 households earn less than $70,982 a year (±$21,103), against $71,151 in Bayfield County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $71,790 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Bayfield | Bayfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,982 ±$21,103 | $71,151 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $84,625 ±$11,893 | $89,755 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,059 ±$6,103 | $41,199 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 8.5% ±5.0 pts | 9.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.0% ±9.1 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.8% ±5.6 pts | 11.6% | – |
| Households with a computer | 97.2% ±4.0 pts | 94.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.6% ±4.9 pts | 89.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Bayfield?
Owners occupy 67.5% of Bayfield's occupied homes and renters 32.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $320,100 by its owner (±$31,647). The median renter pays $1,142 a month including utilities, and 41.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Bayfield | Bayfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $320,100 ±$31,647 | $240,800 | +$107,559 |
| Median gross rent | $1,142 ±$133 | $812 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.3% ±19.5 pts | 31.4% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,736 ±$213 | $1,478 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 67.5% ±10.2 pts | 83.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 32.5% ±10.2 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Housing units | 444 ±76 | 13,356 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±11.1 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 10.7% ±11.8 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 77.0% ±8.1 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.7% ±0.9 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.5% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.7% ±1.4 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 41.9% ±9.1 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.8% ±2.0 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Bayfield building?
Builders took permits for 2 new housing units in Bayfield in 2025 (2 in single-family houses), 3.4 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Bayfield work and get to work?
55.5% of Bayfield's workers drive alone and 24.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 10.7 minutes.
| Measure | Bayfield | Bayfield County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 47.8% ±9.4 pts | 52.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% ±4.4 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 55.5% ±9.7 pts | 71.0% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.4% ±3.9 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±9.4 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 16.2% ±8.0 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 24.0% ±10.7 pts | 13.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 10.7 min ±3.3 | 23.3 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Bayfield?
No census tract lies mostly in Bayfield; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9601Bayfield County | 2,978 | $65,069 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Bayfield) · Census block assignment files
How does Bayfield compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Bayfield is the 12,534th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 453rd-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Bayfield is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 453rd | 608 |
Bayfield's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Bayfield with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Bayfield?
18 of the 57 figures for Bayfield on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Bayfield are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Bayfield.