County · Wisconsin

Lafayette County, Wisconsin

Lafayette County, Wisconsin. Lafayette County had 17,478 residents in 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 5.2% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). It holds 30 places (10 cities, villages and boroughs, 18 towns and townships and 2 census-designated) and 5 census tracts. GEOID 55065.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

17,478

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 16,611 · ACS 2020-2024: 16,942

Median household income

$76,462

±$2,610 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485

Median home value

$194,500

±$8,765 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500

Median gross rent

$830

±$28 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087

How many people live in Lafayette County, and is it growing?

The 2020 Census counted 16,611 residents in Lafayette County. The Census Bureau estimates 17,478 for July 1, 2025, up 5.2% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020-2024 American Community Survey puts the population at 16,942 over 634 square miles of land.

July 2020→2021 +215 (16,834)
2021→2022 +123 (16,957)
2022→2023 +110 (17,067)
2023→2024 +280 (17,347)
2024→2025 +131 (17,478)

Lafayette County in Wisconsin. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Counts, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, with the change from 2015-2019
Measure	Lafayette County	Wisconsin	Change since 2015-2019
Total population	16,942	5,914,872	+227
Households	6,763±83	2,479,480	no clear change
Average household size	2.49±0.03	2.33	no clear change
Housing units	7,234±42	2,778,572	−76

Lafayette County's population since 2000

From 16,137 in 2000 to 17,478 in 2025: up 8.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts. 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.

2000 Census 16,137
2005 (estimate) 16,703
2010 Census 16,836
2015 (estimate) 16,785
2020 Census 16,611
2025 (estimate) 17,478

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); PEP Vintage 2025 (CO-EST2025); 2020 Census · Check it at data.census.gov

What cities and towns are in Lafayette County?

Lafayette County holds 30 places: 10 cities, villages and boroughs (incorporated places), 18 towns and townships (county subdivisions with their own government) and 2 census-designated places. The largest is Darlington with 2,490 residents (2025 estimate). Places that cross a county line are listed with the share of their 2020 residents who live in this county.

Places in Lafayette County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Ring: estimate with a coefficient of variation over 40%.

Darlington	city	2,462	2,409±298	$56,641	$155,100	22.1%	100%
Shullsburg	city	1,173	1,184±152	$64,028	$148,800	11.7%	100%
Belmont	village	989	949±127	$61,875	$191,200	9.7%	100%
Benton	village	946	1,054±150	$80,938	$157,400	8.1%	100%
Darlington (town)	town	923	890±159	$78,750	$271,000	4.5%	100%
Wiota (town)	town	830	1,029±145	$103,125	$278,100	3.6%	100%
Belmont (town), Lafayette County	town	794	995±176	$89,083	$251,000	22.8%	100%
Willow Springs (town)	town	789	684±136	$90,978	$352,400	9.1%	100%
Argyle	village	783	877±135	$59,702	$137,300	10.7%	100%
Blanchardville	village	807	734±97	$64,531	$172,200	7.1%	76%
Gratiot (town)	town	575	473±67	$50,000	$326,800	7.0%	100%
Elk Grove (town)	town	566	594±98	$96,250	$270,800	17.0%	100%
New Diggings (town)	town	486	435±97	$75,833	$155,400	9.9%	100%
Wayne (town), Lafayette County	town	474	472±99	$96,875	$240,500	3.4%	100%
Benton (town)	town	474	445±73	$79,000	$287,500	7.5%	100%
Argyle (town)	town	449	419±81	$83,750	$338,400	11.0%	100%
South Wayne	village	444	441±94	$75,139	$130,600	8.4%	100%
Kendall (town)	town	402	489±116	$71,250	$275,000	11.9%	100%
Seymour (town), Lafayette County	town	392	391±93	$110,938	$265,900	0.5%	100%
Fayette (town)	town	381	366±72	$88,125	$223,200	13.1%	100%
Lamont (town)	town	313	313±57	$98,125	$201,900	9.9%	100%
Shullsburg (town)	town	312	349±99	$66,849	$258,800	18.9%	100%
Blanchard (town)	town	300	330±71	$97,500	$343,900	3.3%	100%
Cuba City	city	2,138	2,007±262	$74,571	$188,600	2.1%	12%
Gratiot	village	224	305±58	$42,344	$151,300	31.1%	100%
Monticello (town)GEOID 5506554025	town	138	124±40	$98,000	$219,400	11.3%	100%
White Oak Springs (town)GEOID 5506586800	town	109	129±55	$77,813	$260,700	19.4%	100%
WoodfordGEOID 5588675	CDP	71	75±45	not published	$98,500	1.3%	100%
WiotaGEOID 5588025	CDP	71	50±17	$90,417	$187,500	8.0%	100%
Hazel Green	village	1,173	1,204±158	$64,688	$165,700	10.6%	2%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 place-by-county parts · Check it at data.census.gov

Who lives in Lafayette County?

The median resident of Lafayette County is 40.8 years old; 25.3% are under 18 and 20.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 89.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.1%. 4.2% of residents were born outside the United States.

Age, origin and education, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
Measure	Lafayette County	Wisconsin	Change since 2015-2019
Median age	40.8±0.5	40.2	−1.0
Under 18 years	25.3%±0.1 pts	21.4%	–
65 years and over	20.4%±0.2 pts	18.5%	–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	7.1%	8.0%	+3.2 pts
White alone, not Hispanic	89.7%±0.3 pts	78.6%	−4.4 pts
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic	0.4%±0.1 pts	5.9%	−0.2 pts
Asian alone, not Hispanic	0.5%±0.2 pts	2.9%	no clear change
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic	0.1%±0.1 pts	0.5%	–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic	0.0%±0.1 pts	0.0%	–
Two or more races, not Hispanic	1.8%±0.4 pts	3.7%	–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic	0.4%±0.3 pts	0.3%	–
Born outside the United States	4.2%±1.0 pts	5.2%	+1.7 pts
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)	8.4%±1.0 pts	9.0%	–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)	5.8%±0.6 pts	6.2%	–
With a disability	11.4%±0.9 pts	12.3%	–
No health insurance coverage	10.5%±1.5 pts	5.2%	no clear change
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)	91.5%±0.7 pts	93.6%	–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)	22.6%±1.3 pts	33.4%	+3.8 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)	6.7%±0.6 pts	11.4%	–
Moved from another state in the past year	1.2%±0.4 pts	2.0%	–

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 Lafayette County earn?

Half of Lafayette County's 6,763 households earn less than $76,462 a year (±$2,610), against $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $74,692 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 11.9% of residents live below the poverty line.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Lafayette County	Wisconsin	Change since 2015-2019
Median household income	$76,462±$2,610	$77,485	no clear change
Mean household income	$92,228±$2,857	$101,466	–
Per capita income	$37,123±$1,107	$43,373	+$2,112
People below the poverty line	11.9%±1.7 pts	10.6%	no clear change
Children under 18 below the poverty line	15.6%±4.0 pts	12.8%	no clear change
Households receiving SNAP	8.7%±1.4 pts	11.1%	–
Households with a broadband subscription	82.2%±1.6 pts	90.3%	–

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 Lafayette County?

Owners occupy 80.2% of Lafayette County's occupied homes and renters 19.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $194,500 by its owner (±$8,765). The median renter pays $830 a month including utilities, and 27.3% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Lafayette County	Wisconsin	Change since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)	$194,500±$8,765	$266,500	+$22,203
Median gross rent	$830±$28	$1,087	−$47
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent	27.3%±6.3 pts	35.0%	no clear change
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage	$1,530±$37	$1,689	–
Owner-occupied homes	80.2%±1.5 pts	67.8%	+3.8 pts
Housing units	7,234±42	2,778,572	−76
Homeowner vacancy rate	0.5%±0.3 pts	0.5%	–
Rental vacancy rate	4.8%±3.4 pts	4.5%	–
Single-family detached homes	84.3%±1.6 pts	66.2%	–
Mobile homes	4.5%±1.2 pts	3.1%	–
Built 2020 or later	1.5%±0.6 pts	1.4%	–
Built 1939 or earlier	32.8%±1.8 pts	17.8%	–

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 Lafayette County building?

Builders took permits for 46 new housing units across Lafayette County in 2025 (46 single-family), 2.6 per 1,000 residents.

2019 27 units
2020 25 units
2021 56 units
2022 37 units
2023 50 units
2024 55 units
2025 46 units

Source: Building Permits Survey, annual county files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey

How do people in Lafayette County get to work?

75.0% of Lafayette County's workers drive alone and 12.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 24.7 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.9%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Measure	Lafayette County	Wisconsin	Change since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)	65.3%±1.2 pts	65.3%	–
Unemployment rate	2.9%±0.8 pts	3.2%	no clear change
Drove alone to work	75.0%±2.2 pts	74.4%	–
Carpooled	7.1%±0.9 pts	7.3%	–
Public transportation	0.1%±0.1 pts	1.1%	–
Walked	3.5%±0.7 pts	2.6%	–
Worked from home	12.6%±1.8 pts	13.1%	+3.2 pts
Mean travel time to work	24.7 min±0.9	22.2 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 are Lafayette County's census tracts?

Lafayette County is divided into 5 census tracts. Among those with a reliable estimate, median household income runs from $65,268 (Tract 9702) to $87,853 (Tract 9703).

Census tracts of Lafayette County, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; sort by any column

Tract 970155065970100	Argyle (13%)	2,954	2,980±160	$75,160	$179,300	$654	9.3%
Tract 970255065970200	Darlington (37%)	3,970	3,910±301	$65,268	$186,300	$862	16.9%
Tract 970355065970300	Belmont (13%)	3,426	3,573±223	$87,853	$223,600	$774	12.2%
Tract 970455065970400	Shullsburg (27%)	3,050	3,147±196	$70,313	$164,000	$992	12.0%
Tract 970555065970500	South Wayne (8%)	3,211	3,332±184	$81,920	$244,300	$811	7.9%

Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) · Check it at data.census.gov

How does Lafayette County compare with Wisconsin's other counties?

Lafayette County's rank among Wisconsin's counties with a reliable estimate (1 = highest)
Measure	Rank
Population	58th of 72
Growth 2020-2025	2nd of 72
Residents per square mile	57th of 72
Median household income	21st of 72
Median home value	56th of 72
Median gross rent	46th of 72
Poverty rate	20th of 72
Bachelor's degree or higher	44th of 72
Median age	53rd of 72

Every county in Wisconsin

Source: PlainCities ranks 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 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 Lafayette County 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' school search.