Bayfield, Wisconsin Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 565, Bayfield's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Bayfield is a small community located in Wisconsin, within Bayfield County. The total population is 565. It ranks as the 510th most populous out of 808 Census-designated places in Wisconsin.

Age Demographics

The median age in Bayfield is 63.5 years. This is 58% higher than the state median of 40.2 years. Only 11.9% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 17.2% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Bayfield is $70,982. This is 8% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 12% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 8.5%. This is 19% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 3.0%. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $320,100. Housing costs are 20% higher than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 67.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Bayfield is White (non-Hispanic), making up 75.2% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 8.0%.

Education

53.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Bayfield in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 61% higher than the state rate of 33.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 24.3% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Bayfield, Wisconsin is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Wisconsin state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 808 Census-designated places in Wisconsin. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.