1st Advantage MortgageBuffalo County households have a median income of $70,479 and median rent of $876 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Buffalo County, WI: the basics
- What Buffalo County households earn
- Housing costs in Buffalo County
- Work, industries and travel time in Buffalo County
- Places inside Buffalo County
- Counties near Buffalo County
- People and households in Buffalo County
- Before borrowing in Buffalo County
- What a median Buffalo County budget can carry
- A Buffalo County borrower's checklist
- Checking a lender's license in Wisconsin
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Buffalo County, WI: the basics
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Buffalo County's population at 13,393; only 66 of Wisconsin's 72 county-level areas are larger. Spread over 676 square miles, that works out to roughly 19.8 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. Of the 8 Census places inside Buffalo County, Mondovi leads by population with about 2,872; 6 of the 8 are incorporated.
What Buffalo County households earn
At $70,479, the typical Buffalo County household income is 7% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 40th among Wisconsin's 72 county-level areas.
| Households earning | Buffalo County | +/- vs Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.9% | +2.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.6% | +2.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 28.2% | -0.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.3% | -5.0 pts |
Some 23% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 32% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 8.4%, 2 points lower than the state's 10.6%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.404 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $70,479 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Housing costs in Buffalo County
A typical Buffalo County rental runs $876 a month including utilities, which is 19% below Wisconsin. 37% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 13% spend half or more. With a median value of $213,300, a typical Buffalo County house costs 3.0 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 78%.
| Buffalo County | Wisconsin | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $876/mo | $1,087/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $213,300 | $266,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 78% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 37% | 44% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 29% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 5.5% | 3.1% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 12% | 11% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Work, industries and travel time in Buffalo County
Education and health care employs 21% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 20%. Compared with Wisconsin, the county leans toward agriculture, forestry and mining (10% against 2%). Averaged over the five survey years, 2.9% of the labor force was out of work and looking. About 80% drive to work alone and 16% have trips of 45 minutes or more. 3.3% of households have no vehicle.
| Sector | Buffalo County | Compared with Wisconsin |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.1% | -2.3 pts |
| Manufacturing | 19.9% | +2.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.1% | -1.0 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 9.5% | +7.5 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 8.6% | +3.7 pts |
| Construction | 7.1% | +0.8 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Places inside Buffalo County
The table lists the 8 largest of 8 Census places in Buffalo County, by population. Together all 8 hold about 6,523 people, so roughly 51% of residents live outside any named place. Incomes vary by place: $88,542 at the median in Cochrane, $51,750 in Fountain City. Median rent ranges from $697 in Buffalo City to $891 in Mondovi. None of the 8 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mondovi | city | 2,872 | $54,355 | $891 | 14 mi |
| Buffalo City | city | 902 | $60,865 | $697 | 12 mi |
| Fountain City | city | 835 | $51,750 | $805 | 19 mi |
| Alma | city | 788 | $58,368 | $725 | 8 mi |
| Cochrane | village | 516 | $88,542 | $731 | 12 mi |
| Nelson | village | 381 | $70,625 | $972 | 12 mi |
| Gilmanton | CDP | 148 | $52,000 | $675 | 8 mi |
| Waumandee | CDP | 81 | $70,313 | n/a | 6 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Counties near Buffalo County
Six nearby counties, 17 to 39 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Wabasha County leads the group on income ($82,007), Winona County trails ($70,744), and Buffalo County out-earns 0 of the six. The list crosses into Minnesota, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buffalo County | - | $70,479 | $876/mo | 78% |
| Pepin County, WI | 17 mi | $75,256 | $869/mo | 83% |
| Trempealeau County, WI | 21 mi | $76,313 | $949/mo | 74% |
| Wabasha County, MN | 24 mi | $82,007 | $830/mo | 83% |
| Winona County, MN | 28 mi | $70,744 | $907/mo | 69% |
| Eau Claire County, WI | 33 mi | $74,546 | $1,064/mo | 61% |
| Dunn County, WI | 39 mi | $74,824 | $985/mo | 67% |
People and households in Buffalo County
College graduates make up 22% of the adult population. About 4% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Buffalo County | Wisconsin statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 46.5 | 40.2 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 22.1% | 33.4% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.3% | 6.4% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.2% | 5.2% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 3.3% | 6.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 13.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 8.4% | 10.6% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 2.9% | 3.2% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Buffalo County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 30.0% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 22.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.3% |
| 60+ min | 8.7% |
Before borrowing in Buffalo County
Based on the Buffalo County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Benefit income. With half of residents older than 46, lenders often see pension and Social Security income, which counts like wages.
- Debt consolidation. One fixed payment can save money only if the written APR and fees beat what you pay now (guide).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
What a median Buffalo County budget can carry
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Buffalo County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $5,873 a month: gross income for a household at the Buffalo County median
- 15% goes to median rent ($876)
- With a 43% ceiling, about $1,649 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Buffalo County's.
A Buffalo County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the Buffalo County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Checking a lender's license in Wisconsin
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Buffalo County borrowers answers to the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. Statewide data and rules: Wisconsin guide.
Related local guides
The Wisconsin guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Buffalo County?
$70,479 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $77,485 for Wisconsin. It ranks 40th of 72 in the state.
How does Buffalo County rent compare with Wisconsin?
$876 locally versus $1,087 for the state, 19% below.
What are the biggest places in Buffalo County?
By population: Mondovi, Buffalo City, Fountain City, Alma, Cochrane. The county has 8 Census places in all.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Buffalo County or elsewhere in Wisconsin, the same rules apply.
Where can someone in Buffalo County check a lender's license?
With the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.