The Town FilesBayfield, Wisconsin
City in Bayfield County · population 584 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $320,100
- Household income
- $70,982
- Jan low / Jul high
- 4° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 74 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 0
- Median age
- 63.5
Bayfield is a city of 584 people in Bayfield County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $320,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks better for retirees than 100% of Wisconsin towns, better for a vacation home than 97% of Wisconsin towns, better transit than 96% of Wisconsin towns.
How Bayfield ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Bayfield is worth $320,100, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $70,982, which is more affordable than 6% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,142 a month. 67.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bayfield | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $320,100 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,142 | $951 |
| Median household income | $70,982 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 67.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1965 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 29.5% | — |
Who lives in Bayfield
| People | Bayfield | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 63.5 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 47.6% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 11.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 17.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.5% | — |
| Work from home | 24.0% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 10.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.6% | 89.1% |
Weather in Bayfield
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 3.6°F. About 32.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 73.5 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 185 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
NOAA's Storm Events Database has no tornado within 10 miles of Bayfield since 1950.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 9 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 26, 2019.
Severe weather in Bayfield County since 1996
Bayfield County has been included in 12 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| August 10, 2018 | Flood | DR-4383: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| August 9, 2016 | Severe Storm | DR-4276: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Bayfield County
Bayfield County had 4,194 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,107 a year. Unemployment was 4.5% in 2023; in Bayfield itself the ACS puts it at 3%.
Public schools in Bayfield
3 public schools with 404 students, about 8.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayfield Elementary | PK-5 | 197 | 7.6 |
| Bayfield High | 9-12 | 114 | 8.8 |
| Bayfield Middle | 6-8 | 93 | 9.3 |
Towns near Bayfield
- Bayview, WI6.5 mi · 512 people · home $256,300
- Bayfield, WI7.5 mi · 787 people · home $326,000
- Russell, WI9.1 mi · 1,553 people · home $118,300
- Washburn, WI10.3 mi · 2,051 people · home $178,900
- Ashland, WI16.3 mi · 7,908 people · home $176,400
- Washburn, WI16.5 mi · 554 people · home $248,300
- Barksdale, WI18.4 mi · 745 people · home $270,000
- Gingles, WI19.2 mi · 738 people · home $225,000
Bayfield questions
Is Bayfield, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bayfield scores better for retirees than 100% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 79%. 47.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 63.5).
How much does a house cost in Bayfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Bayfield is valued at $320,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $70,982, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,142 a month.
What is the weather like in Bayfield?
July highs average 77.3°F and January lows 3.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.6 inches of precipitation a year and 73.5 inches of snow.
Does Bayfield get tornadoes?
No tornado has been recorded within 10 miles of Bayfield in NOAA's Storm Events Database since 1950.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)