Housing decision brief
Bayfield County, WI Housing Market
Bayfield County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
47th lowest home value out of 72 Wisconsin counties with data | 20th lowest rent out of 72
Median home value
$240,800
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$812/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$896/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
24.1%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$84/mo
Median rent screens below owner cost.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$812/mo is 8% below Wisconsin county median
Rent burden below pressure line
24.10% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
What to Check
Lower income base
$71,151 median income is 2% below Wisconsin county median
Tax rate needs attention
1.01% effective property-tax rate is 1% above Wisconsin county median
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Renters trying to keep rent below the burden threshold
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Bayfield County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $240,800 | $224,800 | $281,900 | 7% pressure7% above Wisconsin county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $812 | $878 | $1,163 | 8% favorable8% below Wisconsin county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $896 | $1,037 | $1,672 | 14% favorable14% below Wisconsin county median |
Median household income | $71,151 | $72,922 | $74,755 | Near state median2% below Wisconsin county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 1.01% | 1.00% | 1.02% | Near state median1% above Wisconsin county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 24.10% | 25.00% | N/A | Near state median24.10% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$38,671
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$32,751
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Bayfield County is affordable. The median rent is $789/month against a median household income of $69,609, putting rent at 13.6% of income.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Bayfield County is $789/month, while owner costs run $898/month. Renting saves approximately $109/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $31,560/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $38,486/year. With a median household income of $69,609, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 22.0% of renter households in Bayfield County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Langlade County where rent averages $737/month, Bayfield County is approximately 7% more expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon County, WI | $223,800 | $836/mo | Same-state comparison near $223,800 home value and $836/mo rent. |
| Oconto County, WI | $231,400 | $791/mo | Same-state comparison near $231,400 home value and $791/mo rent. |
| Oneida County, WI | $238,400 | $885/mo | Same-state comparison near $238,400 home value and $885/mo rent. |
| Green Lake County, WI | $215,400 | $818/mo | Same-state comparison near $215,400 home value and $818/mo rent. |
| Washburn County, WI | $226,100 | $795/mo | Same-state comparison near $226,100 home value and $795/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Bayfield County
Is Bayfield County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Bayfield County?
How much income do you need for housing in Bayfield County?
What should I double-check before moving to Bayfield County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.