Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Bayfield’s average trip to work is 11 minutes, below both Wisconsin’s towns (22 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). No town among the 363 in Wisconsin we compare has a lower July high than Bayfield. Bayfield’s trail density is 5.4 miles per square mile, above both the Wisconsin town median (0.4) and the median of U.S. towns (0.4). Bayfield has 5 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Old Bayfield County Courthouse and Bayfield Historic District. Bayfield has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Bayfield beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1870.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Bayfield, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Bayfield.
Its public schools are run by the Bayfield School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bayfield ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 189 | D |
| Bayfield HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 119 | D |
NCES · EDFacts
About one in 5 of Bayfield’s working residents works in town. Jobs based in Bayfield grew to 495 in 2023, 83 more than in 2013. Bayfield’s median household income is $71,000.
| Bayfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 22% | 8.3% | 8% |
| Median household income | $71,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 8.5% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The FEMA risk score in Bayfield is 1 of 100. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Bayfield since 1978.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Bayfield has cold, snowy winters and cool summers. July afternoons reach 76°, January nights drop to 7° and about 74 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
8 crimes were reported in Bayfield in 2024: 8 property and 0 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Bayfield is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
45% of adults have high blood pressure in Bayfield. Of the 358 Wisconsin towns we compare, none has a higher share of adults who have diabetes than Bayfield. 42% of adults have obesity in Bayfield.
| Bayfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 33% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 11% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 13% | 14% |
| What stands out | Bayfield | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 14.2% | 19% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 84.3% | 77.8% |
| More adults with heart disease | 10.7% | 6.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Bayfield home is worth about $345,000, up 1.1% in a year, close to the Wisconsin typical home.
| Bayfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 68% | 74% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,142 a month | $1,078 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
4.9 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The biggest place to walk is Big Ravine Nature Preserve, 114 acres with 2.4 miles of trail.
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Big Ravine Nature Preserve | 2.4 mi | 114 |
| 2. Big Ravine Trails | 0.6 mi | 13 |
| 3. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore | — | 3 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Bayfield; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Bayfield residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
Where Bayfield’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
5 places in Bayfield on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Bayfield.
City in Wisconsin, United States
Bayfield is a city in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 584 at the 2020 census, making it the city with the smallest population in Wisconsin. Wisconsin Highway 13 serves as a main route in the community. Formerly the county seat and home to industries in lumbering and commercial fishing, today it is a tourist and resort destination referred to as the "Gateway to the Apostle Islands".
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Bayfield has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
3 notable people were born here, including Van Cleave and Beth Meyers.
