Buffalo County, Wisconsin
Buffalo County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,317.[1] Its county seat is Alma.[2] The county was created in 1853 and organized the following year.[3][4] The county is considered a high-farming concentration county by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, meaning at least 20 percent of its earnings came from agriculture.[5]
History
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Buffalo County, founded in 1853, is named for the Buffalo River, which flows from Strum to Alma, where it empties into the Mississippi River. The Buffalo River obtained its name from the French voyager Father Louis Hennepin, who named it Riviere des Boeufs in 1680. The first permanent settlement was established in 1839, located in what is now Fountain City. This settlement was originally named Holmes' Landing after a family who traded with the Sioux and Chippewa. Buffalo County was settled primarily by Swiss, German, and Norwegian immigrants who were drawn to the area by the growing lumber industry, fertile soils, access to the Mississippi, and available land. By 1848, a second community was established called Twelve Mile Bluff, which is now known as Alma.
Agriculture developed during the 1850s on top of the ridges where natural prairies and oak savannas occurred, which made working the land much easier. With the lack of good roads, settlement remained along the Mississippi River, where farmers could ship their grain on steamboats. The development of the Northern Rail from Winona, Minnesota, allowed for development away from the river, and by 1890, farmers were transporting their goods predominantly by rail.
The Civil War gave a boost to the local economy with the rising demand for wheat, which was the main crop of the county. The postwar period brought a large influx of settlers; however, because of declining soil fertility, many moved west rather than adopt crop rotation and fertilization.[citation needed] With the price of wheat falling, farmers turned to dairy farming, and by the 1880s, local creameries had started to appear.
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 710 square miles (1,800 km2), of which 672 square miles (1,740 km2) are land and 38 square miles (98 km2) (5.3%) are covered by water.[6]
Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]- Pepin County – north
- Eau Claire County – northeast
- Trempealeau County – east
- Winona County, Minnesota – south
- Wabasha County, Minnesota – west
Major highways
[edit | edit source]
Railroads
[edit | edit source]- BNSF
- CN subsidiary, Wisconsin Central
Buses
[edit | edit source]Demographics
[edit | edit source]Racial and ethnic composition
[edit | edit source]| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[7] | Pop 1990[8] | Pop 2000[9] | Pop 2010[10] | Pop 2020[11] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 14,236 | 13,487 | 13,555 | 13,135 | 12,577 | 99.49% | 99.29% | 98.20% | 96.67% | 94.44% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 2 | 5 | 15 | 35 | 43 | 0.01% | 0.04% | 0.11% | 0.26% | 0.32% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 18 | 21 | 41 | 37 | 31 | 0.13% | 0.15% | 0.30% | 0.27% | 0.23% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 19 | 29 | 44 | 27 | 19 | 0.13% | 0.21% | 0.32% | 0.20% | 0.14% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [12] | x [13] | 2 | 0 | 12 | x | x | 0.01% | 0.00% | 0.09% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 12 | 0 | 1 | 26 | 8 | 0.08% | 0.00% | 0.01% | 0.19% | 0.06% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [14] | x [15] | 61 | 90 | 300 | x | x | 0.44% | 0.66% | 2.25% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 22 | 42 | 85 | 237 | 327 | 0.15% | 0.31% | 0.62% | 1.74% | 2.46% |
| Total | 14,309 | 13,584 | 13,804 | 13,587 | 13,317 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
2020 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 13,317. The median age was 46.0 years. 20.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 22.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 102.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 103.6 males age 18 and over.[16]
The population density was 19.7 people per square mile (7.6 people/km2). There were 6,506 housing units at an average density of 9.6 units per square mile (3.7 units/km2), of which 12.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.4% were owner-occupied and 23.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.6%.[16]
The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% White, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.1% from some other race, and 3.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population.[17]
Less than 0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[18]
There were 5,667 households in the county, of which 25.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 52.2% were married-couple households, 19.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 19.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[16]
2000 census
[edit | edit source]
As of the census[19] of 2000, there were 13,804 people, 5,511 households, and 3,780 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile (7.7 people/km2). There were 6,098 housing units at an average density of 9 units per square mile (3.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.69% White, 0.12% Black or African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.08% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races. 0.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 44.3% were of German, 22.1% Norwegian and 8.8% Polish ancestry. 96.9% spoke English, 1.6% Spanish and 1.1% German as their first language.
There were 5,511 households, out of which 30.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 6.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.10% under the age of 18, 6.90% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 100.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.40 males.
In 2017, there were 121 births, giving a general fertility rate of 58.4 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 22nd lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. 33 of the births were to unmarried mothers, 88 to married mothers.[20] Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Buffalo County residence in 2017.[21]
Communities
[edit | edit source]Cities
[edit | edit source]- Alma (county seat)
- Buffalo City
- Fountain City
- Mondovi
Villages
[edit | edit source]
Towns
[edit | edit source]Census-designated places
[edit | edit source]Other unincorporated communities
[edit | edit source]Railroad junctions
[edit | edit source]Ghost towns/neighborhoods
[edit | edit source]Politics
[edit | edit source]| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 1,523 | 49.46% | 1,393 | 45.24% | 163 | 5.29% |
| 1896 | 2,301 | 61.89% | 1,302 | 35.02% | 115 | 3.09% |
| 1900 | 2,091 | 62.40% | 1,205 | 35.96% | 55 | 1.64% |
| 1904 | 2,147 | 68.35% | 911 | 29.00% | 83 | 2.64% |
| 1908 | 1,937 | 63.72% | 1,027 | 33.78% | 76 | 2.50% |
| 1912 | 1,239 | 48.65% | 848 | 33.29% | 460 | 18.06% |
| 1916 | 1,492 | 56.54% | 1,043 | 39.52% | 104 | 3.94% |
| 1920 | 3,082 | 85.40% | 299 | 8.28% | 228 | 6.32% |
| "text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Progressive (Wisconsin) |1924 | 1,324 | 33.05% | 176 | 4.39% | 2,506 | 62.56% |
| 1928 | 3,027 | 61.88% | 1,836 | 37.53% | 29 | 0.59% |
| 1932 | 1,711 | 34.03% | 3,252 | 64.68% | 65 | 1.29% |
| 1936 | 2,481 | 40.05% | 3,434 | 55.44% | 279 | 4.50% |
| 1940 | 4,056 | 60.76% | 2,516 | 37.69% | 103 | 1.54% |
| 1944 | 3,416 | 63.19% | 1,948 | 36.03% | 42 | 0.78% |
| 1948 | 2,350 | 47.07% | 2,563 | 51.33% | 80 | 1.60% |
| 1952 | 4,233 | 67.92% | 1,988 | 31.90% | 11 | 0.18% |
| 1956 | 3,387 | 59.83% | 2,266 | 40.03% | 8 | 0.14% |
| 1960 | 3,464 | 55.37% | 2,790 | 44.60% | 2 | 0.03% |
| 1964 | 2,091 | 36.31% | 3,663 | 63.60% | 5 | 0.09% |
| 1968 | 2,992 | 54.21% | 2,112 | 38.27% | 415 | 7.52% |
| 1972 | 3,079 | 54.40% | 2,461 | 43.48% | 120 | 2.12% |
| 1976 | 2,844 | 44.25% | 3,448 | 53.65% | 135 | 2.10% |
| 1980 | 3,569 | 48.11% | 3,276 | 44.16% | 573 | 7.72% |
| 1984 | 3,325 | 52.74% | 2,921 | 46.34% | 58 | 0.92% |
| 1988 | 2,783 | 44.08% | 3,481 | 55.14% | 49 | 0.78% |
| 1992 | 2,029 | 29.19% | 2,996 | 43.11% | 1,925 | 27.70% |
| 1996 | 1,800 | 32.39% | 2,681 | 48.25% | 1,076 | 19.36% |
| 2000 | 3,038 | 45.75% | 3,237 | 48.74% | 366 | 5.51% |
| 2004 | 3,502 | 46.13% | 3,998 | 52.67% | 91 | 1.20% |
| 2008 | 2,923 | 41.76% | 3,949 | 56.41% | 128 | 1.83% |
| 2012 | 3,364 | 47.79% | 3,570 | 50.72% | 105 | 1.49% |
| 2016 | 4,048 | 57.99% | 2,525 | 36.17% | 408 | 5.84% |
| 2020 | 4,834 | 61.85% | 2,860 | 36.59% | 122 | 1.56% |
| 2024 | 5,213 | 64.36% | 2,765 | 34.14% | 122 | 1.51% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Between 1948 and 1984, Buffalo County voted for the nationwide winner in every election with the exception of the very close 1960 election. Then, from 1988 to 2012, like most of the rural counties in southwestern Wisconsin, it backed the Democratic candidate in each election, and did so by more than a 6% margin each time except for 2000 and 2012, which were both decided by less than a 3% margin. The results from 2012 foreshadowed the shift in the electorate in Buffalo County, as in 2016, once again like the rest of rural southwestern Wisconsin, the county dramatically swung to the right, shifting 25 points and giving a 22% victory to Republican Donald Trump. Trump further expanded his margin of victory to over 25% in 2020 and to over 30% in 2024, achieving the two highest vote shares for a Republican in the county since Dwight D. Eisenhower in his 1952 landslide victory.
Notable people
[edit | edit source]- Chauncey H. Cooke (1846–1919), American soldier in the U.S. Civil War[23]
See also
[edit | edit source]- National Register of Historic Places listings in Buffalo County, Wisconsin
- Trempealeau National Wildlife Refuge
- Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs named2020-census-55011 - ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Home Page". Archived from the original on December 20, 2007. Retrieved November 12, 2007.
- ↑ "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
- ↑ "County Typology Codes - Descriptions and Maps". USDA. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
- ↑ "1980 General Population Characteristics - Wisconsin - Table 15: Persons by Race and Table 16: Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race". United States Census Bureau – via Internet Archive.
- ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Wisconsin - Table 3: Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 23-111. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Buffalo County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Buffalo County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Buffalo County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
- ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
- ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
- ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
- ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables". Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 20, 2019.
- ↑ Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin, Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Section: Trend Information, 2013-2017, Table 18, pages 17-18
- ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 9, 2020.
- ↑ Mulligan, William H. Jr.; Cooke, Chauncey Herbert (2007). A Badger Boy in Blue: The Civil War Letters of Chauncey H. Cooke. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. p. 1. ISBN 978-0-8143-3343-3. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
Further reading
[edit | edit source]- Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1892.
- Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn (ed.). History of Buffalo and Pepin Counties Wisconsin. Winona, Minn.: H. C. Cooper, 1919.
- Kessinger, L. History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin. Alma, Wis.: 1888.
External links
[edit | edit source]- Buffalo County government website
- Old plat maps: 1877 1896 1913 1920s
- Buffalo County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
Template:Buffalo County, Wisconsin Template:Wisconsin Coordinates: 44°23′N 91°45′W / 44.38°N 91.75°W
- Use American English from June 2025
- Use mdy dates from April 2024
- Articles needing additional references from February 2013
- Articles with unsourced statements from February 2013
- Coordinates not on Wikidata
- Buffalo County, Wisconsin
- 1854 establishments in Wisconsin
- Populated places established in 1854
- Wisconsin counties on the Mississippi River