The typical owner-occupied home in Buffalo County is worth about $213,300, 20% below the Wisconsin median of $266,500 and 36% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,808 a year in property taxes, about 1.32% of their home's value, lower than the Wisconsin rate of 1.42%. The median household earns $70,479 a year, so the median home costs 3.0 times the median income (3.4 times for Wisconsin). 78% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 53% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Buffalo County at a glance
| Buffalo County | Wisconsin | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $213,300 | $266,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,808 | $3,792 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 1.32% | 1.42% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $70,479 | $77,485 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 78% | 68% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 53% | 61% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,543 | $1,689 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 21.4% | 19.5% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $876 | $1,087 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 24.3% | 27.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1969 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 12.3% | 10.8% | 10.1% |
| Population | 13,393 | 5,914,872 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Buffalo County
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Buffalo County home of $213,300 with 20% down costs about $1,471 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,827, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $63,061 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Buffalo County household income of $70,479; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $238,000.
The median rent here is $876 a month, so owning the median home costs about $595 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $42,660 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $170,640 |
| Principal and interest | $1,148 |
| Property taxes (1.32% a year) | $235 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $89 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,471 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $7,466 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $209,437 |
| Principal and interest | $1,409 |
| Property taxes (1.32% a year) | $235 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $89 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $94 |
| Total per month | $1,827 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Buffalo County
What is the median home value in Buffalo County?
About $213,300 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Buffalo County?
Homeowners pay a median $2,808 a year, which is about 1.32% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Buffalo County?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,471 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $63,061 a year.
More about Buffalo County
- Mortgage Refinance in Buffalo County
- Debt Relief in Buffalo County
- Home Equity Loans in Buffalo County
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data