Lafayette County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Lafayette County, Wisconsin had an estimated 17,306 residents on July 1, 2024, up 4.3 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,596, across 634 square miles. County output reached $931.9 m in 2024, 348 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 2 7(a) approvals worth $385,000 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lafayette County
How many people live in Lafayette County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,942
- Households6,763
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$76,462
- Median age40.8
- Median gross rent$830 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$194,500
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income13.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher22.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over11,410
- Population under 184,281
- Share under 1825.3 percent
- Population 65 and over3,450
- Share 65 and over20.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,211
- Civilian labor force8,607
- Unemployment rate2.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.0 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties58th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2040th of 3,222
Lafayette County is the 58th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 25.3 percent against 20.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lafayette County
Is Lafayette County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202417,306
- Census 2020 base population16,596
- Population change since the 2020 census base4.28 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024247
- Births, 2024257
- Deaths, 2024153
- Natural change, 2024104
- Net domestic migration, 202412
- Net international migration, 2024130
- Total net migration, 2024142
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 202424
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents642nd of 3,144
The county has grown 4.28 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lafayette County
Where are people moving to Lafayette County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving353
- People arriving, from those returns562
- Tax returns filed by households leaving400
- Net household movement-47
- Adjusted gross income arriving$18.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-1.3 m
- Average income of an arriving household$51,606
- Average income of a leaving household$48,838
- Largest single originGrant County (76 households)
- Largest single destinationGrant County (105 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grant County | 76 | 133 | $2.9 m |
| Green County | 65 | 93 | $2.9 m |
| Dane County | 50 | 68 | $3.7 m |
| Iowa County | 45 | 84 | $2.5 m |
Households arriving report $2,768 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Grant County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lafayette County
What is the Lafayette County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$931.9 m
- County GDP, 2023$899.5 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.6 percent
- GDP change over five years50.2 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes55th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1897th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$55,005
Output grew 3.6 percent in the latest year and 50.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lafayette County
Employment by industry in Lafayette County
- Covered employment, annual average5,068
- Establishments reporting510
- Average annual pay$50,347
- Average weekly wage$968
- Manufacturing, employment1,202
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$58,939
- Construction, employment404
- Construction, average annual pay$71,647
- Retail trade, employment352
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,363
- Wholesale trade, employment287
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$58,928
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment226
- Finance and insurance, employment162
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 1,202 | 28 | $58,939 |
| Construction | 404 | 50 | $71,647 |
| Retail trade | 352 | 39 | $33,363 |
| Wholesale trade | 287 | 26 | $58,928 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 226 | 18 | $67,454 |
| Finance and insurance | 162 | 28 | $58,241 |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 13 | 9 | $23,163 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,202 jobs, 23.7 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lafayette County
How many businesses are in Lafayette County?
- Establishments, all industries348
- Employment at those establishments3,808
- Annual payroll$185.3 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents20.5
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lafayette County
Building permits in Lafayette County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202455
- Declared construction value permitted$15.3 m
- Single family units authorized51
- Multifamily units authorized4
- Multifamily share of units7.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$277,657
- Units authorized per 1,000 households8.1
Single-family homes are 92.7 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lafayette County
SBA loans in Lafayette County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded2
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$385,000
- Average 7(a) approval$192,500
- Median 7(a) approval$192,500
- Largest single approval$260,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)11
- Jobs per approval5.5
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active2
- Distinct industries receiving approvals2
- Median 7(a) term210 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer50.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms1
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter1
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals50.0 percent
- 504 approvals recorded1
- 504 gross approval dollars$640,000
- Average 504 approval$640,000
- Median 504 approval$640,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval0.0
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved0.0
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$1.0 m
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lafayette County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lafayette County
Do SBA loans in Lafayette County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 1 loan has reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lafayette County
SBA lending by place in Lafayette County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending2
- Benton, approvals1
- Shullsburg, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Benton | 1 | $260,000 |
| Shullsburg | 1 | $125,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lafayette County
How large is Lafayette County?
- Land area634 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties46th of 72
- Width, east to west30 mi
- Height, north to south21.3 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land27
- Establishments per square mile0.55
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lafayette County
Flood risk in Lafayette County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lafayette County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550223
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lafayette County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Lafayette County (community 550223), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lafayette County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Lafayette County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lafayette County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,942
- Households6,763
- Average household size2.51
- Median household income$76,462
- Median age40.8
Common questions
Lafayette County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lafayette County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 17,306 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 16,942, in 6,763 households, ranking 58th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lafayette County's population growing?
The population has grown 4.28 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,596, to 17,306 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 257 births against 153 deaths, with net migration of 142. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lafayette County?
$76,462. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $194,500, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $830 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lafayette County?
348 establishments, employing 3,808 people with an annual payroll of $185.3 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Lafayette County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 1,202 jobs, 23.7 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 5,068 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,347, or $968 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lafayette County?
2 7(a) approvals totaling $385,000 since FY2020, across 2 lenders, with a median approval of $192,500, plus 1 504 approvals worth $640,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lafayette County?
55 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $15.3 m. Multifamily was 7.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lafayette County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lafayette County come from?
The largest single origin is Grant County, with 76 households. Arriving households report an average income of $51,606 against $48,838 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lafayette County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lafayette County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Lafayette County
Cities and places in Lafayette.
12 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lafayette County. All 12 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Darlington | city | 2,409 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cuba City | city | 2,007 | None recorded | 17.3 percent here, 82.7 percent Grant County |
| Hazel Green | village | 1,204 | None recorded | 3.9 percent here, 96.1 percent Grant County |
| Shullsburg | city | 1,184 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Benton | village | 1,054 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Belmont | village | 949 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Argyle | village | 877 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Blanchardville | village | 734 | None recorded | 71.2 percent here, 28.8 percent Iowa County |
| South Wayne | village | 441 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gratiot | village | 305 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Woodford | CDP | 75 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wiota | CDP | 50 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
Nearby