Buffalo County is a county in Wisconsin, United States, along the Mississippi River bluffs in the western part of the state. It had a population of 13,317 at the 2020 census and covers 672 square miles (1,740 km2) of land plus 38 square miles (98 km2) of water, centred near 44°23′N 91°45′W.
Alma is the county seat, and its postal code is 54610. The county has 4 incorporated cities, 2 villages, 17 organized townships, and a scatter of unincorporated communities. Buffalo County runs on Central time and observes Daylight Saving Time.
Towns & Villages in Buffalo County
Buffalo County has 24 named places on the map: 4 cities, 2 villages, and 18 unincorporated communities and hamlets, several of them inside the townships that share their names. CDP = census-designated place; Unincorp. = unincorporated community with no separate municipal government.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alma | City · seat | Alma | — | 54610 |
| Mondovi | City | Mondovi | — | 54755 |
| Fountain City | City | Milton | — | 54629 |
| Buffalo City | City | Buffalo | — | 54622 |
| Cochrane | Village | Buffalo | — | 54622 |
| Nelson | Village | Nelson | — | 54756 |
| Gilmanton | Unincorp. | Gilmanton | — | 54743 |
| Waumandee | Unincorp. | Waumandee | — | 54622 |
| Modena | Unincorp. | Modena | — | — |
| Montana | Unincorp. | Montana | — | — |
| Maxville | Unincorp. | Maxville | — | — |
| Glencoe | Unincorp. | Glencoe | — | — |
| Bluff Siding | Unincorp. | Milton | — | — |
| Cream | Unincorp. | Waumandee | — | — |
| Czechville | Unincorp. | Waumandee | — | — |
| Herold | Unincorp. | Gilmanton | — | — |
| Lookout | Unincorp. | Naples | — | — |
| Marshland | Unincorp. | Belvidere | — | — |
| Misha Mokwa | Unincorp. | Modena | — | — |
| Praag | Unincorp. | Waumandee | — | — |
| Tell | Unincorp. | Canton | — | — |
| Urne | Unincorp. | Cross | — | — |
Buffalo City and Cochrane sit only a couple of miles apart on Highway 35 and share the 54622 ZIP; they are separate municipalities with their own village and city governments despite the shared mailing address.
Townships
Buffalo County keeps the full New England-style township system used across most of Wisconsin. The 17 organized towns, alongside the incorporated cities and villages, are the primary local government layer outside the four cities and two villages.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Mondovi | — | surrounds the city of Mondovi |
| Buffalo | — | Buffalo City, Cochrane |
| Milton | — | Fountain City, Bluff Siding |
| Waumandee | — | Waumandee, Cream, Czechville, Praag |
| Gilmanton | — | Gilmanton, Herold |
| Alma | — | surrounds the city of Alma |
| Nelson | — | surrounds the village of Nelson |
| Modena | — | Modena, Misha Mokwa |
| Montana | — | Montana |
| Maxville | — | Maxville |
| Glencoe | — | Glencoe |
| Belvidere | — | Marshland |
| Naples | — | Lookout |
| Canton | — | Tell |
| Cross | — | Urne |
| Dover | — | rural, no platted village |
| Lincoln | — | rural, no platted village |
ZIP Codes
- 54610 — Alma
- 54622 — Cochrane (also serves Buffalo City and Waumandee)
- 54629 — Fountain City (also serves Bluff Siding)
- 54743 — Gilmanton
- 54755 — Mondovi
- 54756 — Nelson
Smaller crossroads communities such as Modena, Montana, Maxville, Glencoe, Marshland, Lookout, Tell, and Urne have no post office of their own and are served by the nearest ZIP above.
Geography
Buffalo County lies along the east bank of the Mississippi River, its western edge cut by steep bluffs and river-bottom terrace land that give way to rolling ridge-and-valley farm country toward the interior. The Buffalo River, for which the county is named, crosses the county from east to west before reaching the Mississippi. Roughly 5 percent of the county is water, including Mississippi River backwaters and sloughs along the western border.
Buffalo County borders Pepin County to the north, Eau Claire County to the northeast, Trempealeau County to the east, Winona County, Minnesota to the south across the Mississippi, and Wabasha County, Minnesota to the west, also across the river.
Demographics
Buffalo County had 13,317 residents at the 2020 census. Mondovi, the largest city, and Buffalo City are the two biggest population centers, with Alma serving as the seat of government despite its smaller size. Median household income in the county runs below the Wisconsin median of $74,631, typical for a rural, farming-heavy county along the Mississippi bluffs. Population density is light, at roughly 20 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the local economy; the U.S. Department of Agriculture classifies Buffalo County as a high-farming county, meaning at least a fifth of local earnings come from farming, with dairy the leading sector since the late 1800s. The Mississippi River bluffs also draw recreational traffic — boating, fishing, and Great River Road tourism through Fountain City and Alma — and small manufacturing and service businesses cluster in Mondovi, the county’s commercial hub.
History
Buffalo County was organized in 1853 and formally incorporated the following year, taking its name from the Buffalo River. Swiss, German, and Norwegian immigrants settled the county through the 1850s and 1860s, clearing bluffland and bottomland for farms. Dairy farming became the dominant local industry by the 1880s and has remained central to the county’s economy since.
Getting There
Wisconsin Highway 35, the Great River Road, runs the length of the county along the Mississippi, linking Fountain City, Buffalo City, Alma, and Nelson. Wisconsin Highway 37 and Highway 88 connect the interior townships to Mondovi and on to Eau Claire.
- Winona, Minnesota — about 15 miles southwest of Fountain City
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin — about 30 miles northeast of Mondovi
- La Crosse, Wisconsin — about 45 miles south of Alma
- Rochester, Minnesota — about 50 miles southwest of Alma
The nearest commercial airport is Chippewa Valley Regional Airport in Eau Claire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Buffalo County, Wisconsin?
It sits in western Wisconsin along the east bank of the Mississippi River, across from Winona and Wabasha counties in Minnesota.
What is the population of Buffalo County?
13,317 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Buffalo County?
672 square miles of land and 38 square miles of water, 710 square miles total.
What is the county seat of Buffalo County?
Alma is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Buffalo County?
Four cities (Alma, Mondovi, Fountain City, Buffalo City), two villages (Cochrane, Nelson), and 17 organized townships.
What ZIP codes are in Buffalo County?
54610 (Alma), 54622 (Cochrane/Buffalo City), 54629 (Fountain City), 54743 (Gilmanton), 54755 (Mondovi), and 54756 (Nelson).
What is Buffalo County known for?
Mississippi River bluff scenery, the Great River Road, and dairy farming — the county is a designated high-farming county under USDA criteria.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Wisconsin.