Dunn County, Wisconsin

History

Dunn county was founded in 1854 from Chippewa County and organized in 1857. It is named for Charles Dunn, the territory's first chief justice.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 864 sqmi, of which 850 sqmi is land and 14 sqmi (1.6%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Barron County - north
• Chippewa County - east
• Eau Claire County - southeast
• Pepin County - south
• Pierce County - southwest
• Polk County - northwest
• Saint Croix County - west

Major highways

• [[Image:I-94.svg|20px]] Interstate 94
• [[Image:US 12.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 12
• [[Image:WIS 25.svg|20px]] Highway 25 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 29.svg|20px]] Highway 29 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 40.svg|20px]] Highway 40 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 64.svg|20px]] Highway 64 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 72.svg|20px]] Highway 72 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 79.svg|20px]] Highway 79 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 85.svg|20px]] Highway 85 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 170.svg|20px]] Highway 170 (Wisconsin)

Railroads

• Canadian National
• Union Pacific

Buses

• Dunn County Transit

Airports

• Menomonie Municipal Airport (KLUM) serves the county and surrounding communities.
• Boyceville Municipal Airport (3T3) enhances county service.

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 45,440. The median age was 35.8 years, 20.4% of residents were under the age of 18, and 16.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 106.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 106.4 males age 18 and over.

The population density was 53.4 /mi2. There were 18,693 housing units at an average density of 22.0 /mi2; 6.8% of those units were vacant, 66.5% of occupied units were owner-occupied, and 33.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%.

The racial makeup of the county was 90.7% White, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.2% Asian,

37.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 62.5% lived in rural areas.

There were 17,414 households in the county, of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.1% were married-couple households, 21.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 39,858 people, 14,337 households, and 9,261 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 /mi2. There were 15,277 housing units at an average density of 18 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 96.08% White, 0.34% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 2.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 0.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.3% were of German, 22.6% Norwegian and 5.1% Irish ancestry. 95.7% spoke English, 1.6% Spanish and 1.5% Hmong as their first language.

There were 14,337 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 19.80% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.20 males.

In 2017, there were 443 births, giving a general fertility rate of 47.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the fourth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.

Communities

City

• Menomonie (county seat)

Villages

• Boyceville
• Colfax
• Downing
• Elk Mound
• Knapp
• Ridgeland
• Wheeler

Towns

• Colfax
• Dunn
• Eau Galle
• Elk Mound
• Grant
• Hay River
• Lucas
• Menomonie
• New Haven
• Otter Creek
• Peru
• Red Cedar
• Rock Creek
• Sand Creek
• Sheridan
• Sherman
• Spring Brook
• Stanton
• Tainter
• Tiffany
• Weston
• Wilson

Census-designated places

• Downsville
• Rock Falls
• Tainter Lake

Unincorporated communities

Main article: List of unincorporated communities in Dunn County, Wisconsin

• Baxter
• Caryville
• Cedar Falls
• Comfort
• Connorsville
• Dunnville
• Eau Galle
• Falls City
• Graytown (partial)
• Hatchville (partial)
• Irvington
• Meridean
• Norton
• Red Cedar
• Rusk
• Sand Creek
• Weston

Ghost towns/neighborhoods

• Old Tyrone
• Welch Point

Politics

References

References

1. "2020 Decennial Census: Dunn County, Wisconsin". U.S. Census Bureau.
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. ''Wisconsin Blue Book 1991-1992'', p. 731; cited there as from "Wisconsin Historical Records, ''Origin and Legislative History of County Boundaries in Wisconsin'', 1942."
4. [http://www.rootsweb.com/%7Ewioconto/countyinfo.htm When Counties Originated] from [http://www.rootsweb.com/ rootsweb.com's] [[Oconto County]], [http://www.rootsweb.com/~wioconto/index.htm Wisconsin webpage] {{webarchive. link. (March 29, 2007.)
5. (2007). "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". [[The Newberry Library]].
6. Gannett, Henry. (1905). "The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States". Govt. Print. Off..
7. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
8. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates Tables". United States Census Bureau.
9. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
10. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
11. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
12. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
13. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
14. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
15. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
16. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
17. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
18. "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables".
19. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
20. The leading "other" candidate, [[Progressive Party (United States, 1912). Progressive]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]], received 1,174 votes, while Socialist candidate [[Eugene Debs]] received 235 votes, [[Prohibition Party. Prohibition]] candidate [[Eugene Chafin]] received 94 votes, and [[Independent politician. Independent]] candidate [[Arthur Reimer]] received 7 votes.