Waukesha County, Wisconsin

History

The region was first home to Indigenous tribes like Menomonie, Ojibwe (Chippewa), Potawatomi, and Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), who practiced agriculture and trade. In 1836, Native American tribes formally lost title to the land when treaties were disregarded and were forcibly removed by the Federal Army. Prior to the 1830s, the area was unoccupied by settlers due to its inland location and the fact that the Fox River was not a water highway. The New England settlers only came to the area to set up fur trading posts between their new encampments and established cities like Milwaukee. Morris D. Cutler and Alonso Cutler, seeking claims for homesteads, were the first permanent white colonial settlers.

The part of Wisconsin that Waukesha County occupies was a part of Michigan Territory when Milwaukee County was organized in September 1834. On July 4, 1836, the Wisconsin Territory was formed, which included land that is now in the state of Minnesota. In January 1846, part of Milwaukee County was split off into Waukesha County. Curtis Reed was the first county chairman. When a vote decided the county seat, Waukesha defeated Pewaukee by two votes. The name is derived from the Potawatomi word for 'fox' because the streams in the lower part of the county drain into the Fox River.

Waukesha was a New England settlement, and Waukesha's founders were settlers from New England, particularly Connecticut, rural Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, as well as from upstate New York who were born to parents who had migrated there from New England shortly after the American Revolution. These people were "Yankees" descended from the English Puritans who settled New England in the 1600s. They were part of a wave of New England farmers who headed west into what was the wilds of the Northwest Territory during the early 1800s. Most arrived as a result of the completion of the Erie Canal as well as the end of the Black Hawk War.

The New Englanders built farms, roads, government buildings and established post routes. They brought many of their Yankee New England values, such as a passion for education that led to the establishment of many schools as well as staunch support for abolitionism. They were mostly members of the Congregationalist Church, though some were Episcopalian. Due to the second Great Awakening some converted to Methodism, and others became Baptists before moving to what is now Waukesha County. Waukesha, like much of Wisconsin, would be culturally very continuous with early New England culture for most of its early history, before the state received a substantial influx of German immigrants in the latter half of the 19th century.

Waukesha County is growing faster than the rest of Wisconsin. In the early 20th century, Waukesha County only contained about 2% of Wisconsin's population. By the year 2000, about 7% of Wisconsin's population was in Waukesha County, and the percentage has grown since.

In 2024, Waukeshaaspis, a prehistoric genus of trilobite, was named after the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 581 sqmi, of which 550 sqmi is land and 31 sqmi (5.3%) is water. The Fox River runs through it.

Waukesha County is located to the west of Milwaukee and its suburban development was spurred by the construction of Interstate 94.

Lake country

Because of its large number of lakes, the northwestern corner of Waukesha County is referred to as "Lake Country" by local residents. It includes Pewaukee, Delafield, Hartland, Merton, Nashotah, Chenequa, Okauchee Lake, Oconomowoc, Summit, and Lac La Belle.

Adjacent counties

• Washington County – north
• Ozaukee County – northeast
• Milwaukee County – east
• Racine County – southeast
• Walworth County – southwest
• Jefferson County – west
• Dodge County – northwest

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 406,978. The population density was 740.3 /mi2. There were 172,177 housing units at an average density of 313.2 /mi2.

The median age was 43.6 years. 21.8% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 93.9 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 87.0% White, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 3.9% Asian,

84.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 15.2% lived in rural areas.

There were 164,537 households in the county, of which 28.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 57.7% were married-couple households, 14.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. Of these housing units, 4.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.2% were owner-occupied and 24.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.1%.

Its 2020 median income was $88,985. This ranked 97th in the nation.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 389,891 people, 152,663 households, and 108,810 families living in the county. The population density was 672 /mi2. There were 160,864 housing units at an average density of 277 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 93.3% White, 1.3% Black or African American, 0.3% Native American, 2.7% Asian, 0.0003% Pacific Islander, 1.0% from other races, and 1.3% from two or more races. 4.1% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 152,663 households 30.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 7.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 23.8% of households were one person and 10.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 3.00.

The age distribution was 24.1% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 31.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.90 males.

2000 census

At the 2000 census there were 360,767 people, 135,229 households, and 100,475 families living in the county. The population density was 649 /mi2. There were 140,309 housing units at an average density of 252 /mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 95.77% White, 0.73% Black or African American, 0.22% Native American, 1.49% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races, and 0.90% from two or more races. 2.63% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 44.5% were of German, 9.2% Polish, 7.5% Italian, and 7.7% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.3% spoke English, 2.2% Spanish and 1.2% German as their first language. Of the 135,229 households 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.80% were married couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.70% were non-families. 20.90% of households were one person and 8.10% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.08.

The age distribution was 26.30% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 12.00% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.40 males.

The median household income was $62,839 and the median family income was $71,773. Males had a median income of $49,232 versus $31,643 for females. The per capita income for the county was $29,164. About 1.7% of families and 2.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.5% of those under age 18 and 4.0% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Elected officials

• County Executive: Paul Farrow
• County Board Chair: Paul Decker
• County Clerk: Meg Wartman
• Treasurer: Pamela F. Reeves (R)
• Register of Deeds: James Behrend (R)
• Clerk of Circuit Court: Kathy Madden (R)
• District Attorney: Lesli Boese (R)
• Sheriff: Eric Severson (R)

The County Board of Supervisors has 25 members, each of whom is elected from a single-member district in a nonpartisan election.

On April 3, 1990, county voters approved an amendment to the county code that converted the appointed administrator to an elected County Executive, beginning with the 1991 election. Daniel Finley, the County Board Chairman, ran for County Executive and won the 1991 election. He was re-elected in 1995, 1999, and 2003, before resigning in 2005 to lead the Milwaukee Public Museum. State Representative Daniel Vrakas was elected to succeed him at a 2005 special election and was re-elected in 2007 and 2011. The current County Executive, Paul Farrow, was elected in 2015 when Vrakas declined to seek re-election, and was re-elected in 2019 and 2023.

Departments

There are 12 departments in Waukesha County, with most located in the Administration Center.

• Administration The Department of Administration has five divisions that provide administrative services to the county: the finance division, the human resources division, the information technology division, the purchasing and risk management division, and the administrative services division.
• Aging and Disability Resource Center The Aging and Disability Resource Center of Waukesha County (ADRC) provides information, assistance, counseling and supportive services regarding adults age 60 and above, adults with physical or developmental disabilities; and adults with mental health or substance abuse concerns. It also provides publicly funded long-term care to county residents.
• Airport The Waukesha County Airport serves commercial and private aircraft and is supervised by the Airport Commission.
• Corporation Counsel
• Emergency Preparedness The Department of Emergency Preparedness encompasses Waukesha County Communications, providing 9-1-1 dispatch services to the majority of the county, Waukesha County Emergency Management, and Waukesha County Radio Services, providing technical and maintenance support to the countywide trunked radio system (OASIS) and 9-1-1 centers.
• Bridges Library System The Bridges Library System works in partnership with 16 public libraries in Waukesha County to cooperatively provide library services. This includes the purchase of shared electronic databases, summer library programming, and circulation services. Bridges also oversees Internet access for member libraries.
• Health and Human Services
• Medical Examiner The Medical Examiner investigates suspicious or unexplained deaths or deaths that result from a homicide, suicide, or accident. The office also generates statistics for the county.
• Parks and Land Use The Department of Parks and Land Use (PLU), oversees six divisions that design and maintain county parks. The division also works with state and federal agencies. The planning division administers permits for construction and landscaping activities. The land conservation division works to educate on and regulate soil and water issues. Most programs look to control water runoff and soil erosion. The recycling and solid waste division oversees recycling and disposal programs. It also performs educational outreach on topics such as composting and waste reduction. The official mascot of the recycling division is Recycle Raccoon. The environmental health division oversees animal welfare issues, food safety, and air, water and sewage, and safety issues (such as radon testing, well testing, and septic system monitoring). The land information systems division coordinates databases of information relating to land use and development.
• Public Works
• Sheriff
• University of Wisconsin Extension The University of Wisconsin-Extension is a partnership with Waukesha County and brings the research of the UW System to families, businesses, governments, and organizations through educational outreach programs. The UW-Extension office also houses 180° Juvenile Diversion, a non-profit organization that rehabilitates first-time young offenders in Waukesha County.
• Veterans

Politics

Waukesha County is the largest Republican-leaning county in Wisconsin and has been one of the most Republican suburban counties in the nation for many years. It is one of the WOW counties, which share similar traits in suburban Milwaukee. Although the county's Republican lean has somewhat lessened since the 2010s, the county is still a Republican stronghold.

It has not supported a Democrat for president since 1964, and has only supported a Democrat four other times since 1892. While other non-Southern suburban counties have moved towards Democrats since the 1990s, Waukesha and the other WOW counties have continued to vote solidly Republican. Underlining this, Lyndon Johnson's narrow win in 1964 is the last time that a Democratic presidential candidate has even garnered 40 percent of the county's vote, though Jimmy Carter, Michael Dukakis, Joe Biden, and Kamala Harris came close. In 2008, John McCain carried the county by a 25.7% margin over Barack Obama, when Obama won Wisconsin by 13.9% over McCain. In 2024, Kamala Harris became the first Democrat since 1976 to lose the county by less than 20 percentage points.

2011 Supreme Court election

The initial unofficial statewide tally in the 2011 Wisconsin Supreme Court election had Democratic challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg defeating incumbent justice David Prosser by a 204-vote margin. On the Thursday after the election, Waukesha County Clerk Kathy Nickolaus reported, among other smaller errors, a failure to report votes in the Waukesha city of Brookfield. The newly reported votes gave Prosser the lead, and he retained his seat. Media reports stemming from this incident referred to the county as "crucial Waukesha County," and the phrase has continued to be widely used in U.S. political media as an in-joke, despite the county being a Republican stronghold.

Communities

Cities

• Brookfield
• Delafield
• Muskego (town until 1964)
• New Berlin (town until 1959)
• Oconomowoc
• Pewaukee (town until 1999)
• Waukesha (county seat)

Villages

• Big Bend
• Butler
• Chenequa
• Dousman
• Eagle
• Elm Grove
• Hartland
• Lac La Belle (partly in Jefferson County)
• Lannon
• Lisbon (town until 2023)
• Menomonee Falls
• Merton
• Mukwonago (partly in Walworth County)
• Nashotah
• North Prairie
• Oconomowoc Lake
• Pewaukee
• Summit (town until 2010)
• Sussex
• Vernon (town until 2020)
• Wales
• Waukesha (town until 2020)

Towns

• Brookfield
• Delafield
• Eagle
• Genesee
• Menomonee (former)
• Merton
• Mukwonago
• Oconomowoc (former)
• Ottawa

Census-designated places

• North Lake
• Okauchee Lake (absorbed into Lac La Belle in 2025)

Unincorporated communities

• Bethesda
• Buena Vista
• Camp Whitcomb
• Colgate (partly in Washington County)
• Eagleville
• Genesee
• Genesee Depot
• Goerke's Corners
• Guthrie
• Jericho
• Lake Five (partly in Washington County)
• Mapleton
• Monches
• Monterey
• Ottawa
• Saylesville
• Stone Bank
• Summit Center
• Summit Corners
• Vernon
• Waterville

Ghost towns/neighborhoods

• Calhoun
• Dodges Corners
• DeNoon
• Duplainville
• Muskego Settlement
• New Upsala

:Note – for zoning purposes, a single acre of Waukesha County was annexed by the city of Milwaukee in 2003 to accommodate the Ambrosia Chocolate Factory.

Climate

Education

School districts include:

K-12:

• Elmbrook School District
• Hamilton School District
• Kettle Moraine School District
• Menomonee Falls School District
• Mukwonago School District
• Muskego-Norway School District
• New Berlin School District
• Norris School District
• Oconomowoc Area School District
• Palmyra-Eagle Area School District
• Pewaukee School District
• Waukesha School District
• West Allis School District

Secondary:

• Arrowhead Union High School District
• Waterford Union High School District

Elementary:

• Hartland-Lakeside Joint No. 3 School District
• Lake Country School District
• Merton Community School District
• North Lake School District
• Richmond School District
• Stone Bank School District
• Swallow School District
• Washington-Caldwell School District

Transportation

Railroads

• Canadian National
• Canadian Pacific
• Union Pacific
• Wisconsin and Southern Railroad

Buses

• Waukesha Metro Transit

References

References

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2. "QuickFacts".
3. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
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9. (December 28, 1963). "Winnebago Took Its Name from an Indian Tribe". The Post-Crescent.
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