Florence County, Wisconsin

Last updated

Florence County
County
FlorenceCountyWisconsinCourtHouse.jpg
Florence County Courthouse
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Florence County.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin in United States.svg
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°51′N88°24′W / 45.85°N 88.4°W / 45.85; -88.4
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin
Founded1882
Named after Florence Terry Hulst
Seat Florence
Largest town Florence
Area
 • Total
498 sq mi (1,290 km2)
 • Land488 sq mi (1,260 km2)
 • Water9.3 sq mi (24 km2)  1.9%
Population
 (2020) [1]
 • Total
4,558
 • Estimate 
(2023)
4,682 Increase2.svg
 • Density9.3/sq mi (3.6/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 7th
Website www.florencecountywi.com

Florence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 4,558, [2] making it the second-least populous county in Wisconsin after Menominee County. Its county seat is Florence. [3] The county is considered a high-recreation retirement destination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. [4]

Contents

Florence County is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Florence County was created by the legislature of 1882 from portions of Marinette County and Oconto County. The first white man to document his journey through Florence County was Thomas J. Cram, who surveyed northeast Wisconsin in 1840 and 1841. The region belonged to the Menominee tribe, who mingled with the Chippewa there. Florence County continued to be a region for hunting and trapping until the 1870s when iron was discovered in the region. The Florence mine was discovered in 1874 by H. D. Fisher. In 1879, Fisher named the mine and town after the wife of Nelson Powell Hulst, Florence Terry Hulst, establishing the name for the county as well. [5] [6] [7]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 498 square miles (1,290 km2), of which 488 square miles (1,260 km2) is land and 9.3 square miles (24 km2) (1.9%) is water. [8]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Buses

National protected area

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1890 2,604—
1900 3,19722.8%
1910 3,3815.8%
1920 3,6026.5%
1930 3,7684.6%
1940 4,17710.9%
1950 3,756−10.1%
1960 3,437−8.5%
1970 3,298−4.0%
1980 4,17226.5%
1990 4,59010.0%
2000 5,08810.8%
2010 4,423−13.1%
2020 4,5583.1%
2021 (est.)4,5930.8%
U.S. Decennial Census [9]
1790–1960 [10] 1900–1990 [11]
1990–2000 [12] 2010–2020 [2]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, [1] the population was 4,558. The population density was 9.3 people per square mile (3.6 people/km2). There were 4,601 housing units at an average density of 9.4 units per square mile (3.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.6% White, 0.7% Native American, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 3.9% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.4% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Florence County USA Florence County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Florence County

At the 2000 census there were 5,088 people, 2,133 households, and 1,441 families in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (3.9 people/km2). There were 4,239 housing units at an average density of 9 units per square mile (3.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.17% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 0.81% from two or more races. 0.45% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.6% were of German, 11.6% Swedish, 8.4% Polish, 8.2% Italian, 6.6% French, 5.9% English, 5.4% French Canadian and 5.2% Irish ancestry. [13] Of the 2,133 households 27.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 6.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.40% were non-families. 27.90% of households were one person and 12.50% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.87.

The age distribution was 22.90% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 27.30% from 45 to 64, and 17.50% 65 or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.50 males.

In 2017, there were 31 births, giving a general fertility rate of 57.9 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 21st lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. 10 of the births were to unmarried mothers, 21 were to married mothers. [14] Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Florence County residence in 2017. [15]

Communities

Fairgrounds Florence County Wisconsin Fairgrounds.jpg
Fairgrounds
Florence County sign Florence County Wisconsin Sign Town of Homestead.jpg
Florence County sign

Florence County is one of only two counties in Wisconsin with no incorporated communities, the other being Menominee County.

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Politics

Florence County has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election since 1996.

United States presidential election results for Florence County, Wisconsin [16]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 44967.93%19529.50%172.57%
1896 48878.08%12920.64%81.28%
1900 51479.57%11017.03%223.41%
1904 56285.41%8312.61%131.98%
1908 54181.11%10215.29%243.60%
1912 26243.67%13121.83%20734.50%
1916 41269.36%16227.27%203.37%
1920 91286.94%979.25%403.81%
1924 59450.21%494.14%54045.65%
1928 99364.27%54034.95%120.78%
1932 71440.94%96555.33%653.73%
1936 80041.41%1,03753.67%954.92%
1940 1,00850.12%98048.73%231.14%
1944 76545.59%89753.46%160.95%
1948 75643.00%88550.34%1176.66%
1952 1,14758.43%80941.21%70.36%
1956 1,00357.94%72341.77%50.29%
1960 92851.81%85847.91%50.28%
1964 59636.63%1,02963.25%20.12%
1968 82148.32%71842.26%1609.42%
1972 97154.06%75742.15%683.79%
1976 92248.00%96550.23%341.77%
1980 1,18752.52%94341.73%1305.75%
1984 1,22758.01%87041.13%180.85%
1988 1,10651.63%1,01847.53%180.84%
1992 94235.60%97836.96%72627.44%
1996 92743.28%86940.57%34616.15%
2000 1,52863.53%81633.93%612.54%
2004 1,70362.52%99336.45%281.03%
2008 1,51256.31%1,13442.23%391.45%
2012 1,64562.67%95336.30%271.03%
2016 1,89871.46%66525.04%933.50%
2020 2,13372.55%78126.56%260.88%
2024 2,35674.60%78324.79%190.60%

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "2020 Decennial Census: Florence County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  4. ↑ "County Typology Codes - Descriptions and Maps". USDA. Retrieved April 16, 2025.
  5. ↑ Wood, Howard (1920). "The History of Florence County". The Wisconsin Magazine of History. 3 (4): 466–467. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ Usher, Ellis B. (1923). "Nelson Powell Hulst". The Wisconsin Magazine of History. 7: 394–395. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Pioneer Life on the Menominee Iron Range" (PDF). uproc.lib.mi.us. Menominee Range Historical Foundation. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  8. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  9. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on August 11, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  11. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  13. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables". Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  15. ↑ Reported Induced Abortions in Wisconsin, Office of Health Informatics, Division of Public Health, Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Section: Trend Information, 2013-2017, Table 18, pages 17-18
  16. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 8, 2021.

45°51′N88°24′W / 45.85°N 88.40°W / 45.85; -88.40

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