Winnebago County | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 44°04′N88°38′W / 44.06°N 88.64°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Wisconsin |
Founded | 1848 |
Named for | Winnebago people |
Seat | Oshkosh |
Largest city | Oshkosh |
Area | |
• Total | 579 sq mi (1,500 km2) |
• Land | 434 sq mi (1,120 km2) |
• Water | 144 sq mi (370 km2) 25% |
Population | |
• Total | 171,730 |
• Estimate (2023) | 171,735 |
• Density | 395.1/sq mi (152.5/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional districts | 6th, 8th |
Website | www |
Winnebago County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 171,730. Its county seat is Oshkosh. [2] It was named for the historic Winnebago people, a federally recognized Native American tribe now known as the Ho-Chunk Nation. Chief Oshkosh was a Menominee leader in the area. Winnebago County comprises the Oshkosh-Neenah, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Appleton-Oshkosh-Neenah, WI Combined Statistical Area.
The region was occupied by several Native American tribes in the period of European encounter, including the Sauk, Fox, Menominee, and Ojibwa (known as Chippewa in the US). French traders from what is now Canada had early interaction with them, as did French Jesuit missionaries, who sought to convert them to Catholicism. European and American settlement encroached on their traditional territories, and the United States negotiated treaties in the mid-19th century to keep pushing the Indians to the west.
Winnebago County was created in 1840 by European Americans and organized in 1848. [3] The name Winnebago is of Algonquin origin, with variations used by the Fox and Potowatomi to refer to the Fox River below Lake Winnebago, which sometimes got muddy and full of fish. [4] It means 'people dwelling by the fetid or ill-smelling water', which may also refer to a sulfur spring. [5] The county seat, Oshkosh, was incorporated as a city in 1853, when it already had a population of nearly 2,800. [6]
Chief Oshkosh was the namesake for the county seat. A leader of the Menominee in the region, he was successful in gaining authorization from the federal government for 2500 of his people to remain in Wisconsin, at a time when the government was pushing for their removal west of the Mississippi River.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 579 square miles (1,500 km2), of which 434 square miles (1,120 km2) is land and 144 square miles (370 km2) (25%) is water. [7]
Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) serves the county and surrounding communities.
Brennand Airport (79C) in the Town of Clayton is a major recreational aircraft hub year-round.
Commercial airline service for Winnebago County is provided by Appleton International Airport in the neighboring Outagamie County.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1840 | 135 | — | |
1850 | 10,167 | 7,431.1% | |
1860 | 23,770 | 133.8% | |
1870 | 37,279 | 56.8% | |
1880 | 42,740 | 14.6% | |
1890 | 50,097 | 17.2% | |
1900 | 58,225 | 16.2% | |
1910 | 62,116 | 6.7% | |
1920 | 63,897 | 2.9% | |
1930 | 76,622 | 19.9% | |
1940 | 80,507 | 5.1% | |
1950 | 91,103 | 13.2% | |
1960 | 107,928 | 18.5% | |
1970 | 129,931 | 20.4% | |
1980 | 131,703 | 1.4% | |
1990 | 140,320 | 6.5% | |
2000 | 156,763 | 11.7% | |
2010 | 166,994 | 6.5% | |
2020 | 171,730 | 2.8% | |
U.S. Decennial Census [8] 1790–1960 [9] 1900–1990 [10] 1990–2000 [11] 2010–2020 [12] |
As of the census of 2020, [1] the population was 171,730. The population density was 395.1 people per square mile (152.5 people/km2). There were 76,046 housing units at an average density of 174.9 units per square mile (67.5 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 86.2% White, 3.3% Asian, 3.0% Black or African American, 0.7% Native American, 1.8% from other races, and 5.1% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 4.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
As of the census [13] of 2000, there were 156,763 people, 61,157 households, and 39,568 families residing in the county. The population density was 357 people per square mile (138 people/km2). There were 64,721 housing units at an average density of 148 units per square mile (57 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.92% White, 1.12% Black or African American, 0.46% Native American, 1.84% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.72% from other races, and 0.92% from two or more races. 1.96% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 52.4% were of German, 6.2% Irish and 5.7% Polish ancestry. 94.6% spoke English, 2.5% Spanish and 1.0% Hmong as their first language.
There were 61,157 households, out of which 31.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 8.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.30% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.99.
By age, 23.80% of the population was under 18, 11.80% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 21.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 99.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males.
In 2017, there were 1,833 births, giving a general fertility rate of 56.5 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 15th lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. [14] Additionally, there were 123 reported induced abortions performed on women of Winnebago County residence in 2017. [15]
Winnebago County is governed by the 36-member Winnebago County Board of Supervisors. Supervisors are elected to the board in a nonpartisan election held the first Tuesday of April in even numbered years and serve two-year terms. The board has several committees. It meets on the third Tuesday of each month at the Winnebago County Courthouse in Oshkosh.
Winnebago County has become a swing county in recent decades. It has voted for the winning presidential candidate in every election since 1980, except in 1992 when it supported George Bush, and in 2020, when it supported Donald Trump.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 47,796 | 50.83% | 44,060 | 46.86% | 2,176 | 2.31% |
2016 | 43,445 | 49.86% | 37,047 | 42.52% | 6,643 | 7.62% |
2012 | 42,122 | 47.24% | 45,449 | 50.97% | 1,602 | 1.80% |
2008 | 37,946 | 43.28% | 48,167 | 54.94% | 1,564 | 1.78% |
2004 | 46,542 | 52.53% | 40,943 | 46.21% | 1,111 | 1.25% |
2000 | 38,330 | 50.38% | 33,983 | 44.67% | 3,767 | 4.95% |
1996 | 27,880 | 42.73% | 29,564 | 45.31% | 7,803 | 11.96% |
1992 | 33,709 | 43.56% | 27,234 | 35.19% | 16,443 | 21.25% |
1988 | 35,085 | 54.82% | 28,508 | 44.54% | 410 | 0.64% |
1984 | 39,014 | 62.74% | 22,791 | 36.65% | 378 | 0.61% |
1980 | 34,286 | 53.28% | 24,203 | 37.61% | 5,864 | 9.11% |
1976 | 32,149 | 55.35% | 24,485 | 42.16% | 1,448 | 2.49% |
1972 | 29,488 | 57.28% | 20,450 | 39.72% | 1,544 | 3.00% |
1968 | 25,361 | 53.84% | 18,605 | 39.50% | 3,138 | 6.66% |
1964 | 21,084 | 47.03% | 23,636 | 52.72% | 115 | 0.26% |
1960 | 28,598 | 61.72% | 17,656 | 38.11% | 80 | 0.17% |
1956 | 28,759 | 71.44% | 11,115 | 27.61% | 380 | 0.94% |
1952 | 28,172 | 68.17% | 13,016 | 31.49% | 140 | 0.34% |
1948 | 17,165 | 55.18% | 13,116 | 42.16% | 829 | 2.66% |
1944 | 19,310 | 59.56% | 12,841 | 39.61% | 269 | 0.83% |
1940 | 18,697 | 54.14% | 15,570 | 45.08% | 268 | 0.78% |
1936 | 11,679 | 36.93% | 18,522 | 58.57% | 1,420 | 4.49% |
1932 | 11,505 | 41.31% | 15,591 | 55.98% | 756 | 2.71% |
1928 | 16,191 | 61.10% | 9,995 | 37.72% | 315 | 1.19% |
1924 | 11,239 | 48.70% | 1,801 | 7.80% | 10,038 | 43.50% |
1920 | 12,035 | 69.53% | 3,397 | 19.63% | 1,876 | 10.84% |
1916 | 5,923 | 50.49% | 5,242 | 44.69% | 566 | 4.82% |
1912 | 1,922 | 17.01% | 4,631 | 41.00% | 4,743 | 41.99% |
1908 | 6,797 | 52.24% | 5,511 | 42.36% | 703 | 5.40% |
1904 | 7,720 | 62.63% | 4,006 | 32.50% | 600 | 4.87% |
1900 | 7,467 | 55.67% | 5,605 | 41.78% | 342 | 2.55% |
1896 | 7,898 | 59.23% | 5,089 | 38.17% | 347 | 2.60% |
1892 | 5,354 | 45.06% | 5,893 | 49.60% | 635 | 5.34% |
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Appleton is a city in and the county seat of Outagamie County, Wisconsin, United States. A small portion of the city also extends into Calumet and Winnebago counties. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles (160 km) north of Milwaukee. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 75,644, making it the sixth-most populous city in Wisconsin. Appleton is part of the Fox Cities metropolitan area, the third-largest metro area in the state with over 415,000 residents.
Menasha is a city in Calumet and Winnebago counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 18,268 at the 2020 census. Of this, 15,144 were in Winnebago County, and 2,209 were in Calumet County. The city is located mostly in Winnebago County; only a small portion is in Calumet County. Doty Island is located partially in Menasha, which it shares with Neenah. The city's name comes from the Winnebago word meaning "thorn" or "island". In the Menominee language, it is known as Menāēhsaeh, meaning "little island".
Kaukauna is a city in Outagamie and Calumet counties, Wisconsin, United States. It is situated on the Fox River, approximately 100 miles (160 km) north of Milwaukee. The population was 17,089 at the 2020 census. It is a part of the Appleton, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Neenah is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, in the north central United States. It is situated on the banks of Lake Winnebago, Little Lake Butte des Morts, and the Fox River, approximately forty miles (64 km) southwest of Green Bay. Neenah's population was 27,319 at the 2020 census.
Oshkosh is a city in and the county seat of Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. The city had a population of 66,816 in 2020, making it the ninth-most populous city in Wisconsin. It is also adjacent to the much less populous Town of Oshkosh in the north.
Winneconne is a town in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,350 at the 2010 census. The Village of Winneconne is located within the town, on both sides of the Wolf River. The unincorporated community of Butte des Morts, named for a French and Native American trading war, is also located in the town. The town's water resources of rivers and lakes makes it a center of hunting and fishing, including winter ice fishing.
Winneconne is a village in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. The population was 2,383 at the time of the 2010 census. The village is located within the Town of Winneconne. Developed along the Wolf River, the city is in the middle of the Wolf Chain of lakes, including Poygan, Winneconne, and Butte des Morts. It is host to numerous bass fishing tournaments.
Lake Winnebago is a shallow freshwater lake in the north central United States, located in east central Wisconsin. At 137,700 acres, it is the largest lake entirely within the state, covering an area of about 30 miles by 10 miles with 88 miles of shoreline, an average depth of 15.5 feet, and a maximum depth of 21 feet. It has many shallow reefs along the west shore and a drop-off type shoreline on the east. There are several islands along the west shore.
The Wolf River is a 225 mi (362 km) long tributary of the Fox River in northeastern Wisconsin in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The river is one of the two National Scenic Rivers in Wisconsin, along with the St. Croix River. The scenic portion is 24 miles (39 km) long. The river and its parent the Fox River and associated lakes are known for their sturgeon which spawn every spring upstream on the lower river until blocked by the Shawano Dam. The river flows through mostly undeveloped forestland southerly from central Forest County in the north to Lake Poygan in the south. The lake is part of the Winnebago Pool of lakes fed by both the Fox and Wolf Rivers. The Fox-Wolf basin is usually considered to be a single unified basin and the rivers themselves may be referred to as the Fox-Wolf River system.
The Fox Cities of Northeastern Wisconsin are the cities, towns and villages along the Fox River as it flows from Lake Winnebago northward into Green Bay.
Delhi, Wisconsin is a ghost town in the town of Rushford, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. It is located on County Highway E between Omro and Eureka at the junction of the Fox River and Waukau Creek. Delhi was also known as La Borde's Landing. 1890 census records identify Delhi as Island Park. Delhi had an established post office between 1850-1893.
Fox Crossing is a village in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States. It was incorporated from the former town of Menasha in 2016. The population as of the 2020 census was 18,974.