Florence County, Wisconsin

Coordinates: 45°51′N 88°24′W / 45.85°N 88.40°W / 45.85; -88.40
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Florence County
Florence County Courthouse
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Florence County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 45°51′N 88°24′W / 45.85°N 88.4°W / 45.85; -88.4
Country United States
State Wisconsin
Founded1882
Named forFlorence Terry Hulst
SeatFlorence
Largest townFlorence
Area
 • Total498 sq mi (1,290 km2)
 • Land488 sq mi (1,260 km2)
 • Water9.3 sq mi (24 km2)  1.9%
Population
 • Total4,558
 • Density9.3/sq mi (3.6/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitewww.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]

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

History[edit]

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.[4][5][6]

Geography[edit]

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.[7]

Adjacent counties[edit]

Major highways[edit]

Buses[edit]

National protected area[edit]

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
18902,604
19003,19722.8%
19103,3815.8%
19203,6026.5%
19303,7684.6%
19404,17710.9%
19503,756−10.1%
19603,437−8.5%
19703,298−4.0%
19804,17226.5%
19904,59010.0%
20005,08810.8%
20104,423−13.1%
20204,5583.1%
2021 (est.)4,5930.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[8]
1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10]
1990–2000[11] 2010–2020[2]

2020 census[edit]

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[edit]

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.[12] 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.[13] Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Florence County residence in 2017.[14]

Communities[edit]

Fairgrounds
Florence County sign

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

Towns[edit]

Unincorporated communities[edit]

Politics[edit]

Florence County gave Donald Trump his strongest performance of any county in Wisconsin in both 2016 and 2020.

United States presidential election results for Florence County, Wisconsin[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 2,133 72.55% 781 26.56% 26 0.88%
2016 1,898 71.46% 665 25.04% 93 3.50%
2012 1,645 62.67% 953 36.30% 27 1.03%
2008 1,512 56.31% 1,134 42.23% 39 1.45%
2004 1,703 62.52% 993 36.45% 28 1.03%
2000 1,528 63.53% 816 33.93% 61 2.54%
1996 927 43.28% 869 40.57% 346 16.15%
1992 942 35.60% 978 36.96% 726 27.44%
1988 1,106 51.63% 1,018 47.53% 18 0.84%
1984 1,227 58.01% 870 41.13% 18 0.85%
1980 1,187 52.52% 943 41.73% 130 5.75%
1976 922 48.00% 965 50.23% 34 1.77%
1972 971 54.06% 757 42.15% 68 3.79%
1968 821 48.32% 718 42.26% 160 9.42%
1964 596 36.63% 1,029 63.25% 2 0.12%
1960 928 51.81% 858 47.91% 5 0.28%
1956 1,003 57.94% 723 41.77% 5 0.29%
1952 1,147 58.43% 809 41.21% 7 0.36%
1948 756 43.00% 885 50.34% 117 6.66%
1944 765 45.59% 897 53.46% 16 0.95%
1940 1,008 50.12% 980 48.73% 23 1.14%
1936 800 41.41% 1,037 53.67% 95 4.92%
1932 714 40.94% 965 55.33% 65 3.73%
1928 993 64.27% 540 34.95% 12 0.78%
1924 594 50.21% 49 4.14% 540 45.65%
1920 912 86.94% 97 9.25% 40 3.81%
1916 412 69.36% 162 27.27% 20 3.37%
1912 262 43.67% 131 21.83% 207 34.50%
1908 541 81.11% 102 15.29% 24 3.60%
1904 562 85.41% 83 12.61% 13 1.98%
1900 514 79.57% 110 17.03% 22 3.41%
1896 488 78.08% 129 20.64% 8 1.28%
1892 449 67.93% 195 29.50% 17 2.57%

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census: Florence County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "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. ^ Wood, Howard (1920). "The History of Florence County". The Wisconsin Magazine of History. 3 (4): 466–467. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  5. ^ Usher, Ellis B. (1923). "Nelson Powell Hulst". The Wisconsin Magazine of History. 7: 394–395. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  6. ^ "Pioneer Life on the Menominee Iron Range" (PDF). uproc.lib.mi.us. Menominee Range Historical Foundation. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
  7. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  8. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  9. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  10. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  13. ^ "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.
  14. ^ 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
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved February 8, 2021.

External links[edit]

45°51′N 88°24′W / 45.85°N 88.40°W / 45.85; -88.40