Barron County | |
|---|---|
 Barron County Government Center | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofWisconsin | |
 Wisconsin's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:45°25′N91°51′W / 45.42°N 91.85°W /45.42; -91.85 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Founded | 1874 |
| Named after | Henry D. Barron |
| Seat | Barron |
| Largest city | Rice Lake |
| Area | |
• Total | 890 sq mi (2,300 km2) |
| • Land | 863 sq mi (2,240 km2) |
| • Water | 27 sq mi (70 km2) 3.0% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 46,711 |
• Estimate (2024) | 46,810 |
| • Density | 54.1/sq mi (20.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
Barron County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofWisconsin. As of the2020 census, the population was 46,711.[1] Itscounty seat isBarron.[2] The county was created in 1859 and organized in 1874.[3]
The county was created in 1859[4] as Dallas County (named after Vice PresidentGeorge M. Dallas), with the county seat located at Barron. It was renamed Barron County on March 4, 1869. The county's name honors Wisconsin lawyer and politicianHenry D. Barron, who served as circuit judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.[5][6] Barron County was organized in 1874.[3]
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a community of Russian immigrants moved to Barron County.[7]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 890 square miles (2,300 km2), of which 863 square miles (2,240 km2) is land and 27 square miles (70 km2) (3.0%) is water.[8]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 13 | — | |
| 1870 | 538 | 4,038.5% | |
| 1880 | 7,024 | 1,205.6% | |
| 1890 | 15,416 | 119.5% | |
| 1900 | 23,677 | 53.6% | |
| 1910 | 29,114 | 23.0% | |
| 1920 | 34,281 | 17.7% | |
| 1930 | 34,301 | 0.1% | |
| 1940 | 34,289 | 0.0% | |
| 1950 | 34,703 | 1.2% | |
| 1960 | 34,270 | −1.2% | |
| 1970 | 33,955 | −0.9% | |
| 1980 | 38,730 | 14.1% | |
| 1990 | 40,750 | 5.2% | |
| 2000 | 44,963 | 10.3% | |
| 2010 | 45,870 | 2.0% | |
| 2020 | 46,711 | 1.8% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 46,810 | [9] | 0.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[10] 1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12] 1990–2000[13] 2010[14] 2020[1] | |||
As of thecensus of 2020,[1] the population was 46,711. Thepopulation density was 54.1 people per square mile (20.9 people/km2). There were 23,779 housing units at an average density of 27.6 units per square mile (10.7 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 91.1%White, 1.8%Black orAfrican American, 1.0%Native American, 0.7%Asian, 1.2% fromother races, and 4.2% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.7%Hispanic orLatino of any race.
As of thecensus[15] of 2000, there were 44,963 people, 17,851 households, and 12,352 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 52 people per square mile (20 people/km2). There were 20,969 housing units at an average density of 24 units per square mile (9.3 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.69%White, 0.14%Black orAfrican American, 0.81%Native American, 0.32%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 0.32% fromother races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 0.96% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 34.4% were ofGerman, 21.8%Norwegian and 5.3%Irish ancestry.
There were 17,851 households, out of which 31.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.90% weremarried couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 25.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 8.10% from 18 to 24, 26.80% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.
In 2017, there were 504 births, giving a general fertility rate of 70.6 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 15th highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[16] Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Barron County residence in 2017.[17]
Barron County has been a longtime swing county, though it tended to more often vote Republican. The last Democrat to win the county wasBarack Obama in 2008 and since then it has been consistently Republican.Donald Trump's performances in 2020 and subsequently in 2024 were the best by a Republican since the 1952 landslide election.[18]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 1,818 | 57.37% | 767 | 24.20% | 584 | 18.43% |
| 1896 | 2,772 | 64.74% | 1,324 | 30.92% | 186 | 4.34% |
| 1900 | 2,950 | 72.77% | 943 | 23.26% | 161 | 3.97% |
| 1904 | 3,575 | 78.30% | 625 | 13.69% | 366 | 8.02% |
| 1908 | 3,247 | 66.46% | 1,266 | 25.91% | 373 | 7.63% |
| 1912 | 1,414 | 35.62% | 1,065 | 26.83% | 1,491 | 37.56% |
| 1916 | 2,746 | 54.95% | 1,863 | 37.28% | 388 | 7.76% |
| 1920 | 6,887 | 84.23% | 742 | 9.08% | 547 | 6.69% |
| 1924 | 2,703 | 29.44% | 377 | 4.11% | 6,100 | 66.45% |
| 1928 | 8,455 | 71.98% | 3,185 | 27.12% | 106 | 0.90% |
| 1932 | 3,852 | 32.92% | 7,413 | 63.35% | 436 | 3.73% |
| 1936 | 5,067 | 37.94% | 7,419 | 55.55% | 869 | 6.51% |
| 1940 | 7,806 | 54.87% | 6,183 | 43.46% | 238 | 1.67% |
| 1944 | 7,137 | 55.66% | 5,585 | 43.55% | 101 | 0.79% |
| 1948 | 5,516 | 45.91% | 6,148 | 51.17% | 352 | 2.93% |
| 1952 | 10,013 | 66.84% | 4,902 | 32.72% | 66 | 0.44% |
| 1956 | 8,634 | 61.12% | 5,419 | 38.36% | 73 | 0.52% |
| 1960 | 8,640 | 57.05% | 6,464 | 42.68% | 41 | 0.27% |
| 1964 | 5,701 | 40.56% | 8,332 | 59.28% | 23 | 0.16% |
| 1968 | 7,526 | 55.38% | 5,183 | 38.14% | 880 | 6.48% |
| 1972 | 8,418 | 59.94% | 5,376 | 38.28% | 251 | 1.79% |
| 1976 | 7,393 | 45.13% | 8,678 | 52.97% | 311 | 1.90% |
| 1980 | 8,791 | 47.05% | 8,654 | 46.32% | 1,240 | 6.64% |
| 1984 | 9,587 | 53.94% | 8,061 | 45.36% | 124 | 0.70% |
| 1988 | 8,527 | 48.53% | 8,951 | 50.94% | 92 | 0.52% |
| 1992 | 6,572 | 32.49% | 8,063 | 39.86% | 5,595 | 27.66% |
| 1996 | 6,158 | 35.82% | 8,025 | 46.68% | 3,008 | 17.50% |
| 2000 | 9,848 | 49.48% | 8,928 | 44.86% | 1,128 | 5.67% |
| 2004 | 12,030 | 50.26% | 11,696 | 48.86% | 211 | 0.88% |
| 2008 | 10,457 | 45.69% | 12,078 | 52.77% | 351 | 1.53% |
| 2012 | 11,443 | 50.43% | 10,890 | 47.99% | 359 | 1.58% |
| 2016 | 13,614 | 60.05% | 7,889 | 34.80% | 1,168 | 5.15% |
| 2020 | 15,803 | 62.35% | 9,194 | 36.27% | 349 | 1.38% |
| 2024 | 16,726 | 62.39% | 8,941 | 33.35% | 1,142 | 4.26% |
Places adjacent to Barron County, Wisconsin | |
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Municipalities and communities ofBarron County, Wisconsin,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Towns | ||
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservations | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
