Pepin County, Wisconsin | |
|---|---|
 Pepin County Building | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofWisconsin | |
 Wisconsin's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:44°36′N92°00′W / 44.6°N 92°W /44.6; -92 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Founded | February 25, 1858 |
| Named after | Lake Pepin |
| Seat | Durand |
| Largest city | Durand |
| Area | |
• Total | 249 sq mi (640 km2) |
| • Land | 232 sq mi (600 km2) |
| • Water | 17 sq mi (44 km2) 6.7% |
| Population | |
• Total | 7,318 |
• Estimate (2024)[1] | 7,555 |
| • Density | 32.6/sq mi (12.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Pepin County (/ˈpɛpɪn/PEP-in)[3] is acounty in theU.S. state ofWisconsin. As of the2020 census, the population was 7,318,[2] making it the fourth-least populous county in Wisconsin; it is also the smallest county in Wisconsin by area. Itscounty seat isDurand.[4]
Pepin County is the birthplace ofLaura Ingalls Wilder, the author of theLittle House on the Prairie children's books.
Pepin County was formed in the year 1858 from portions of neighboringDunn County. Both thetown of Pepin (originally named North Pepin in 1856), and thevillage of Pepin were named afterLake Pepin, a broadening of theMississippi River between Pepin County and the Counties ofGoodhue andWabasha in the state ofMinnesota. The lake itself is likely named for one or more of the Pepin families from the French Canadian city ofTrois-Rivières inQuebec,Canada. Several Pepins appear in the early records, including the senior figure Guillaume dit Tranchemontagne and his descendants Pierre and Jean Pepin du Chardonnets. One or both of the latter may have accompaniedDaniel Greysolon, the Sieur du Lhut, fromMontreal to what is nowDuluth, Minnesota, in 1679. Exactly when the body of water was first named Pepin is not known, but the name has been used as early as 1700, making it by far one of the oldest recorded place names in Wisconsin. The name was well accepted by the mid-1760s whenJonathan Carver wrote in his journal, "Arrived at Lake Pepin called by some Lake St. Anthony."[5]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 249 square miles (640 km2), of which 232 square miles (600 km2) is land and 17 square miles (44 km2) (6.7%) is water.[6] It is the smallest county in Wisconsin by land area.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 2,392 | — | |
| 1870 | 4,659 | 94.8% | |
| 1880 | 6,226 | 33.6% | |
| 1890 | 6,932 | 11.3% | |
| 1900 | 7,905 | 14.0% | |
| 1910 | 7,577 | −4.1% | |
| 1920 | 7,481 | −1.3% | |
| 1930 | 7,450 | −0.4% | |
| 1940 | 7,897 | 6.0% | |
| 1950 | 7,462 | −5.5% | |
| 1960 | 7,332 | −1.7% | |
| 1970 | 7,319 | −0.2% | |
| 1980 | 7,477 | 2.2% | |
| 1990 | 7,107 | −4.9% | |
| 2000 | 7,213 | 1.5% | |
| 2010 | 7,469 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 7,318 | −2.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 7,555 | 3.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[11] 2024[1] | |||
As of thecensus of 2020,[2] the population was 7,318. Thepopulation density was 31.5 people per square mile (12.2 people/km2). There were 3,573 housing units at an average density of 15.4 units per square mile (5.9 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.3%White, 0.5%Native American, 0.3%Asian, 0.3%Black orAfrican American, 1.0% fromother races, and 3.5% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.1%Hispanic orLatino of any race.
As of thecensus[12] of 2000, there were 7,213 people, 2,759 households, and 1,934 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 31 people per square mile (12 people/km2). There were 3,036 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.90%White, 0.08%Black orAfrican American, 0.19%Native American, 0.21%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 0.08% fromother races, and 0.49% from two or more races. 0.35% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 41.6% were ofGerman, 13.5%Norwegian, 9.9%Austrian and 6.8%Swedish ancestry. 95.2% spokeEnglish and 3.4%German as their first language.
There were 2,759 households, out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% weremarried couples living together, 6.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 26.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 25.90% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 101.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.20 males.
In 2017, there were 41 births, giving a general fertility rate of 79.6 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the fifth highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[13] Additionally, there were no reported induced abortions performed on women of Pepin County residence in 2017.[14]
Pepin County has a 12-member board of supervisors.[15]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 865 | 57.78% | 539 | 36.01% | 93 | 6.21% |
| 1896 | 1,301 | 72.48% | 436 | 24.29% | 58 | 3.23% |
| 1900 | 1,099 | 68.35% | 470 | 29.23% | 39 | 2.43% |
| 1904 | 1,033 | 73.21% | 342 | 24.24% | 36 | 2.55% |
| 1908 | 1,010 | 67.42% | 447 | 29.84% | 41 | 2.74% |
| 1912 | 528 | 40.00% | 410 | 31.06% | 382 | 28.94% |
| 1916 | 766 | 53.23% | 622 | 43.22% | 51 | 3.54% |
| 1920 | 1,817 | 84.91% | 265 | 12.38% | 58 | 2.71% |
| 1924 | 1,226 | 55.88% | 206 | 9.39% | 762 | 34.73% |
| 1928 | 1,839 | 58.57% | 1,276 | 40.64% | 25 | 0.80% |
| 1932 | 1,152 | 36.86% | 1,931 | 61.79% | 42 | 1.34% |
| 1936 | 1,466 | 42.54% | 1,785 | 51.80% | 195 | 5.66% |
| 1940 | 2,272 | 64.51% | 1,194 | 33.90% | 56 | 1.59% |
| 1944 | 1,902 | 64.28% | 1,029 | 34.78% | 28 | 0.95% |
| 1948 | 1,333 | 48.23% | 1,381 | 49.96% | 50 | 1.81% |
| 1952 | 2,348 | 72.14% | 896 | 27.53% | 11 | 0.34% |
| 1956 | 1,975 | 65.51% | 1,040 | 34.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,612 | 47.69% | 1,763 | 52.16% | 5 | 0.15% |
| 1964 | 1,069 | 33.11% | 2,154 | 66.71% | 6 | 0.19% |
| 1968 | 1,493 | 49.98% | 1,263 | 42.28% | 231 | 7.73% |
| 1972 | 1,458 | 49.26% | 1,409 | 47.60% | 93 | 3.14% |
| 1976 | 1,312 | 39.35% | 1,955 | 58.64% | 67 | 2.01% |
| 1980 | 1,541 | 44.40% | 1,673 | 48.20% | 257 | 7.40% |
| 1984 | 1,555 | 48.56% | 1,629 | 50.87% | 18 | 0.56% |
| 1988 | 1,311 | 40.36% | 1,906 | 58.68% | 31 | 0.95% |
| 1992 | 1,098 | 30.74% | 1,673 | 46.84% | 801 | 22.42% |
| 1996 | 1,007 | 32.56% | 1,585 | 51.24% | 501 | 16.20% |
| 2000 | 1,631 | 44.51% | 1,854 | 50.60% | 179 | 4.89% |
| 2004 | 1,853 | 45.57% | 2,181 | 53.64% | 32 | 0.79% |
| 2008 | 1,616 | 42.85% | 2,102 | 55.74% | 53 | 1.41% |
| 2012 | 1,794 | 48.50% | 1,876 | 50.72% | 29 | 0.78% |
| 2016 | 2,206 | 59.06% | 1,344 | 35.98% | 185 | 4.95% |
| 2020 | 2,584 | 62.36% | 1,489 | 35.93% | 71 | 1.71% |
| 2024 | 2,798 | 64.26% | 1,523 | 34.98% | 33 | 0.76% |
Prior to the election ofDonald Trump in 2016, the last time Pepin County voted for the Republican candidate was in 1972, when voters backed PresidentRichard Nixon (R) overGeorge McGovern (D).[17] Since 2016, Pepin County has continued shifting to the right in each election.[18]
Places adjacent to Pepin County, Wisconsin | |
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Municipalities and communities ofPepin County, Wisconsin,United States | ||
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| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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