Lincoln County, Wisconsin | |
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 Location within the U.S. state ofWisconsin | |
| Coordinates:45°20′N89°44′W / 45.33°N 89.73°W /45.33; -89.73 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Founded | 1875 |
| Named after | Abraham Lincoln |
| Seat | Merrill |
| Largest city | Merrill |
| Area | |
• Total | 907 sq mi (2,350 km2) |
| • Land | 879 sq mi (2,280 km2) |
| • Water | 28 sq mi (73 km2) 3.1% |
| Population | |
• Total | 28,415 |
• Estimate (2024) | 28,461 |
| • Density | 32.3/sq mi (12.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 7th |
| Website | www |
Lincoln County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofWisconsin. As of the2020 census, the population was 28,415.[1] Itscounty seat isMerrill.[2] The county was created in 1875[3] and named after PresidentAbraham Lincoln.[4] Lincoln County comprises the Merrill, WIMicropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in theWausau-Stevens Point-Wisconsin Rapids, WICombined Statistical Area.
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 907 square miles (2,350 km2), of which 879 square miles (2,280 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (3.1%) is water.[5]
U.S. Highway 8
U.S. Highway 51
Highway 17 (Wisconsin)
Highway 64 (Wisconsin)
Highway 86 (Wisconsin)
Highway 107 (Wisconsin)| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 2,011 | — | |
| 1890 | 12,008 | 497.1% | |
| 1900 | 16,269 | 35.5% | |
| 1910 | 19,064 | 17.2% | |
| 1920 | 21,084 | 10.6% | |
| 1930 | 21,072 | −0.1% | |
| 1940 | 22,536 | 6.9% | |
| 1950 | 22,235 | −1.3% | |
| 1960 | 22,338 | 0.5% | |
| 1970 | 23,499 | 5.2% | |
| 1980 | 26,555 | 13.0% | |
| 1990 | 26,993 | 1.6% | |
| 2000 | 29,641 | 9.8% | |
| 2010 | 28,743 | −3.0% | |
| 2020 | 28,415 | −1.1% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 28,461 | [6] | 0.2% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010[11] 2020[12] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 28,415. Thepopulation density was 32.3 people per square mile (12.5 people/km2) and there were 16,034 housing units at an average density of 18.2 units per square mile (7.0 units/km2). The median age was 48.9 years, 19.0% of residents were under the age of 18, and 23.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.9 males age 18 and over.[13]
The racial makeup of the county was 94.7%White, 0.6%Black or African American, 0.4%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 3.3% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.[12]
33.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 66.5% lived in rural areas.[14]
There were 12,473 households in the county, of which 22.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.7% were married-couple households, 20.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
Of those housing units, 22.2% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.4% were owner-occupied and 23.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.3%.[13]
As of thecensus[15] of 2000, there were 29,641 people, 11,721 households, and 8,228 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 34 people per square mile (13 people/km2). There were 14,681 housing units at an average density of 17 units per square mile (6.6 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.76%White, 0.41%Black orAfrican American, 0.44%Native American, 0.39%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 0.29% fromother races, and 0.68% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 55.9% were ofGerman, 5.7%Polish and 5.3%Norwegian ancestry. 96.9% spokeEnglish, 1.3%German and 1.2%Spanish as their first language.
There were 11,721 households, out of which 31.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.4% weremarried couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.8% were non-families. 25.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 28% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 99.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.1 males.
In 2017, there were 270 births, giving a general fertility rate of 62.6 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 34th lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[16]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 997 | 34.17% | 1,443 | 49.45% | 478 | 16.38% |
| 1896 | 1,706 | 47.69% | 1,802 | 50.38% | 69 | 1.93% |
| 1900 | 2,147 | 56.71% | 1,552 | 40.99% | 87 | 2.30% |
| 1904 | 2,850 | 70.39% | 1,004 | 24.80% | 195 | 4.82% |
| 1908 | 2,308 | 53.89% | 1,813 | 42.33% | 162 | 3.78% |
| 1912 | 712 | 21.20% | 1,760 | 52.41% | 886 | 26.38% |
| 1916 | 2,189 | 60.69% | 1,282 | 35.54% | 136 | 3.77% |
| 1920 | 3,713 | 72.11% | 838 | 16.28% | 598 | 11.61% |
| 1924 | 1,857 | 26.84% | 503 | 7.27% | 4,558 | 65.89% |
| 1928 | 4,025 | 56.06% | 3,091 | 43.05% | 64 | 0.89% |
| 1932 | 2,958 | 35.76% | 5,093 | 61.57% | 221 | 2.67% |
| 1936 | 3,120 | 33.83% | 5,520 | 59.86% | 582 | 6.31% |
| 1940 | 5,812 | 58.21% | 3,951 | 39.57% | 221 | 2.21% |
| 1944 | 5,564 | 64.71% | 2,938 | 34.17% | 96 | 1.12% |
| 1948 | 4,339 | 54.97% | 3,368 | 42.67% | 187 | 2.37% |
| 1952 | 6,877 | 68.72% | 3,092 | 30.90% | 38 | 0.38% |
| 1956 | 6,329 | 67.74% | 2,880 | 30.83% | 134 | 1.43% |
| 1960 | 6,147 | 60.93% | 3,909 | 38.75% | 33 | 0.33% |
| 1964 | 3,894 | 39.75% | 5,883 | 60.06% | 19 | 0.19% |
| 1968 | 4,793 | 51.37% | 3,858 | 41.35% | 679 | 7.28% |
| 1972 | 6,206 | 57.25% | 4,175 | 38.51% | 459 | 4.23% |
| 1976 | 5,672 | 48.38% | 5,800 | 49.48% | 251 | 2.14% |
| 1980 | 6,473 | 50.75% | 5,438 | 42.63% | 844 | 6.62% |
| 1984 | 6,682 | 55.08% | 5,353 | 44.12% | 97 | 0.80% |
| 1988 | 5,257 | 47.03% | 5,819 | 52.06% | 102 | 0.91% |
| 1992 | 4,321 | 32.48% | 5,297 | 39.82% | 3,686 | 27.71% |
| 1996 | 4,076 | 33.28% | 6,166 | 50.35% | 2,004 | 16.36% |
| 2000 | 6,727 | 47.24% | 6,664 | 46.80% | 848 | 5.96% |
| 2004 | 8,024 | 51.11% | 7,484 | 47.67% | 192 | 1.22% |
| 2008 | 6,519 | 42.70% | 8,424 | 55.17% | 325 | 2.13% |
| 2012 | 7,455 | 48.99% | 7,563 | 49.70% | 198 | 1.30% |
| 2016 | 8,401 | 57.10% | 5,371 | 36.51% | 940 | 6.39% |
| 2020 | 10,017 | 60.72% | 6,261 | 37.95% | 219 | 1.33% |
| 2024 | 10,633 | 61.79% | 6,306 | 36.64% | 270 | 1.57% |
Between 1964 and 2016, Lincoln County supported the nationwide winner in every election except for 1988. In 2020,Donald Trump received the highest share of the vote for any candidate in the county since 1960 and won by an even bigger margin in 2024, possibly indicating that this bellwether has shifted to the right.
This digital collection contains historic images and texts that document central Wisconsin schools and libraries in Marathon and Lincoln Counties. Text-based materials include:Marchetti, Louis. History of the Public Library Building and Names of Donors, 1909, a record of the proceedings, leading up, and culminating in the erection and completion of the Library Building of the city of Wausau, with names of Donors attached thereto. Compiled and presented to the Library by Louis Marchetti, President of the Library Board from 1904 to 1908.
Places adjacent to Lincoln County, Wisconsin | ||||||||||||||||
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Municipalities and communities ofLincoln County, Wisconsin,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
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