Racine County | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofWisconsin | |
 Wisconsin's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:42°47′N87°46′W / 42.78°N 87.76°W /42.78; -87.76 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Founded | December 7, 1836 |
| Seat | Racine |
| Largest city | Racine |
| Area | |
• Total | 792 sq mi (2,050 km2) |
| • Land | 333 sq mi (860 km2) |
| • Water | 460 sq mi (1,200 km2) 58% |
| Population | |
• Total | 197,727 |
• Estimate (2023) | 196,613 |
| • Density | 594.4/sq mi (229.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | www |
Racine County (/rəˈsiːn,reɪ-/ ⓘrə-SEEN, ray-) is acounty in southeasternWisconsin. As of the2020 census, its population was 197,727,[1] making it Wisconsin's fifth-most populous county. Itscounty seat isRacine.[2] The county was founded in 1836, then a part of theWisconsin Territory. TheRoot River is the county's namesake.
Racine County comprises the Racinemetropolitan statistical area. This area is part of theMilwaukee-Racine-Waukesha combined statistical area.[3] According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 792 square miles (2,050 km2), of which 333 square miles (860 km2) is land and 460 square miles (1,200 km2) (58%) is water.[4] The county's unemployment rate was 5.6% in June 2021.[5]
ThePotawatomi people occupied the area of Racine County until European settlement. TheWisconsin Territory legislature established Racine County in 1836, separating it from Milwaukee County. Racine County originally extended to Wisconsin's southern border and encompassed the land that is nowKenosha County, Wisconsin. Kenosha County was created as a separate entity in 1850.[6]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1840 | 3,475 | — | |
| 1850 | 14,973 | 330.9% | |
| 1860 | 21,360 | 42.7% | |
| 1870 | 26,740 | 25.2% | |
| 1880 | 30,922 | 15.6% | |
| 1890 | 36,268 | 17.3% | |
| 1900 | 45,644 | 25.9% | |
| 1910 | 57,424 | 25.8% | |
| 1920 | 78,961 | 37.5% | |
| 1930 | 90,217 | 14.3% | |
| 1940 | 94,047 | 4.2% | |
| 1950 | 109,585 | 16.5% | |
| 1960 | 141,781 | 29.4% | |
| 1970 | 170,838 | 20.5% | |
| 1980 | 173,132 | 1.3% | |
| 1990 | 175,034 | 1.1% | |
| 2000 | 188,831 | 7.9% | |
| 2010 | 195,408 | 3.5% | |
| 2020 | 197,727 | 1.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[11]2020 census[12] | |||
| Race / Ethnicity(NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000[13] | Pop 2010[14] | Pop 2020[15] | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 150,238 | 145,414 | 135,333 | 79.56% | 74.42% | 68.44% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 19,441 | 21,212 | 22,531 | 10.30% | 10.86% | 11.40% |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 541 | 614 | 538 | 0.29% | 0.31% | 0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 1,331 | 2,081 | 2,261 | 0.70% | 1.06% | 1.14% |
| Native Hawaiian orPacific Islander alone (NH) | 54 | 40 | 47 | 0.03% | 0.02% | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 156 | 228 | 792 | 0.08% | 0.12% | 0.40% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 2,080 | 3,273 | 8,314 | 1.10% | 1.67% | 4.20% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14,990 | 22,546 | 27,911 | 7.94% | 11.54% | 14.12% |
| Total | 188,831 | 195,408 | 197,727 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of thecensus of 2020,[1] the population was 197,727. Thepopulation density was 594.4 people per square mile (229.5 people/km2). There were 84,490 housing units at an average density of 254.0 units per square mile (98.1 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 72.0%White, 11.8%Black orAfrican American, 1.2%Asian, 0.5%Native American, 5.4% fromother races, and 9.0% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 14.1%Hispanic orLatino of any race.
As of thecensus[16] of 2000, there were 188,831 people, 70,819 households, and 49,856 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 567 people per square mile (219 people/km2). There were 74,718 housing units at an average density of 224 units per square mile (86 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 83.04%White, 10.47%Black orAfrican American, 0.36%Native American, 0.72%Asian, 0.04%Pacific Islander, 3.69% fromother races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 7.94% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race. 32.9% were ofGerman, 7.4%Polish and 5.5%Irish ancestry.
There were 70,819 households, of which 34.5% had children under 18 living with them, 54.0% weremarried couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.
The County Board has 21 members, each elected from single-member districts.[17] The county executive is elected in a countywide vote. The county executive is Jonathan Delagrave. The Circuit Court is made up of ten judges, elected in countywide elections to six-year terms.
Racine County has been abellwether county, having voted for the winning presidential candidate in 28 of the last 33 elections since 1896 despite its solidly Democratic county seat,Racine, Wisconsin. The only exceptions to this were when it voted forCharles Evans Hughes in1916,Gerald Ford in1976,Michael Dukakis in1988, andDonald Trump in2020.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 56,347 | 52.33% | 49,721 | 46.17% | 1,618 | 1.50% |
| 2020 | 54,479 | 51.18% | 50,159 | 47.12% | 1,813 | 1.70% |
| 2016 | 46,681 | 49.50% | 42,641 | 45.22% | 4,980 | 5.28% |
| 2012 | 49,347 | 47.74% | 53,008 | 51.28% | 1,009 | 0.98% |
| 2008 | 45,954 | 45.66% | 53,408 | 53.07% | 1,280 | 1.27% |
| 2004 | 52,456 | 51.65% | 48,229 | 47.48% | 884 | 0.87% |
| 2000 | 44,014 | 49.53% | 41,563 | 46.77% | 3,288 | 3.70% |
| 1996 | 30,107 | 38.81% | 38,567 | 49.72% | 8,894 | 11.47% |
| 1992 | 32,310 | 36.79% | 34,875 | 39.71% | 20,634 | 23.50% |
| 1988 | 36,342 | 47.42% | 39,631 | 51.72% | 658 | 0.86% |
| 1984 | 42,092 | 52.84% | 36,955 | 46.39% | 616 | 0.77% |
| 1980 | 39,683 | 49.76% | 33,565 | 42.09% | 6,494 | 8.14% |
| 1976 | 37,088 | 49.00% | 36,740 | 48.54% | 1,858 | 2.45% |
| 1972 | 38,490 | 56.41% | 27,778 | 40.71% | 1,968 | 2.88% |
| 1968 | 28,028 | 44.78% | 27,045 | 43.21% | 7,513 | 12.00% |
| 1964 | 21,434 | 36.14% | 37,785 | 63.71% | 87 | 0.15% |
| 1960 | 29,562 | 49.03% | 30,596 | 50.74% | 136 | 0.23% |
| 1956 | 31,968 | 58.21% | 22,646 | 41.24% | 305 | 0.56% |
| 1952 | 30,628 | 54.65% | 25,241 | 45.03% | 180 | 0.32% |
| 1948 | 19,029 | 43.45% | 23,266 | 53.12% | 1,502 | 3.43% |
| 1944 | 18,220 | 41.11% | 25,697 | 57.97% | 408 | 0.92% |
| 1940 | 18,753 | 43.63% | 23,532 | 54.75% | 693 | 1.61% |
| 1936 | 10,850 | 28.73% | 24,474 | 64.80% | 2,447 | 6.48% |
| 1932 | 10,754 | 32.49% | 19,960 | 60.31% | 2,383 | 7.20% |
| 1928 | 17,423 | 56.56% | 13,021 | 42.27% | 362 | 1.18% |
| 1924 | 13,040 | 50.21% | 1,463 | 5.63% | 11,466 | 44.15% |
| 1920 | 14,406 | 71.95% | 3,650 | 18.23% | 1,965 | 9.81% |
| 1916 | 5,081 | 47.77% | 4,495 | 42.26% | 1,061 | 9.97% |
| 1912 | 2,606 | 29.42% | 3,909 | 44.13% | 2,343 | 26.45% |
| 1908 | 5,490 | 52.77% | 3,688 | 35.45% | 1,226 | 11.78% |
| 1904 | 5,573 | 55.61% | 2,584 | 25.79% | 1,864 | 18.60% |
| 1900 | 5,925 | 58.37% | 3,855 | 37.98% | 371 | 3.65% |
| 1896 | 5,849 | 57.61% | 3,975 | 39.15% | 329 | 3.24% |
| 1892 | 3,956 | 46.19% | 3,750 | 43.79% | 858 | 10.02% |
Places adjacent to Racine County, Wisconsin | |
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Municipalities and communities ofRacine County, Wisconsin,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Villages | ||
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Former communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| Central city |  | |
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| Largest municipalities (over 25,000 in2010) | ||
| Municipalities (over 10,000 in2010) | ||
| Smaller municipalities (under 10,000 in2010) |
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| Counties | ||
| Other topics | ||
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