Iron County, Wisconsin

Iron County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,916,[1] making it the third-least populous county in Wisconsin. Its county seat is Hurley.[2] It was named for the valuable iron ore found within its borders.[3][4]

Iron County
U.S. county
The Old Iron County Courthouse (now the Iron County Historical Museum) in Hurley, Wisconsin.
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 46°20′N 90°16′W
Country United States
State Wisconsin
Founded1893
Named forIron ore
SeatHurley
Largest cityHurley
Area
 • Total919 sq mi (2,380 km2)
 • Land758 sq mi (1,960 km2)
 • Water161 sq mi (420 km2)  18%
Population
 (2010)
 • Total5,916
 • Estimate 
(2019)
5,687
 • Density6.4/sq mi (2.5/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district7th
Websitewww.co.iron.wi.gov

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 919 square miles (2,380 km2), of which 758 square miles (1,960 km2) is land and 161 square miles (420 km2) (18%) is water.[5]

Adjacent counties

Major highways
  • U.S. Highway 2
  • U.S. Highway 51
  • Highway 47 (Wisconsin)
  • Highway 77 (Wisconsin)
  • Highway 122 (Wisconsin)
  • Highway 169 (Wisconsin)
  • Highway 182 (Wisconsin)

County Highways
  • CTH-A
  • CTH-B
  • CTH-C
  • CTH-CC
  • CTH-D
  • CTH-FF
  • CTH-G
  • CTH-H
  • CTH-J

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
19006,616—
19108,30625.5%
192010,26123.5%
19309,933−3.2%
194010,0491.2%
19508,714−13.3%
19607,830−10.1%
19706,533−16.6%
19806,7303.0%
19906,153−8.6%
20006,86111.5%
20105,916−13.8%
2019 (est.)5,687[6]−3.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010–2019[1]
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Iron County.

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 5,916 people living in the county. 97.9% were White, 0.6% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.1% Black or African American, 0.2% of some other race and 0.9% of two or more races. 0.6% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race). 22.9% were of German, 13.7% Italian, 12.6% Finnish, 8.2% Polish, 6.6% American and 5.4% Irish ancestry.[11]

As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 6,861 people, 3,083 households, and 1,960 families living in the county. The population density was 9 people per square mile (4/km2). There were 5,706 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile (3/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 98.28% White, 0.09% Black or African American, 0.60% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 0.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.9% were of German, 18.6% Italian, 15.2% Finnish, 9.3% Polish and 6.4% Irish ancestry. 97.1% spoke English as their first language.

There were 3,083 households, out of which 22.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.40% were non-families. 32.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.40% under the age of 18, 5.90% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 26.80% from 45 to 64, and 23.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 96.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

In 2017, there were 34 births, giving a general fertility rate of 46.1 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 2nd lowest rate out of 72 Wisconsin counties. 13 of the births were to unmarried mothers, 21 were to married mothers.[13] Additionally, there were no reported induced abortions performed on women of Iron County residence in 2017.[14]

Communities
Entrance sign on US 51

Cities

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Historical sites

The National Register of Historic Places lists the following historic sites in Iron County:[15][16][17][18][19]

Site Area of significance Year added
Annala Round Barn Architecture, agriculture 1979
Montreal Company Location Historic District Landscape architecture, community planning and development, industry 1980
Old Iron County Courthouse Politics/government, architecture 1977
Plummer Mine Headframe Engineering, industry 1997
Springstead Architecture, exploration/settlement 1997

Politics

From 1928 to 2008, Iron County voted Democratic in presidential elections, the only two exceptions being Richard Nixon in 1972 and George W. Bush in 2000. Beginning in 2012, Iron County became a swing county, with Mitt Romney winning the county by 6 votes. The county gave 59.2% of the vote to Trump in the 2016 election.

Presidential elections results
Presidential elections results[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third parties
2020 60.5% 2,439 38.0% 1,533 1.5% 59
2016 59.2% 2,081 36.3% 1,275 4.5% 157
2012 49.3% 1,790 49.1% 1,784 1.6% 58
2008 42.7% 1,464 55.8% 1,914 1.6% 54
2004 48.6% 1,884 50.4% 1,956 1.0% 39
2000 49.4% 1,734 46.2% 1,620 4.4% 153
1996 35.7% 1,260 48.9% 1,725 15.5% 546
1992 32.7% 1,273 45.3% 1,762 22.0% 856
1988 43.0% 1,599 56.3% 2,090 0.7% 26
1984 45.6% 1,667 53.9% 1,967 0.5% 19
1980 45.0% 1,811 48.3% 1,941 6.7% 269
1976 35.3% 1,340 63.1% 2,399 1.6% 61
1972 49.9% 1,723 47.8% 1,648 2.3% 80
1968 34.3% 1,137 57.7% 1,913 8.0% 265
1964 27.7% 963 72.2% 2,514 0.1% 3
1960 30.9% 1,290 68.9% 2,873 0.2% 7
1956 46.2% 1,930 53.3% 2,226 0.5% 20
1952 39.2% 1,733 60.3% 2,662 0.5% 21
1948 30.4% 1,281 63.3% 2,665 6.3% 263
1944 31.5% 1,345 67.8% 2,894 0.7% 29
1940 31.7% 1,672 66.9% 3,525 1.4% 72
1936 20.8% 902 76.5% 3,319 2.8% 120
1932 25.3% 891 66.4% 2,338 8.4% 294
1928 40.7% 1,274 55.0% 1,724 4.3% 134
1924 40.2% 1,058 3.2% 84 56.6% 1,492
1920 77.7% 1,714 12.2% 268 10.2% 224
1916 54.6% 672 38.6% 475 6.8% 83
1912 40.0% 473 29.3% 347 30.7% 363
1908 73.9% 1,134 20.5% 314 5.6% 86
1904 81.1% 1,250 16.0% 246 2.9% 45
1900 76.8% 1,318 20.8% 356 2.5% 42
1896 72.0% 1,288 26.4% 472 1.6% 28

See also

References
  1. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 21, 2014.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 166.
  4. "Here's How Iron Got Its Name". The Rhinelander Daily News. June 16, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved August 24, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  6. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  7. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  8. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  9. Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  10. "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  11. ""American FactFinder"". Archived from the original on 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2015-01-08.
  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
  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. "STH 77 | National or State Registers Record". Wisconsin Historical Society. January 1, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  16. "National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet". NPGallery. April 17, 1997. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  17. "S of Hurley | National or State Registers Record". Wisconsin Historical Society. January 1, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  18. American Association for State and Local History. United States. National Park Service, issuing body. National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. National Register of Historic Places, 1966-1994 : cumulative list through January 1, 1994. ISBN 0-89133-254-5. OCLC 40135121.
  19. "0.25 mi. W of jct. of Plummer Mine Rd. and STH 77 | National or State Registers Record". Wisconsin Historical Society. January 1, 2012. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  20. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 9, 2020.

Further reading

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