Walworth County, Wisconsin
Walworth County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2010 census, the population was 102,228.[2] Its county seat is Elkhorn.[3] The county was created in 1836 from Wisconsin Territory and organized in 1839.[4] It is named for Reuben H. Walworth.[5]
Walworth County | |
---|---|
Walworth County Courthouse | |
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin | |
Wisconsin's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 42°40′N 88°32′W | |
Country | |
State | |
Founded | 1839 |
Named for | Reuben H. Walworth[1] |
Seat | Elkhorn |
Largest city | Whitewater |
Area | |
• Total | 577 sq mi (1,490 km2) |
• Land | 555 sq mi (1,440 km2) |
• Water | 21 sq mi (50 km2) 3.7%% |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 102,228 |
• Estimate (2019) | 103,868 |
• Density | 180/sq mi (68/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional districts | 1st, 5th |
Website | www |
Walworth County comprises the Whitewater-Elkhorn, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area
Lake Geneva, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Alpine Valley Resort, and Music Theatre are located in Walworth County.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 577 square miles (1,490 km2), of which 555 square miles (1,440 km2) is land and 21 square miles (54 km2) (3.7%) is water.[6]
Transportation
Major highways
Interstate 43 U.S. Highway 12 U.S. Highway 14 Highway 11 (Wisconsin) Highway 20 (Wisconsin) Highway 36 (Wisconsin) Highway 50 (Wisconsin) Highway 59 (Wisconsin) Highway 67 (Wisconsin) Highway 83 (Wisconsin) Highway 89 (Wisconsin) Highway 120 (Wisconsin)
Airport
East Troy Municipal Airport (FAA LID: 57C), serves the county and surrounding communities
Adjacent counties
- Waukesha County (northeast)
- Racine County (east)
- Kenosha County (east)
- McHenry County, Illinois (southeast)
- Boone County, Illinois (southwest)
- Rock County (west)
- Jefferson County (northwest)
Demographics
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1840 | 2,611 | — | |
1850 | 17,862 | 584.1% | |
1860 | 26,496 | 48.3% | |
1870 | 25,972 | −2.0% | |
1880 | 26,249 | 1.1% | |
1890 | 27,860 | 6.1% | |
1900 | 29,259 | 5.0% | |
1910 | 29,614 | 1.2% | |
1920 | 29,327 | −1.0% | |
1930 | 31,058 | 5.9% | |
1940 | 33,103 | 6.6% | |
1950 | 41,584 | 25.6% | |
1960 | 52,368 | 25.9% | |
1970 | 63,444 | 21.2% | |
1980 | 71,507 | 12.7% | |
1990 | 75,000 | 4.9% | |
2000 | 93,759 | 25.0% | |
2010 | 102,228 | 9.0% | |
Est. 2019 | 103,868 | [7] | 1.6% |
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2019[2] |
At the 2000 census there were 93,759 people, 34,522 households, and 23,267 families in the county. The population density was 169 people per square mile (65/km²). There were 43,783 housing units at an average density of 79 per square mile (30/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.49% White, 0.84% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.62% from other races, and 1.14% from two or more races. 6.54% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[12] Of the 34,522 households 31.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.40% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.60% were non-families. 24.70% of households were one person and 9.20% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.07.
The age distribution was 24.20% under the age of 18, 13.80% from 18 to 24, 27.60% from 25 to 44, 21.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 98.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.20 males.
In 2017, there were 918 births, giving a general fertility rate of 48.8 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the sixth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[13]
Communities
Cities
- Burlington (mostly in Racine County)
- Delavan
- Elkhorn (county seat)
- Lake Geneva
- Whitewater (partly in Jefferson County)
Villages
- Bloomfield
- Darien
- East Troy
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
- Genoa City (partly in Kenosha County)
- Mukwonago (mostly in Waukesha County)
- Sharon
- Walworth
- Williams Bay
Towns
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Abells Corners
- Adams
- Allen's Grove
- Bardwell
- Big Foot Prairie (partial)
- Bowers
- East Delavan
- Fairfield (partial)
- Inlet
- Heart Prairie
- Hilburn
- Honey Creek
- Honey Lake (partial)
- La Grange
- Lake Beulah
- Lake Como
- Lake Lawn
- Lauderdale
- Lauderdale Shores
- Linton
- Little Prairie
- Lyons
- Millard
- North Bloomfield
- Pell Lake
- Powers Lake
- Richmond
- Spring Prairie
- Tibbets
- Troy
- Troy Center
- Voree
- Zenda
Politics
Owing to its Yankee heritage,[14] which contrasts with the German-American or Scandinavian-American character of most of Wisconsin, Walworth County was initially a stronghold of the Free Soil Party.[15] It voted for Martin van Buren and John P. Hale in Wisconsin's first two presidential elections,[16] and its opposition to the spread of slavery meant it became rock-ribbed Republican in subsequent elections,[16] even resisting the appeal of Wisconsin native Robert La Follette when he carried the state in 1924.[17]
Growth of conservative suburbs and resort towns has meant Walworth – unlike most historically free-soil Yankee counties[17] – retains a decided Republican bent.[18] The only Democrat to carry the county has been Woodrow Wilson in 1912, who won only 36 percent of the vote against a mortally divided GOP. Even then, Wilson only bested President William Howard Taft in the county by 29 votes. The best Democratic showings since then have been by Lyndon Johnson in 1964 and Barack Obama in 2008, both of whom received around 48 percent and narrowly lost the county while sweeping every antebellum free state. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Bill Clinton are the only other Democrats since Wilson to cross the 40 percent mark.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third parties |
---|---|---|---|
2016 | 56.2% 28,863 | 36.4% 18,710 | 7.4% 3,818 |
2012 | 55.5% 29,006 | 43.1% 22,552 | 1.4% 745 |
2008 | 50.5% 25,485 | 48.0% 24,177 | 1.5% 760 |
2004 | 59.4% 28,754 | 39.6% 19,177 | 1.1% 515 |
2000 | 56.8% 22,982 | 38.3% 15,492 | 4.9% 1,984 |
1996 | 45.8% 15,099 | 40.3% 13,283 | 13.9% 4,579 |
1992 | 42.7% 15,727 | 32.1% 11,825 | 25.1% 9,244 |
1988 | 59.5% 18,259 | 39.8% 12,203 | 0.7% 223 |
1984 | 67.1% 20,595 | 32.2% 9,877 | 0.8% 238 |
1980 | 56.9% 19,194 | 33.6% 11,344 | 9.5% 3,192 |
1976 | 57.8% 18,091 | 39.7% 12,418 | 2.6% 798 |
1972 | 66.1% 17,823 | 31.9% 8,598 | 2.0% 546 |
1968 | 61.9% 15,040 | 30.9% 7,505 | 7.3% 1,770 |
1964 | 50.9% 12,225 | 48.9% 11,746 | 0.2% 38 |
1960 | 67.2% 16,395 | 32.7% 7,986 | 0.1% 20 |
1956 | 76.6% 16,696 | 22.6% 4,922 | 0.8% 172 |
1952 | 75.6% 16,906 | 24.2% 5,417 | 0.2% 49 |
1948 | 65.1% 10,509 | 33.3% 5,377 | 1.6% 265 |
1944 | 65.3% 10,901 | 34.1% 5,696 | 0.5% 86 |
1940 | 67.6% 11,594 | 31.8% 5,449 | 0.7% 111 |
1936 | 52.7% 8,462 | 44.2% 7,093 | 3.2% 511 |
1932 | 52.9% 7,858 | 45.7% 6,790 | 1.4% 204 |
1928 | 69.4% 9,846 | 30.0% 4,253 | 0.7% 97 |
1924 | 57.2% 7,484 | 8.9% 1,162 | 33.9% 4,434 |
1920 | 80.7% 8,437 | 15.6% 1,631 | 3.7% 390 |
1916 | 59.7% 3,988 | 36.5% 2,440 | 3.8% 257 |
1912 | 35.9% 2,096 | 36.4% 2,125 | 27.7% 1,620 |
1908 | 62.2% 4,151 | 29.4% 1,960 | 8.4% 562 |
1904 | 73.4% 4,892 | 20.6% 1,370 | 6.0% 401 |
1900 | 71.4% 5,102 | 24.4% 1,742 | 4.2% 301 |
1896 | 70.4% 5,347 | 24.9% 1,894 | 4.7% 353 |
1892 | 58.5% 3,871 | 32.6% 2,153 | 8.9% 591 |
See also
References
- "County Directory - Walworth County". Wisconsin Counties Association. Retrieved May 13, 2007.
- "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2014.
- "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
- "Winnebago Took Its Name from an Indian Tribe". The Post-Crescent. December 28, 1963. p. 14. Retrieved August 25, 2014 – via Newspapers.com.
- "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved March 26, 2020.
- "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
- "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables". Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
- Fowler, Robert Booth; Wisconsin Vites: An Electoral History, p. 14 ISBN 0299227448
- Fowler, Robert Booth; Wisconsin Votes: An Electoral History, Volume 3, p. 11 ISBN 0299227405
- Beckwith, Albert Clayton; History of Walworth County, Wisconsin pp. 98-99 Published 1912 by B.F. Bowen and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana
- See Phillips, Kevin P.; The Emerging Republican Majority, pp. 441-442 ISBN 978-0-691-16324-6
- See McDade, Philip J.; ‘Congressional Restricting in Wisconsin’
- Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
Further reading
- History of Walworth County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1882.
External links
- Walworth County
- Walworth County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
- Travel Guide for Lake Geneva and Walworth County, WI
- Combination Atlas Map, 1873