Pierce County, Wisconsin

Pierce County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,212.^[2] Its county seat is Ellsworth.^[3] Pierce County is part of the Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Pierce County
County
Pierce County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 44°43′N 92°25′W
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	1853
Named after	Franklin Pierce[1]
Seat	Ellsworth
Largest city	River Falls
Area
• Total	592 sq mi (1,530 km2)
• Land	574 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Water	18 sq mi (50 km2)  3.1%
Population  (2020)
• Total	42,212
• Estimate  (2023)	43,026
• Density	71/sq mi (28/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd
Website	www.co.pierce.wi.us

History

Native Americans were the first to live in what became Pierce County, as evidenced in the burial mounds near Diamond Bluff. Evidence indicates that this area has been inhabited for 10,000 to 12,000 years. In 1840, St. Croix County covered a large portion of northwest Wisconsin Territory. In 1853, the Wisconsin State Legislature split St. Croix County into Pierce, Polk, and Saint Croix counties. Pierce County was named for Franklin Pierce, the fourteenth president of the United States.^[4][5]

Geography

Soils of Pierce County

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 592 square miles (1,530 km²), of which 574 square miles (1,490 km²) is land and 18 square miles (47 km²) (3.1%) is water.^[6]

Adjacent counties

• St. Croix County – north
• Dunn County – northeast
• Pepin County – southeast
• Goodhue County, Minnesota – south
• Dakota County, Minnesota – southwest
• Washington County, Minnesota – west

National protected area

• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (part)

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1860	4,672		—
1870	9,958		113.1%
1880	17,744		78.2%
1890	20,385		14.9%
1900	23,943		17.5%
1910	22,079		−7.8%
1920	21,663		−1.9%
1930	21,043		−2.9%
1940	21,471		2.0%
1950	21,448		−0.1%
1960	22,503		4.9%
1970	26,652		18.4%
1980	31,149		16.9%
1990	32,765		5.2%
2000	36,804		12.3%
2010	41,019		11.5%
2020	42,212		2.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[7] 1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9] 1990–2000[10] 2010[11] 2020[2]

2020 census

As of the census of 2020,^[2] the population was 42,212. The population density was 73.5 people per square mile (28.4 people/km²). There were 16,780 housing units at an average density of 29.2 units per square mile (11.3 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% White, 1.0% Black or African American, 0.7% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 1.1% from other races, and 4.3% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Pierce County

As of the census^[12] of 2000, there were 36,804 people, 13,015 households, and 9,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 64 people per square mile (25 people/km²). There were 13,493 housing units at an average density of 23 units per square mile (8.9 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 98.01% White, 0.25% Black or African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.43% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.72% from two or more races. 0.82% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 41.0% were of German, 16.2% Norwegian, 7.1% Swedish and 7.1% Irish ancestry.

There were 13,015 households, out of which 35.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.10% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.60% were non-families. 21.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.40% under the age of 18, 17.00% from 18 to 24, 28.10% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 9.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.20 males.

In 2017, there were 386 births, giving a general fertility rate of 43.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.^[13]

Communities

The sign for Pierce County on WIS35

See also: Administrative divisions of Wisconsin

Cities

• Prescott
• River Falls (partly in St. Croix County)

Villages

• Bay City
• Ellsworth (county seat)
• Elmwood
• Maiden Rock
• Plum City
• Spring Valley (partly in St. Croix County)

Towns

• Clifton
• Diamond Bluff
• El Paso
• Ellsworth
• Gilman
• Hartland
• Isabelle
• Maiden Rock
• Martell
• Oak Grove
• River Falls
• Rock Elm
• Salem
• Spring Lake
• Trenton
• Trimbelle
• Union

Census-designated places

• Diamond Bluff
• Hager City

Unincorporated communities

• Beldenville
• El Paso
• Esdaile
• Exile
• Hatchville (partial)
• Lawton
• Lund
• Martell
• Moeville
• Morton Corner
• Nerike
• North Red Wing
• Oakridge
• Olivet
• Ono
• Ottman Corners
• Pucketville
• Rock Elm
• Salem
• Smith Landing
• Snows Corner
• Trenton
• Trimbelle
• Viking (partial)
• Warrentown
• Waverly

Ghost town/neighborhood

• Brasington

Transportation

Railroads

• BNSF

Buses

Politics

United States presidential election results for Pierce County, Wisconsin^[14]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	14,417	56.78%	10,171	40.06%	804	3.17%
2020	12,815	54.96%	9,796	42.01%	706	3.03%
2016	11,272	52.73%	8,399	39.29%	1,705	7.98%
2012	10,397	49.46%	10,235	48.69%	388	1.85%
2008	9,812	44.38%	11,803	53.39%	492	2.23%
2004	10,437	47.71%	11,176	51.09%	263	1.20%
2000	8,169	45.48%	8,559	47.65%	1,234	6.87%
1996	4,599	30.66%	7,970	53.13%	2,431	16.21%
1992	4,844	28.05%	7,824	45.30%	4,604	26.66%
1988	6,045	40.87%	8,659	58.55%	85	0.57%
1984	7,612	50.74%	7,289	48.58%	102	0.68%
1980	6,209	39.68%	7,312	46.73%	2,125	13.58%
1976	5,676	40.36%	8,039	57.16%	349	2.48%
1972	5,899	50.35%	5,611	47.89%	206	1.76%
1968	4,990	48.76%	4,783	46.74%	461	4.50%
1964	3,291	34.05%	6,351	65.70%	24	0.25%
1960	5,632	56.56%	4,317	43.35%	9	0.09%
1956	5,782	61.13%	3,644	38.53%	32	0.34%
1952	6,763	67.49%	3,241	32.34%	17	0.17%
1948	3,753	45.18%	4,395	52.91%	158	1.90%
1944	5,137	62.40%	3,033	36.84%	63	0.77%
1940	6,624	66.25%	3,259	32.59%	116	1.16%
1936	3,935	42.70%	4,061	44.06%	1,220	13.24%
1932	3,537	44.32%	4,115	51.57%	328	4.11%
1928	6,491	67.65%	3,017	31.44%	87	0.91%
1924	2,788	40.97%	298	4.38%	3,719	54.65%
1920	4,441	82.62%	644	11.98%	290	5.40%
1916	1,945	51.88%	1,650	44.01%	154	4.11%
1912	986	29.13%	985	29.10%	1,414	41.77%
1908	2,988	71.62%	978	23.44%	206	4.94%
1904	3,492	82.28%	594	14.00%	158	3.72%
1900	3,433	72.95%	1,041	22.12%	232	4.93%
1896	3,724	69.79%	1,412	26.46%	200	3.75%
1892	2,315	57.66%	1,210	30.14%	490	12.20%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Pierce County, Wisconsin
• The First Review of Pierce County