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Chippewa County, Wisconsin

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Chippewa County, Wisconsin
County
Chippewa County Courthouse, February 2015
Chippewa County Courthouse, February 2015
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Chippewa County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Coordinates: 45°04′N 91°17′W / 45.07°N 91.28°W / 45.07; -91.28
Country United States
State Wisconsin
Founded1853
Named afterOjibwa
SeatChippewa Falls
Largest cityChippewa Falls
Area
 • Total
1,041 sq mi (2,700 km2)
 • Land1,008 sq mi (2,610 km2)
 • Water33 sq mi (85 km2)  3.2%
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
66,297
 • Estimate 
(2025)
67,614 Increase
 • Density65.77/sq mi (25.39/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional districts3rd, 7th
Websitewww.chippewacountywi.gov

Chippewa County (/ˈtʃɪpəwɔː/ ⓘ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is named for the indigenous Chippewa people, also known as the Ojibwe, who historically controlled this territory. As of the 2020 census, the population was 66,297.[1] Its county seat is Chippewa Falls.[2] The county was founded in 1845 from Crawford County,[3] then in the Wisconsin Territory, and organized in 1853.[4][5][6] Chippewa County is included in the Eau Claire metropolitan area as well as the Eau Claire–Menomonie Combined Statistical Area.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,041 square miles (2,700 km2), of which 1,008 square miles (2,610 km2) is land and 33 square miles (85 km2) (3.2%) is water.[7]

The most visible natural features of Chippewa County are the Flambeau Ridge west of Holcombe - highest point in the county - and the Chippewa River which bends around that promontory, flows through the Holcombe Flowage, flows south and west through the middle of the county to Lake Wissota, and exits the county between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire. Tributary streams include O'Neil and Duncan Creeks from the west and the Jump, Fisher and Yellow Rivers from the east. A band of choppy hills and small lakes arcs from Taylor county and the Otter Lake area in the east, south of Cornell, through Long Lake in the northwest, and into Rusk County. Above that, east of Holcombe is a fairly flat area. South of the choppy band, much of the county is big hills with streams and rivers cutting through, with fertile plains along the streams and rivers.[8]: 3 

Bedrock below the abandoned County Y bridge near Jim Falls

The geological story of the county begins with the ancient bedrock exposed by the rivers and streams, especially below dams like at Jim Falls. This bedrock consists mostly of felsic gneiss and amphibolite laid down over 2,500 million years ago, then metamorphosed and folded, with granite injected into its cracks during a collision of plates about 1,850 million years ago. For hundreds of millions of years after, the area was covered by seas in which various layers of sand were laid down and compressed into sandstone. The canyon at Irvine Park in Chippewa Falls exposes both Precambrian metamorphic rock below and sandstone above. The bottom/oldest layer of sandstone is Mount Simon sandstone - found as far away as Kentucky, but named for its outcrop in the Eau Claire park. The core of the Flambeau Ridge is a deposit of conglomerate quartzite that developed in the Mount Simon sandstone layer. For hundreds of millions of years after, other layers of sandstone were laid on top, up to 550 feet (168 m) thick, and then eroded away in places. Harder than the surrounding sandstone, Flambeau Ridge survived, standing above its surroundings.[8]: 7–10 

Maximum extent of the Wisconsin Glaciation and previous ones relative to Chippewa County

Much of Chippewa County's now-visible terrain was shaped by glaciers. Over the last two million years, ice sheets have advanced into the area from Canada and retreated several times. The last advance reached its maximum extent about 18,000 years ago, covering the north half of the county, then retreated. This sheet was probably several hundred feet thick at its leading edge,[9]: 21–23  and it acted like a bulldozer, grinding and pushing soil and boulders along with it. When it melted back out of this country, it left a terminal moraine across the county - the band of choppy hills that runs from Otter Lake to Long Lake, which the Ice Age Trail follows. Elsewhere the glaciers left 50 to 100 feet of glacial till (sediment) on top of the bedrock. East of Holcombe this till plain is fairly flat. The southern half of the county is mostly a rolling till plain from some earlier ice sheet which pushed even farther south. As the glacier melted back, huge amounts of water and material flowed out of it, repeatedly filling the river valleys with sediment, producing fertile plains like the one north of Chippewa Falls, and then recutting the river channels. At some point ice blocked the Chippewa near Holcombe, making the Jump River and possibly the Chippewa itself flow east of Holcombe through the wide channel where the Fisher River now flows.[8]: 3, 5, 36–37 

October view of Picnic Lake from the Ice Age Trail west of Cornell

The county's terrain includes textbook examples of many glacial landforms: the drumlins south of Cadott and Stanley, the kettle lakes left by buried blocks of ice near the Ice Age Interpretive Center east of New Auburn, the eskers along Otter Lake, the tunnel channel that Otter Lake lies in, and ice-walled lake plains like those north of Plummer Lake.[8]: 27–35  The Ice Age Trail threads through some of this country, providing close-up foot access to many of these unusual features.[10]

Adjacent counties

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Major highways

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Railroads

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Buses

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Airports

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1850615—
18601,895208.1%
18708,311338.6%
188015,49186.4%
189025,14362.3%
190033,03731.4%
191032,103−2.8%
192036,48213.6%
193037,3422.4%
194040,7039.0%
195042,8395.2%
196045,0965.3%
197047,7175.8%
198052,1279.2%
199052,3600.4%
200055,1955.4%
201062,41513.1%
202066,2976.2%
2025 (est.)67,614[11] Increase2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[12]
1790–1960[13] 1900–1990[14]
1990–2000[15] 2010[16] 2020[1]

Racial and ethnic composition

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Chippewa County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1980[17] Pop 1990[18] Pop 2000[19] Pop 2010[20] Pop 2020[21] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 51,740 51,740 53,831 59,028 60,391 99.26% 98.82% 97.53% 94.57% 91.09%
Black or African American alone (NH) 24 31 85 961 1,040 0.05% 0.06% 0.15% 1.54% 1.57%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 89 143 168 272 323 0.17% 0.27% 0.30% 0.44% 0.49%
Asian alone (NH) 100 268 491 770 959 0.19% 0.51% 0.89% 1.23% 1.45%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [22] x [23] 8 11 14 x x 0.01% 0.02% 0.02%
Other race alone (NH) 31 4 24 16 153 0.06% 0.01% 0.04% 0.03% 0.23%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [24] x [25] 299 557 2,160 x x 0.54% 0.89% 3.26%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 143 174 289 800 1,257 0.27% 0.33% 0.52% 1.28% 1.90%
Total 52,127 52,360 55,195 62,415 66,297 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 66,297.[1] The median age was 41.7 years, 22.3% of residents were under the age of 18, and 19.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 107.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 108.3 males age 18 and over.[26]

The population density was 65.7 people per square mile (25.4 people/km2). There were 28,688 housing units at an average density of 28.5 units per square mile (11.0 units/km2).[1]

There were 26,287 households in the county, of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them. Of all households, 52.0% were married-couple households, 18.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[26]

Of those housing units, 8.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.7% were owner-occupied and 26.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.7%.[26]

The racial makeup of the county was 91.8% White, 1.6% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.6% from some other race, and 4.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 1.9% of the population.[27]

37.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 62.5% lived in rural areas.[28]

2000 census

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2000 Census Age Pyramid for Chippewa County

As of the census[29] of 2000, there were 55,195 people, 21,356 households, and 15,013 families residing in the county. The population density was 55 people per square mile (21 people/km2). There were 22,821 housing units at an average density of 23 units per square mile (8.9 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.85% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.89% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.17% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. 0.52% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 44.1% were of German, 15.8% Norwegian and 5.8% Irish ancestry.

There were 21,356 households, out of which 33.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 8.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.

In 2017, there were 624 births, giving a general fertility rate of 59.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 26th lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[30] Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Chippewa County residence in 2017.[31]

Economy

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Small intermodal terminal in Chippewa Falls on the Canadian National line.[32]

The largest employers in Chippewa County are:[33]

1TTM Advanced Circuits
2Chippewa Falls Public Schools
3Saint Joseph's Hospital
4Wisconsin Department of Corrections
5Wal-Mart
6Mason Companies Inc
7Chippewa County
8Mayo Health System
9Silicon Graphics International
10Cooperative Educational Service Agency #10

Library

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The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Special Collections and Archives, located on the fifth floor of McIntyre Library, houses an extensive collection of public records, books and collections relating to Chippewa County. In addition to vital records (birth and marriage) dating to 1907, there are also naturalization records, census records, and civil and circuit court records. These resources are very popular with local genealogists.

Within the local history collection, there are books about immigration to the region, logging, church and cemetery records, reminiscences by local residents, and a number of histories and biographies compiled by local historians.

Special Collections and Archives also houses numerous archives files which relate to Chippewa County. There are many collections which pertain to logging, the railway industry and agriculture.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Special Collections and Archives also includes information for Buffalo, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk and Taylor counties.

Communities

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A farm in Chippewa County

Cities

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Villages

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Towns of Chippewa County

Towns

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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Politics

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United States presidential election results for Chippewa County, Wisconsin[34]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No. %No. %No. %
1892 1,975 39.48% 2,530 50.57% 498 9.95%
1896 3,601 54.09% 2,929 44.00% 127 1.91%
1900 4,215 61.88% 2,446 35.91% 151 2.22%
1904 3,744 66.49% 1,670 29.66% 217 3.85%
1908 3,526 59.07% 2,203 36.91% 240 4.02%
1912 1,736 33.93% 2,028 39.63% 1,353 26.44%
1916 3,324 58.15% 2,233 39.07% 159 2.78%
1920 6,750 82.57% 1,103 13.49% 322 3.94%
1924 5,135 41.72% 560 4.55% 6,613 53.73%
1928 7,514 55.41% 5,985 44.13% 62 0.46%
1932 4,792 35.71% 8,445 62.92% 184 1.37%
1936 5,760 38.93% 7,854 53.08% 1,182 7.99%
1940 8,781 54.30% 7,250 44.83% 140 0.87%
1944 7,691 53.59% 6,567 45.76% 93 0.65%
1948 6,146 43.58% 7,702 54.62% 254 1.80%
1952 11,429 64.01% 6,380 35.73% 45 0.25%
1956 9,781 59.42% 6,617 40.20% 63 0.38%
1960 8,690 46.95% 9,793 52.90% 28 0.15%
1964 6,277 36.46% 10,911 63.38% 26 0.15%
1968 7,772 47.38% 7,335 44.72% 1,296 7.90%
1972 8,451 49.35% 8,210 47.95% 462 2.70%
1976 8,137 40.50% 11,538 57.42% 418 2.08%
1980 10,531 48.06% 9,836 44.89% 1,545 7.05%
1984 10,986 51.45% 10,202 47.78% 163 0.76%
1988 9,757 45.69% 11,447 53.61% 150 0.70%
1992 8,215 32.56% 10,487 41.57% 6,528 25.87%
1996 7,520 35.59% 9,647 45.65% 3,964 18.76%
2000 12,835 49.04% 12,102 46.24% 1,236 4.72%
2004 15,450 50.62% 14,751 48.33% 323 1.06%
2008 13,492 44.63% 16,239 53.72% 500 1.65%
2012 15,322 49.53% 15,237 49.26% 373 1.21%
2016 17,916 56.75% 11,887 37.66% 1,765 5.59%
2020 21,317 59.32% 13,983 38.91% 638 1.78%
2024 23,399 60.82% 14,573 37.88% 499 1.30%

At the presidential level, Chippewa County leans Republican; however, Barack Obama won the county in 2008. In 2024, Donald Trump received 60.8 percent of the vote, the best result for a Republican in the county since Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1952.

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "2020 Decennial Census: Chippewa County, Wisconsin". data.census.gov. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 9, 2015. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Early Settlement of West-Central Wisconsin" (PDF). University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire McIntyre Library Special Collections. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 23, 2016. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
  4. ↑ Taken from Wisconsin Blue Book 1991–1992 p. 731; cited there as from "Wisconsin Historical Records, Origin and Legislative History of County Boundaries in Wisconsin, 1942."
  5. ↑ When Counties Originated from rootsweb.com's Oconto County, Wisconsin webpage Archived March 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ↑ "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved August 13, 2015.
  7. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Syverson, Kent M. (2007). Pleistocene Geology of Chippewa County, Wisconsin (PDF). Madison: Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey. Retrieved July 25, 2026.
  9. ↑ Dott, Jr., Robert H.; Attig, John W. (2004). Roadside Geology of Wisconsin. Missoula, MT: Mountain Press Publishing Company. ISBN 0-87842-492-X.
  10. ↑ "About the Ice Age Trail". Ice Age Trail Alliance. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  11. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
  12. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Archived from the original on May 30, 2019. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  14. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2015.
  16. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 6, 2011. Retrieved January 18, 2014.
  17. ↑ "1980 General Population Characteristics – Wisconsin – Table 15: Persons by Race and Table 16: Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race". United States Census Bureau – via Internet Archive.
  18. ↑ "1990 Census of Population – General Population Characteristics – Wisconsin – Table 3: Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 23-111. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  19. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Chippewa County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
  20. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chippewa County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
  21. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Chippewa County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
  22. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  23. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  24. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  25. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  26. 1 2 3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  27. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  28. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  29. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  30. ↑ "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 20, 2019.
  31. ↑ 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
  32. ↑ "CN Chippewa Falls, WI – Mid-America Freight Coalition".
  33. ↑ "Home Page - WisConomy". worknet.wisconsin.gov. Retrieved June 20, 2011.
  34. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 9, 2020.

Further reading

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[edit]

45°04′N 91°17′W / 45.07°N 91.28°W / 45.07; -91.28

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Chippewa County, Wisconsin
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