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Jefferson County, Wisconsin
JeffersonCountyCourthouseWIS26
Jefferson County courthouse
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Jefferson County
Location in the state of Wisconsin
Map of the U.S
Wisconsin's location in the U.S.
Founded 1839
Named for Jefferson County, New York
Seat Jefferson
Largest city Watertown
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

583 sq mi (1,510 km²)
556 sq mi (1,440 km²)
26 sq mi (67 km²), 4.5
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

84,900
Congressional district 5th
Time zone Central: UTC-6/-5
Website www.jeffersoncountywi.gov

Jefferson County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 84,900.[1] Its county seat is Jefferson.[2] Jefferson County comprises the Watertown-Fort Atkinson, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area.

History[]

Jefferson County was created in 1836 as part of Wisconsin Territory and was organized in 1839.[3] Jefferson County was founded by "Yankee" settlers from New England.[4] It was named after Jefferson County, New York, where some of the original settlers came from.[5] The town of Watertown, Wisconsin, was named after Watertown, New York, in Jefferson County, New York.

Geography[]

File:Jefferson County WI Pie Chart.pdf

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of 583 square miles (1,510 km2), of which 556 square miles (1,440 km2) is land and 26 square miles (67 km2) (4.5%) is water.[6]

Major highways[]

  • I-94 Interstate 94
  • US 12 U.S. Highway 12
  • US 18 U.S. Highway 18
  • WIS 16 Wisconsin Highway 16
  • WIS 19 Wisconsin Highway 19
  • WIS 26 Wisconsin Highway 26
  • WIS 59 Wisconsin Highway 59
  • WIS 89 Wisconsin Highway 89
  • WIS 106 Wisconsin Highway 106
  • WIS 134 Wisconsin Highway 134

Airports[]

  • Watertown Municipal Airport (KRYV) provides services for the county and surrounding communities.
  • Fort Atkinson Municipal Airport (61C), enhances county service.

Adjacent counties[]

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1840 914
1850 15,317 1,575.8%
1860 30,438 98.7%
1870 34,040 11.8%
1880 32,156 −5.5%
1890 33,530 4.3%
1900 34,789 3.8%
1910 34,306 −1.4%
1920 35,022 2.1%
1930 36,785 5.0%
1940 38,868 5.7%
1950 43,069 10.8%
1960 50,094 16.3%
1970 60,060 19.9%
1980 66,152 10.1%
1990 67,783 2.5%
2000 74,021 9.2%
2010 83,686 13.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790–1960[8] 1900–1990[9]
1990–2000[10] 2010–2020[1]
USA Jefferson County, Wisconsin age pyramid

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Jefferson County

As of the census[11] of 2010, there were 83,686 people, 32,117 households, and 21,872 families residing in the county. The population density was 133 people per square mile (51/km2). There were 30,092 housing units at an average density of 54 per square mile (21/km2). The county's racial makeup was 96.34% White, 0.28% Black or African American, 0.34% Native American, 0.45% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.65% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 4.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 55.1% were of German, 6.1% Norwegian, 6.0% Irish and 5.1% American ancestry.

There were 28,205 households, out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.50% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.50% were non-families. 23.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.20% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 30.40% from 25 to 44, 23.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.80 males.

In 2017, there were 861 births, giving a general fertility rate of 53.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the eleventh lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.[12]

The Dwight Foster Public Library, which serves as the resource library for the county,[13] had a total service population of 19,095 in 2010.[14] It is a member of the Bridges Library System.

Government[]

The County Board of Supervisors, with 30 members, serves as the legislative body for the county. There are seven elected officials in addition to the County Board of Supervisors. County-wide partisan elections are held in November. The County Board's members are elected for two-year terms during a spring non-partisan election. The County Board is responsible for the county administrator. The County Board elects a chairman, vice-chairman, and second vice-chairman.

Politics[]

Jefferson County has been primarily Republican since 1940. Only three Democratic presidential candidates have won the county since then, in 1964, 1996, and 2008. Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964 is the last Democratic Party candidate to win a majority of the county's votes.

United States presidential election results for Jefferson County, Wisconsin[15]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 27,208 56.71% 19,904 41.48% 867 1.81%
2016 23,417 54.32% 16,569 38.44% 3,123 7.24%
2012 23,517 53.11% 20,158 45.52% 606 1.37%
2008 21,096 48.87% 21,448 49.69% 622 1.44%
2004 23,776 56.45% 17,925 42.56% 414 0.98%
2000 19,204 53.20% 15,203 42.11% 1,692 4.69%
1996 12,681 42.59% 13,188 44.29% 3,905 13.12%
1992 13,072 39.85% 11,593 35.34% 8,137 24.81%
1988 14,309 54.32% 11,816 44.86% 217 0.82%
1984 17,780 61.77% 10,788 37.48% 216 0.75%
1980 16,174 53.91% 11,335 37.78% 2,491 8.30%
1976 15,528 53.89% 12,577 43.65% 707 2.45%
1972 14,621 59.47% 9,303 37.84% 663 2.70%
1968 12,478 54.97% 8,716 38.40% 1,504 6.63%
1964 8,741 39.58% 13,295 60.20% 48 0.22%
1960 14,133 61.64% 8,757 38.19% 39 0.17%
1956 13,357 67.02% 6,452 32.37% 122 0.61%
1952 13,884 66.93% 6,827 32.91% 32 0.15%
1948 8,244 52.42% 7,256 46.13% 228 1.45%
1944 10,245 59.16% 6,988 40.35% 84 0.49%
1940 10,178 56.02% 7,842 43.16% 149 0.82%
1936 5,599 32.32% 11,144 64.33% 581 3.35%
1932 5,062 30.78% 11,230 68.28% 156 0.95%
1928 8,612 57.29% 6,305 41.94% 116 0.77%
1924 4,250 31.22% 1,374 10.09% 7,987 58.68%
1920 8,865 80.38% 1,844 16.72% 320 2.90%
1916 3,785 49.57% 3,645 47.73% 206 2.70%
1912 1,926 27.43% 4,381 62.40% 714 10.17%
1908 3,207 40.43% 4,492 56.63% 233 2.94%
1904 3,669 47.67% 3,778 49.09% 249 3.24%
1900 3,729 46.25% 4,127 51.18% 207 2.57%
1896 4,344 52.61% 3,504 42.44% 409 4.95%
1892 2,679 35.37% 4,661 61.53% 235 3.10%



Communities[]

Jefferson County Wisconsin Fairgrounds Grandstand

Grandstands at the county fairgrounds in Jefferson

Jefferson County Wisconsin Fairgrounds sign

Sign at fairgrounds

Cities[]

Villages[]

Towns[]

  • Aztalan
  • Cold Spring
  • Concord
  • Farmington
  • Hebron
  • Ixonia
  • Jefferson
  • Koshkonong
  • Lake Mills
  • Milford
  • Oakland
  • Palmyra
  • Sullivan
  • Sumner
  • Waterloo
  • Watertown

Census-designated places[]

  • Hebron
  • Helenville
  • Ixonia
  • Lake Koshkonong
  • Lake Ripley
  • Rome

Unincorporated communities[]

  • Aztalan
  • Blackhawk Island
  • Busseyville
  • Carcajou
  • Cold Spring
  • Concord
  • Ebenezer
  • Farmington
  • Glenn Oaks Beach
  • Heath Mills
  • Hoopers Mill
  • Hubbleton
  • Jefferson Junction
  • Koshkonong (partial)
  • Koshkonong Manor
  • Koshkonong Mounds
  • Kroghville
  • Lake Lac La Belle
  • London (partial)
  • Maranatha Baptist University (College Campus)
  • Milford
  • North Shore
  • Oakland
  • Pipersville
  • Portland (partial)
  • Slabtown
  • Sylvan Mounds
  • Vinnie Ha Ha

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Jefferson County, Wisconsin

References[]

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55055.html. 
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". The Newberry Library. 2007. http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WI_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm. 
  4. ^ https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9780738503073
  5. ^ "Term: Jefferson County [origin of place name]" in Dictionary of Wisconsin History.
  6. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_55.txt. 
  7. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  8. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  9. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wi190090.txt. 
  10. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  11. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  12. ^ "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables". https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx. 
  13. ^ "Jefferson County Library Service". http://jeffersoncountylibraryservice.wordpress.com. 
  14. ^ "Wisconsin Public Library Service Data, 2010". Department of Public Instruction. http://dpi.wi.gov/pld/pdf/10publib.pdf. 
  15. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 

External links[]

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Coordinates: 43°01′N 88°47′W / 43.02, -88.78


This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at Jefferson County, Wisconsin. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.
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