Editing Forest County, Wisconsin

{{Short description|County in Wisconsin, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Forest County
 | state                = Wisconsin
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1885
 | founded date         = 
 | seat wl              = Crandon
 | largest city wl      = Crandon
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 1046
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 1014
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 32
 | area percentage      = 3.1
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 9179
 | population_density_sq_mi = 9.1
 | population_footnotes = <ref name="2020-census-55041" />
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 9325 {{gain}}
 | time zone            = Central
 | footnotes            = 
 | web                  = www.co.forest.wi.gov
 | named for            = 
 | ex image             = ForestCountyWisconsinCourthouseUS8WIS32WIS55.jpg
 | ex image cap         = Forest County Courthouse
 | district             = 7th
}}

'''Forest County''' is a [[county (United States)|county]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Wisconsin]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 9,179.<ref name="2020-census-55041" /> Its [[county seat]] is [[Crandon, Wisconsin|Crandon]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> The [[Forest County Potawatomi Community]] and the [[Sokaogon Chippewa Community]] have reservations in Forest County.

The county is considered a high-recreation retirement destination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/county-typology-codes/descriptions-and-maps |access-date=April 16, 2025 |title=County Typology Codes - Descriptions and Maps |publisher=USDA}}</ref>

==History==
Forest County was created by the Wisconsin State Legislature in 1885 from portions of neighboring Langlade and Oconto counties.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.co.forest.wi.gov/|access-date=November 24, 2014|title=Forest County, Wis., government website}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WI_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|title=Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies|website=Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries|publisher=[[Newberry Library|The Newberry Library]]|date=2007|access-date=August 13, 2015|archive-date=April 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414132220/http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/WI_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The county was named for the forests contained within its limits.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n127 128]}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|1046|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1014|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|32|sqmi}} (3.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_55.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 4, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> The second highest elevation in the state of Wisconsin is [[Sugarbush hill]] which is in Forest County.<ref name="Dawson">{{cite news |last1=Dawson |first1=Drew |title=These are the 10 tallest peaks in Wisconsin |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/travel/wisconsin/outdoors/2023/08/14/wisconsins-highest-point-the-10-highest-natural-peaks-in-the-state-timms-hill-rib-mountain-east-hill/70541605007/ |access-date=November 5, 2023 |work=Journal Sentinel |publisher=Journal Sentinel |date=August 14, 2023}}</ref>

===Adjacent counties===
* [[Florence County, Wisconsin|Florence County]] - northeast
* [[Marinette County, Wisconsin|Marinette County]] - east
* [[Oconto County, Wisconsin|Oconto County]] - southeast
* [[Langlade County, Wisconsin|Langlade County]] - southwest
* [[Oneida County, Wisconsin|Oneida County]] - west
* [[Vilas County, Wisconsin|Vilas County]] - northwest
* [[Iron County, Michigan]] - north

===Major highways===
{|
|-valign=top
|
* [[Image:US 8.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Highway 8]]
* [[Image:WIS 32.svg|20px]] [[Highway 32 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 52.svg|20px]] [[Highway 52 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 55.svg|20px]] [[Highway 55 (Wisconsin)]]
|
* [[Image:WIS 70.svg|20px]] [[Highway 70 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 101.svg|20px]] [[Highway 101 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 139.svg|20px]] [[Highway 139 (Wisconsin)]]
|}

===Railroads===
*[[Watco]]

===Buses===

===Airport===
* Y55 - [[Crandon Municipal Airport]]

===National protected area===
* [[Nicolet National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 1012
|1900= 1396
|1910= 6782
|1920= 9850
|1930= 11118
|1940= 11805
|1950= 9437
|1960= 7542
|1970= 7691
|1980= 9044
|1990= 8776
|2000= 10024
|2010= 9304
|2020 = 9179
|estyear=
|estimate=
|estref=
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/wi190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 4, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55041.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 18, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606160509/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55041.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020-census-55041" />
}}

===2020 census===
As of the [[2020 United States census|census of 2020]],<ref name="2020-census-55041">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Forest County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55041&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 12, 2022}}</ref> the population was 9,179. The [[population density]] was {{convert|9.1|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 8,604 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8.5|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 80.7% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 13.4% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.3% [[Black (U.S. Census)|Black]] or [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.2% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 5.1% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.7% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

===2000 census===
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Forest County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|2000 Census Age Pyramid for Forest County]]}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR8">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 10,024 people, 4,043 households, and 2,769 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|10|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 8,322 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 85.86% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 11.30% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 1.18% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.17% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.04% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.23% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.22% from two or more races. 1.08% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 34.3% were of [[German people|German]], 11.4% [[Polish people|Polish]], 7.4% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 5.4% [[United States|American]] ancestry. 95.5% spoke [[English language|English]], 1.4% [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and 1.0% [[potawatomi language|Potawatomi]] as their first language.

Out of the 4,043 households, 29.20% had children under the age of 18, 54.00% had a [[Marriage|married couple]] living together, 9.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.50% were non-families. 28.20% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 13.20%, of individuals of 65 years of age or older living alone. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89.

The age distribution in the county's population was as follows: 25.30% under the age of 18, 7.80% from 18 to 24, 23.90% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 19.30% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 100.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.00 males.

In 2017, there were 102 births, giving a general fertility rate of 71.1 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 14th highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx |title=Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables |access-date=June 19, 2019 |archive-date=June 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619175940/https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx |url-status=dead }}</ref> There were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Forest County residence in 2017.<ref>[https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publications/p45360-17.pdf 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</ref>

==Communities==
[[File:Forest County Wisconsin Sign WIS139.jpg|thumb|right|Forest County sign on [[Wisconsin Highway 139|WIS 139]]]]

===City===
* [[Crandon, Wisconsin|Crandon]] (county seat)

===Towns===
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Alvin, Wisconsin|Alvin]]
* [[Argonne, Wisconsin|Argonne]]
* [[Armstrong Creek, Wisconsin|Armstrong Creek]]
* [[Blackwell, Wisconsin|Blackwell]]
* [[Caswell, Wisconsin|Caswell]]
* [[Crandon (town), Wisconsin|Crandon]]
* [[Freedom, Forest County, Wisconsin|Freedom]]
* [[Hiles, Forest County, Wisconsin|Hiles]]
* [[Laona, Wisconsin|Laona]]
* [[Lincoln, Forest County, Wisconsin|Lincoln]]
* [[Nashville, Wisconsin|Nashville]]
* [[Popple River, Wisconsin|Popple River]]
* [[Ross, Wisconsin|Ross]]
* [[Wabeno, Wisconsin|Wabeno]]
{{div col end}}

===Census-designated places===
* [[Argonne (community), Wisconsin|Argonne]]
* [[Laona (community), Wisconsin|Laona]]
* [[Mole Lake, Wisconsin|Mole Lake]]
* [[Newald, Wisconsin|Newald]]
* [[Wabeno (community), Wisconsin|Wabeno]]

===Unincorporated communities===
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* [[Alvin (community), Wisconsin|Alvin]]
* [[Armstrong Creek (community), Wisconsin|Armstrong Creek]]
* [[Atkins, Wisconsin|Atkins]]
* [[Blackwell (community), Wisconsin|Blackwell]]
* Blackwell Junction
* [[Bonneval, Wisconsin|Bonneval]]
* [[Carter, Forest County, Wisconsin|Carter]]
* [[Cavour, Wisconsin|Cavour]]
* [[Hiles (community), Wisconsin|Hiles]]
* [[Laona Junction, Wisconsin|Laona Junction]]
* [[Nashville (community), Wisconsin|Nashville]]
* [[Nelma, Wisconsin|Nelma]]
* [[Padus, Wisconsin|Padus]]
* [[Popple River (community), Wisconsin|Popple River]]
* [[Soperton, Wisconsin|Soperton]]
* [[Wisconsin Junction, Wisconsin|Wisconsin Junction]]
* [[Woodlawn, Wisconsin|Woodlawn]]
{{div col end}}

===Ghost towns/neighborhoods===
* [[Bagdad, Wisconsin|Bagdad]]
* [[Keith, Wisconsin|Keith]]
* [[Minertown-Oneva]]

==Images==
<gallery>

Image:ForestCountyLawEnforcementCenter.jpg|Law Enforcement Center
Image:ForestCountyWisconsinVeteransMemorialUS8WIS32WIS55.jpg|Forest County Veterans Memorial
</gallery>

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Forest County, Wisconsin|source=<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|first=David|last=Leip|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=February 8, 2021}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|3,382|1,681|34|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,285|1,721|47|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|2,787|1,579|179|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|2,172|2,425|51|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|1,963|2,673|47|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,608|2,509|36|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,404|2,158|154|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,166|2,092|707|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,393|1,904|1,071|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|1,845|2,142|22|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|2,296|2,214|34|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,070|2,402|202|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,604|2,574|61|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,856|1,678|195|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|1,264|1,470|415|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1964|Democratic|1,069|2,479|4|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,653|1,851|10|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1956|Republican|2,039|1,527|9|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1952|Republican|1,990|1,791|12|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|1,251|2,208|104|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|1,391|2,436|13|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|1,672|2,951|16|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|1,334|3,092|109|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|768|2,595|50|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1928|Republican|1,918|1,677|36|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1924|Progressive (Wisconsin)|1,104|299|1,307|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1920|Republican|1,429|379|94|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1916|Republican|738|637|39|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|518|567|265|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1908|Republican|1,023|324|80|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1904|Republican|991|160|50|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1900|Republican|378|95|19|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1896|Republican|406|172|19|Wisconsin}}
{{PresFoot|1892|Democratic|223|228|20|Wisconsin}}
From its founding in 1885 until 1928, Forest County voted for the Republican candidate in all but three elections, voting for the Democratic candidate in 1892 and 1912, and voting for [[Progressive Party (United States, 1924–1934)|Progressive]] candidate and native Wisconsinite [[Robert M. La Follette]] in 1924. Then, from 1932 to 1996, the county voted Democratic in every election with the exception of four nationwide Republican landslides in 1952, 1956, 1972, and 1984. In 2000 and 2004, Forest County backed [[George W. Bush]] in both of his successful runs for the presidency, though doing so by less than 6% both times. The county shifted back to Democratic hands in 2008 and 2012, with [[Barack Obama]] taking the county in his two successful elections. However, since 2016, Forest County has shifted significantly to the right. In 2016, [[Donald Trump]] received over 61% of the vote in the county, the highest any candidate has received since 1964, winning by over 26% against [[Hillary Clinton]]. Trump further improved on his numbers in 2020, taking over 65% of the county's vote and winning by a margin of over 30% against [[Joe Biden]]. Trump yet again improved in the county in 2024, with more than 66% of the county's voters supporting him and more than doubling the support of [[Kamala Harris]], turning in the best performance by a Republican in Forest County since [[Warren G. Harding]] more than a century earlier.

==See also==
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Forest County, Wisconsin]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* Youth Community Conservation Improvement Program. ''[http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/wch/id/66415 Memories of Forest County: A Historical Research Project]''. n.p., n.p., 1980.

==External links==
* [http://www.co.forest.wi.gov/ Forest County]
* [http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/forest.pdf Forest County map] from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
* [http://www.forestcountywi.com/ Forest County tourism]
* [http://www.fcpotawatomi.com/ Forest County Potawatomi]
* [http://www.cityofcrandon.info/ City of Crandon]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Forest County, Wisconsin
|North     = [[Iron County, Michigan]]
|Northeast = [[Florence County, Wisconsin|Florence County]]
|East      = [[Marinette County, Wisconsin|Marinette County]]
|Southeast = [[Oconto County, Wisconsin|Oconto County]]
|South     =
|Southwest = [[Langlade County, Wisconsin|Langlade County]]
|West      = [[Oneida County, Wisconsin|Oneida County]]
|Northwest = [[Vilas County, Wisconsin|Vilas County]]
}}

{{Forest County, Wisconsin}}
{{Wisconsin}}
{{Authority control}}

{{Coord|45.67|-88.78|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WI_source:UScensus1990}}

[[Category:Forest County, Wisconsin| ]]
[[Category:1885 establishments in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1885]]