Editing Menominee County, Wisconsin

{{Short description|County in Wisconsin, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Menominee County
 | state                = Wisconsin
 | ex image             = MenomineeIndianTribalOfficesSept2009.jpg
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = Menominee Indian Tribal Offices in [[Keshena, Wisconsin]]
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1959
 | founded date         = July 3
 | seat wl              = Keshena
 | largest city wl      = Menominee
 | city type            = town
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 365
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 358
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 7.4
 | area percentage      = 2.0%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 4255
 | population_density_sq_mi = 11.9
 | population_footnotes = <ref name="2020-census-55078" />
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 4226 {{decrease}}
 | web                  = www.co.menominee.wi.us/
 | time zone            = Central
 | district             = 8th
 | named for            = [[Menominee|Menominee tribe]]
}}

'''Menominee 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 4,255,<ref name="2020-census-55078" /> making it the least populous county in Wisconsin. Its [[county seat]] is in the community of [[Keshena, Wisconsin|Keshena]].<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}}</ref>

Menominee is Wisconsin's newest county, having been created in 1959 after recognition of the [[Menominee tribe]] was terminated by federal law. In 1974, the tribe regained federal recognition and restoration of most of its reservation. Today Menominee County is essentially [[Coterminous municipality|coterminous]] with the boundaries of the federally recognized [[Menominee Indian Reservation]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

Menominee County is included in the [[Shawano, Wisconsin|Shawano]], WI [[Micropolitan Statistical Area]], which is also included in the [[Green Bay, Wisconsin|Green Bay]]-Shawano, WI [[Green Bay metropolitan area|Combined Statistical Area]].

==History==
The county was created from the northeastern portion of 7 townships of [[Shawano County, Wisconsin|Shawano County]] and the Western 3 townships of [[Oconto County, Wisconsin|Oconto County]] on July 3, 1959, in anticipation of the termination of the [[Menominee Indian Reservation]] in 1961. The reservation status was restored in 1973, and is now co-extensive with the county.

Most of the land within the county boundary is under Federal trust for the exclusive use by enrolled members of the Menominee nation. Scattered parcels that were purchased during termination, as well as many lots around the [[Legend Lake, Wisconsin|Legend Lake]] area in the southeastern part of the county, are the only parts of the county that are privately owned by non-Native Americans. Most of Menominee County's population consists of members of the [[Menominee]] nation.<ref>Paxton Hart. "[http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm/ref/collection/wmh/id/21527 The Making of Menominee County]". ''Wisconsin Magazine of History'', vol. 143, no. 3 (Spring 1960):181-189.</ref>

Menomonee County is the only county in Wisconsin that is designated as a "persistent poverty" county, meaning that its poverty rate was at least 20% in four measurements since 1990.<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>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|365|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|358|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.4|sqmi}} (2.0%) 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 6, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the second-smallest county in Wisconsin by total area.

{{Stack|[[File:Menominee Co WI Pie Chart No Text Version.pdf|thumb|center|Soils of Menominee County]]}}

===Adjacent counties===

* [[Oconto County, Wisconsin|Oconto County]] – east
* [[Shawano County, Wisconsin|Shawano County]] – south
* [[Langlade County, Wisconsin|Langlade County]] – northwest

===Major highways===
* [[Image:WIS 47.svg|20px]] [[Highway 47 (Wisconsin)]]
* [[Image:WIS 55.svg|20px]] [[Highway 55 (Wisconsin)]]

===Buses===

==Demographics==
{{Stack|{{US Census population
|1970= 2607
|1980= 3373
|1990= 3890
|2000= 4562
|2010= 4232
|2020 = 4255
|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 6, 2015}}</ref><br />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 6, 2015}}</ref> 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 6, 2015}}</ref><br />2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts |url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55078.html |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 22, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606160850/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55078.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 }}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020-census-55078" />
}}}}
{{Stack|[[Image:USA Menominee County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg|thumb|2000 Census Age Pyramid for Menominee County]]}}

===2020 census===
''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 can be of any race.''
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Menominee County racial composition''' <br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55078&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=March 26, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55078&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2 |access-date=March 26, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Pop 2010
!Pop 2020
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|447
|483
|10.56%
|11.35%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|19
|2
|0.45%
|0.05%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|3,538
|3,549
|83.6%
|83.41%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|1
|2
|0.02%
|0.05%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|0
|2
|0.0%
|0.05%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|49
|81
|1.16%
|1.9%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|178
|136
|4.21%
|3.2%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''4,232'''
|'''4,255'''
|
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 4,255 people, 1,400 households, and 1,064 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|11.9|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 2,145 housing units at an average density of {{convert|6.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county (including Hispanics and Latinos) was 85.6% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 11.8% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.1% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.1% from [[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|other races]], and 2.4% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 3.2% [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.<ref name="2020-census-55078">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Menominee County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55078&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 13, 2022}}</ref>

===2000 census===
At the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] there were 4,562 people, 1,345 households, and 1,065 families in the county. This total makes it the least-populated county in the state. The population density was {{convert|13|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people|}}. There were 2,098 housing units at an average density of {{convert|6|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census#2000 census|racial makup]] of the county was 11.57% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 0.07% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 87.26% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.02% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.33% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 2.67%.<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> were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 5.0% were of [[German people|German]] ancestry. 89.8% spoke [[English language|English]], 7.0% [[Menominee language|Menominee]] and 1.6% [[hmong language|Hmong]] as their first language. At over 80% of the county's population, Menominee County has the highest percentage of [[Native Americans in the United States|Native Americans]] in the state of Wisconsin by far.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wisconsin American Indian and Alaska Native Population Percentage by County|url=https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/united-states/quick-facts/wisconsin/american-indian-and-alaskan-native-population-percentage#chart|access-date=April 17, 2021|website=www.indexmundi.com}}</ref>

Of the 1,345 households 42.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.50% were married couples living together, 26.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.80% were non-families. 16.50% of households were one person and 6.40% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.35 and the average family size was 3.66.

The age distribution was 38.90% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 8.50% 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

In 2017, there were 89 births, giving a general fertility rate of 115.9 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 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-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619175940/https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/publication/p01161-2019-tb.xlsx |archive-date=June 19, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{{clear}}

==Politics==
{{PresHead|place=Menominee County, Wisconsin|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=August 14, 2018}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Democratic|296|1,266|10|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2020|Democratic|278|1,303|9|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2016|Democratic|267|1,002|39|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2012|Democratic|179|1,191|7|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2008|Democratic|185|1,257|6|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2004|Democratic|288|1,412|10|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|2000|Democratic|225|949|59|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|230|992|128|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|244|691|225|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1988|Democratic|381|1,028|8|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1984|Democratic|392|832|7|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|302|544|90|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|324|766|32|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1972|Democratic|355|608|13|Wisconsin}}
{{PresRow|1968|Democratic|179|531|30|Wisconsin}}
{{PresFoot|1964|Democratic|78|647|1|Wisconsin}}
Menominee County has always been a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] stronghold. In every election since its creation, Menominee has been the most Democratic-leaning county in Wisconsin. No Republican has ever won even 40% of the county's vote in its history. It is one of only four counties in the entire nation that has never voted for a Republican presidential candidate, the others being [[Jim Hogg County, Texas|Jim Hogg]] and [[Brooks County, Texas|Brooks]] counties in [[South Texas]] and [[Kalawao County, Hawaii]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-06-29 |title=How the red and blue map evolved over the past century |url=https://www.americamagazine.org/content/unconventional-wisdom/how-red-and-blue-map-evolved-over-past-century |access-date=2025-01-22 |website=America Magazine |language=en}}</ref>

==Communities==
[[File:MenomineeCountySignWIS47.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance sign on [[Wisconsin Highway 47|WIS 47]]]]
[[File:MenomineeCountyWoodsCountyVV.jpg|thumb|right|Woods occupy most of Menominee County.]]

Menominee County is one of only two counties in Wisconsin with no incorporated communities, the other being [[Florence County, Wisconsin|Florence County]].

===Town===
* [[Menominee, Wisconsin|Menominee]]

===Census-designated places===
* [[Keshena, Wisconsin|Keshena]] (county seat)
* [[Legend Lake, Wisconsin|Legend Lake]]
* [[Middle Village, Wisconsin|Middle Village]] (partial)
* [[Neopit, Wisconsin|Neopit]]
* [[Zoar, Wisconsin|Zoar]]

===Ghost town/neighborhood===
* [[Perote, Wisconsin|Perote]]

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

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://www.co.menominee.wi.us/ Menominee County government website]
* [https://www.co.menominee.wi.us/departments/?department=5f693b0aa604 Town of Menominee government]
* [http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/menominee.pdf Menominee County map] from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
* [https://www.legendlake.com Legend Lake Community]

{{Geographic Location
|Centre    = Menominee County, Wisconsin
|North     =
|Northeast =
|East      = [[Oconto County, Wisconsin|Oconto County]]
|Southeast =
|South     = [[Shawano County, Wisconsin|Shawano County]]
|Southwest =
|West      =
|Northwest = [[Langlade County, Wisconsin|Langlade County]]
}}

{{Menominee County, Wisconsin}}
{{Wisconsin}}

{{coord|45.02|-88.70|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WI_source:UScensus1990}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Menominee County, Wisconsin| ]]
[[Category:1959 establishments in Wisconsin]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1959]]