Eau Claire County, Wisconsin

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Fields in Eau Claire County

Eau Claire County (Template:IPAc-en) is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 105,710.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Eau Claire.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county took its name from the Eau Claire River.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Eau Claire County is included in the Eau Claire, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Eau Claire-Menomonie WI Combined Statistical Area.

History

Eau Claire county was originally set off as the Town of Clearwater in Chippewa County in 1855. The name was changed to the Town of Eau Claire on March 31, 1856. The entire town was separated as Eau Claire County by an act of the Wisconsin State Legislature on October 6, 1856.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>When Counties Originated from rootsweb.com's Oconto County, Wisconsin webpage Template:Webarchive</ref>

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (1.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

Chippewa County – north
Clark County – east
Jackson County – southeast
Trempealeau County – south
Buffalo County – southwest
Pepin County – west
Dunn County – west

Demographics and religion statistics

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2020 census

As of the census of 2020,<ref name="2020-census-55035">Template:Cite web</ref> the population was 105,710. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 44,966 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 88.2% White, 4.2% Asian, 1.2% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.1% from other races, and 4.7% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.9% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

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2000 census

As of the census<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 93,142 people, 35,822 households, and 22,281 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 37,474 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 94.96% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 0.54% Native American, 2.52% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 1.11% from two or more races. 0.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 37.4% were of German, 21.5% Norwegian and 7.0% Irish ancestry. 94.2% spoke English, 1.6% Hmong, 1.6% Spanish and 1.0% German as their first language.

There were 35,822 households, out of which 30.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.60% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.80% were non-families. 27.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.40% under the age of 18, 17.10% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.60 males.

In 2017, there were 1,191 births, giving a general fertility rate of 52.8 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the tenth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. Of these, 99 of the births occurred at home, the third highest for Wisconsin counties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2010, the largest religious groups by reported number of adherents were Catholic at 16,240 adherents, ELCA Lutheran at 15,067 adherents, Missouri Synod Lutheran at 6,953 adherents, LCMC Lutheran at 3,355 adherents, United Methodist at 2,177 adherents, non-denominational Christian at 1,557 adherents, Lutheran Brethren at 1,391 adherents, United Church of Christ at 1,046 adherents, Assemblies of God at 969 adherents, Amish at 794 adherents, Wisconsin Synod Lutheran at 757 adherents, ELS Lutheran at 708 adherents, and LDS (Mormon) at 703 adherents.<ref>thearda.com County Membership Report Maps and Reports: Eau Claire County (Wisconsin)</ref> Template:Clear

Transportation

Airport

Eau Claire county is served by the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport (KEAU).

Government

File:2009-0711-EauClaire-CH.jpg

Eau Claire City Hall (listed on the NRHP)

The legislative body of Eau Claire County is the non-partisan 29-member Eau Claire County Board of Supervisors.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Members of the board of supervisors are elected by district and the chairperson and vice-chair positions are elected from within members of the board.

The board meets in the Eau Claire County Courthouse in downtown Eau Claire,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> with its weekly meetings televised on local public television and transcripts published online. Most items are approved on a "consent calendar" without discussion.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Public comment is limited to three minutes per individual per item.

Eau Claire County is in Wisconsin State Senate district 31, represented by Jeff Smith (D). The county is divided into two Wisconsin assembly districts: Assembly district 93 which is represented by Christian Phelps (D), as well as district 91 which is represented by Jodi Emerson (D). At the federal level, the entire county is contained within Wisconsin's third congressional district, which is represented in the United States House of Representatives by Derrick Van Orden (R).

In presidential elections, due in part to the presence of the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire County is solidly Democratic. The last Republican to win the county was Ronald Reagan in his landslide re-election of 1984, and even then he only won the county by a margin of 2.64 percent, smaller than Richard Nixon's margin of 5.12 percent in his landslide 1972 re-election.

Recreation

Attractions include the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire, Dells Mill Museum in Augusta, Dells Mill Water Powered Museum in Augusta, the Paul Bunyan Logging Camp in Eau Claire, and the Sarge Boyd Bandshell in Eau Claire.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Communities

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Political map of Eau Claire County, showing major and minor civil divisions, and adjacent counties. Note: A small portion of the city of Eau Claire is in Chippewa Co.