The 72 Counties that Make Up Wisconsin

by Estefania Garcia-Fox, age 13

Many Wisconsin counties were named after historical figures, such as John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States.

Wisconsin used to be British land; however, it was transferred to American control in 1783, and in 1848 became a part of the United States.

States are divided into counties. Each county has a county seat where the county government offices are located. There are 72 counties in Wisconsin. In this state, there are county officials that are elected by voters for a four-year term. County officials work to ensure that counties continue to prosper and remain safe for their communities. County officials include the sheriff, county executive, district attorney, register of deeds, and treasurer.

Wisconsin has many populous counties. Milwaukee County is the biggest county in Wisconsin with over 1 million residents! Other large counties include Waukesha and Brown Counties, with a population of more than 200,000. Brown County is where the City of Green Bay and the NFL stadium of the Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field, are located. There are also 12 other counties with a population of 100,000 or more.

The least-populated county in Wisconsin is Florence, with approximately 5,000 residents. Other small counties include Menominee County, Iron County, and Forest County.

Since the 2010 census, Dane County, where the City of Madison and the Wisconsin Capitol Building are located, has experienced growthofy nearly 11%. Other counties experienced some growth at a lower percentage.

[Sources: UW-Milwaukee; Wisconsin Counties Association]