Bayfield County, Wisconsin

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Bayfield County

| state = Wisconsin

| seal =

| founded year = 1845

| seat wl = Washburn

| largest city wl = Washburn

| area_total_sq_mi = 2042

| area_land_sq_mi = 1478

| area_water_sq_mi = 564

| area percentage = 28

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 16220

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 16769 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| time zone = Central

| footnotes =

| web = www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov

| named for = Henry Bayfield

| ex image = Bayfield County WI Courthouse.JPG

| ex image cap = Bayfield County Courthouse

| district = 7th }}

Bayfield County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population is 16,220.{{Cite web|title=2020 Population and Housing State Data|url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html|access-date=August 25, 2021|website=The United States Census Bureau|language=EN-US}} Its county seat is Washburn.{{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/20120704084002/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=July 4, 2012 }} The county was created in 1845 and organized in 1850.{{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=The Newberry Library|date=2007|access-date=August 12, 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}} The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has a reservation in Bayfield County and is the county's largest employer.{{cite web |title=Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa |url=https://dpi.wi.gov/amind/tribalnationswi/redcliff |publisher=Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction |language=en |date=September 5, 2017}} The county is considered a high-recreation retirement destination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.{{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}}

History

Originally, in 1848 it was named La Pointe County, Wisconsin. After Douglas (1854) and Ashland (1860) Counties were split off from the original La Pointe County, the remainder was renamed Bayfield County on April 12, 1866.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|2042|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|1478|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|564|sqmi}} (28%) is water.{{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 2, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}} It is the third-largest county in Wisconsin by total area and second-largest by land area.

=Adjacent counties=

Ashland County – east
Sawyer County – south
Washburn County – southwest
Douglas County – west
Lake County, Minnesota – north

=Major highways=

* 20px U.S. Highway 2

|

=Buses=

= Airport =

Cable Union Airport {{airport codes|||3CU}} serves Bayfield County and the surrounding communities.

=National protected areas=

Apostle Islands National Lakeshore (part)
Chequamegon National Forest (part)
Whittlesey Creek National Wildlife Refuge

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1850= 489

|1860= 353

|1870= 344

|1880= 564

|1890= 7390

|1900= 14392

|1910= 15987

|1920= 17201

|1930= 15006

|1940= 15827

|1950= 13760

|1960= 11910

|1970= 11683

|1980= 13822

|1990= 14008

|2000= 15013

|2010= 15014

|2020= 16220

|estyear=

|estimate=

|estref=

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{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 2, 2015}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 2, 2015}} 1900–1990{{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 2, 2015}}
1990–2000{{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 2, 2015}} 2010{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55007.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 17, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806014711/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55007.html|archive-date=August 6, 2011|url-status=dead}} 2020

}}

=2020 census=

As of the census of 2020,{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Bayfield County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55007&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 11, 2022}} the population was 16,220. The population density was {{convert|11.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 13,238 housing units at an average density of {{convert|9.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 83.2% White, 10.5% Native American, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.7% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

=2010 census=

As of the 2010 census, there were 15,014 people living in the county. 86.7% were White, 9.6% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 0.3% Black or African American, 0.2% of some other race and 2.9% of two or more races. 1.1% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

=2000 census=

As of the census{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 15,013 people, 6,207 households, and 4,276 families living in the county. The population density was {{convert|10|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 11,640 housing units at an average density of {{convert|8|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 88.46% White, 0.13% Black or African American, 9.39% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.26% from other races, and 1.49% from two or more races. 0.61% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 23.3% were of German, 10.4% Norwegian, 8.4% Swedish, 6.1% Irish, 5.9% Polish, 5.7% Finnish and 5.0% English ancestry. 96.8% spoke English as their first language.

There were 6,207 households, out of which 28.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.90% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 5.30% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 28.50% from 45 to 64, and 16.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 102.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.70 males.

In 2017, there were 116 births, giving a general fertility rate of 66.6 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 23rd highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.{{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 20, 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 }} Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Bayfield County residence in 2017.[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

Communities

File:Bayfield County Wisconsin Sign US2 WIS13.jpg

=Cities=

Ashland (mostly in Ashland County)
Bayfield
Washburn (county seat)

=Village=

Mason

=Towns=

=Census-designated places=

=Unincorporated communities=

Politics

Bayfield County is a Democratic bastion, having voted for the Democrat in every presidential election since 1932 except for three nationwide Republican landslides in 1952, 1956, and 1972.

{{PresHead|place=Bayfield County, Wisconsin|source={{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=November 9, 2020}}}}

{{PresRow|1924|Progressive (Wisconsin)|1,675|205|2,720|Wisconsin}}

References

External links

[https://www.bayfieldcounty.wi.gov/ Bayfield County government website]
[http://bayfieldcountyedc.com/ Bayfield County Economic Development Corporation]
Old plat maps: [https://content.wisconsinhistory.org/digital/collection/maps/id/1610/rec/21 1906] [https://sites.rootsweb.com/~wibayfi2/maps/1954/1954Platmaps.html 1954]
[http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/bayfield.pdf Bayfield County map] from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Bayfield County, Wisconsin

|North = Lake County, Minnesota

|Northeast = Cook County, Minnesota

|East = Ashland County

|Southeast =

|South = Sawyer County

|Southwest = Washburn County

|West = Douglas County

|Northwest =

}}

{{Coord|46.63|-91.18|display=title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WI_source:UScensus1990}}