Racine County, Wisconsin

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Racine County

| state = Wisconsin

| image_flag = Flag of Racine County, Wisconsin.svg

| seal =

| founded year = 1836

| founded date = December 7

| seat wl = Racine

| largest city wl = Racine

| area_total_sq_mi = 792

| area_land_sq_mi = 333

| area_water_sq_mi = 460

| area percentage = 58%

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 197727

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 196613 {{loss}}

| population_density_sq_mi = 594.4

| population_footnotes =

| web = www.racinecounty.com

| ex image = RacineCountyCourtHouse.jpg

| ex image cap = Racine County Courthouse

| time zone = Central

| district = 1st

| coordinates = {{coord|42.78|-87.76|display=inline,title|type:adm2nd_region:US-WI_source:UScensus1990}}

| logo =

}}

Racine County ({{IPAc-en|r|ə|ˈ|s|iː|n|,_|r|eɪ|-|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Racine County.wav}} {{respell|rə|SEEN|,_|ray|-}}) is a county in southeastern Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 197,727, making it Wisconsin's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat is Racine.{{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}} The county was founded in 1836, then a part of the Wisconsin Territory. The Root River is the county's namesake.

Racine County comprises the Racine metropolitan statistical area. This area is part of the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha combined statistical area.{{cite web |author1=US Department of Commerce Economic & Statistics Administration |author2=US Census Bureau |title=Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/econ/ec2012/csa/EC2012_330M200US376M.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/econ/ec2012/csa/EC2012_330M200US376M.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=live |website=Census.gov |access-date=July 8, 2021 |date=January 2012}} According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of {{convert|792|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|333|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|460|sqmi}} (58%) 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 8, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}} The county's unemployment rate was 5.6% in June 2021.{{cite web|url=https://data.bls.gov/lausmap/showMap.jsp;jsessionid=B92DE862AF6E8D01D6927AE189A24A30._t3_06v|title=Unemployment in the United States|website=Local Area Unemployment Statistics Map|access-date=August 8, 2021}}

History

The Potawatomi people occupied the area of Racine County until European settlement. The Wisconsin Territory legislature established Racine County in 1836, separating it from Milwaukee County. Racine County originally extended to Wisconsin's southern border and encompassed the land that is now Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Kenosha County was created as a separate entity in 1850.{{cite book |last1=Kellogg |first1=Louise Phelps |author1-link=Louise Phelps Kellogg |editor1-last=Thwaites |editor1-first=Reuben Gold |editor1-link=Reuben Gold Thwaites |title=Proceedings of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin at its Fifty-Seventh Annual Meeting |date=1910 |publisher=Wisconsin Historical Society |location=Madison |page=190 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nbQTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA190 |access-date=July 3, 2022 |chapter=Organization, Boundaries and Names of Wisconsin Counties}}

Adjacent counties

Milwaukee County (north)
Ottawa County, Michigan (northeast across Lake Michigan)
Allegan County, Michigan (southeast across Lake Michigan)
Kenosha County (south)
Walworth County (west)
Waukesha County (northwest)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1840= 3475

|1850= 14973

|1860= 21360

|1870= 26740

|1880= 30922

|1890= 36268

|1900= 45644

|1910= 57424

|1920= 78961

|1930= 90217

|1940= 94047

|1950= 109585

|1960= 141781

|1970= 170838

|1980= 173132

|1990= 175034

|2000= 188831

|2010= 195408

|2020= 197727

|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 8, 2015}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 8, 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 8, 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 8, 2015}} 2010–2020{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55101.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 23, 2014|archive-date=August 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807091951/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/55/55101.html|url-status=dead}} 2020 census{{Cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/racinecountywisconsin,US/PST045219 |title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Racine County, Wisconsin; United States |access-date=August 13, 2021 |archive-date=December 2, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202011011/https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/racinecountywisconsin,US/PST045219 |url-status=dead }}

}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Racine County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic composition
{{nobold|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 may be of any race.}}

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Racine County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US55101&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!Pop 2010{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Racine County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US55101&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!{{partial|Pop 2020}}{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Racine County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US55101&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}

!% 2000

!% 2010

!{{partial|% 2020}}

|White alone (NH)

|150,238

|145,414

|style='background: #ffffe6; |135,333

|79.56%

|74.42%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |68.44%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|19,441

|21,212

|style='background: #ffffe6; |22,531

|10.30%

|10.86%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.40%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|541

|614

|style='background: #ffffe6; |538

|0.29%

|0.31%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%

|Asian alone (NH)

|1,331

|2,081

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,261

|0.70%

|1.06%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.14%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|54

|40

|style='background: #ffffe6; |47

|0.03%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|Other race alone (NH)

|156

|228

|style='background: #ffffe6; |792

|0.08%

|0.12%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.40%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|2,080

|3,273

|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,314

|1.10%

|1.67%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.20%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|14,990

|22,546

|style='background: #ffffe6; |27,911

|7.94%

|11.54%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.12%

|Total

|188,831

|195,408

|style='background: #ffffe6; |197,727

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

=2020 census=

As of the census of 2020,{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census: Racine County, Wisconsin |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US55101&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29 |website=data.census.gov |publisher=U.S. Census Bureau |access-date=July 2, 2022}} the population was 197,727. The population density was {{convert|594.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 84,490 housing units at an average density of {{convert|254.0|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 72.0% White, 11.8% Black or African American, 1.2% Asian, 0.5% Native American, 5.4% from other races, and 9.0% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 14.1% 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 188,831 people, 70,819 households, and 49,856 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|567|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people|}}. There were 74,718 housing units at an average density of {{convert|224|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 83.04% White, 10.47% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.69% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 7.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.9% were of German, 7.4% Polish and 5.5% Irish ancestry.

There were 70,819 households, of which 34.5% had children under 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

Transportation

=Major highways=

{{jct|state=WI|I|41|I|94|US|41}}
{{jct|state=WI|US|45}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|11}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|20}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|31}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|32}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|36}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|38}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|75}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|83}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|142}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|164}}
{{jct|state=WI|WI|311}}

=Railroads=

=Buses=

Ryde Racine

=Airports=

John H. Batten Airport (KRAC) serves the county and surrounding communities.
Burlington Municipal Airport (KBUU) enhances county service.
Cindy Guntly Memorial Airport (62C) enhances county service.
Fox River Airport (96C) enhances county service.
Sylvania Airport (C89) enhances county service.

Communities

File:Racine County census map of municipalities.png

File:Racine County Wisconsin Sign WIS11.jpg]]

=Cities=

Burlington (partly in Walworth County)
Racine (county seat)

=Villages=

=Towns=

=Census-designated places=

Bohners Lake (Town of Burlington)
Browns Lake (Town of Burlington)
Eagle Lake (Town of Dover)
Tichigan (Town of Waterford)
Wind Lake (Town of Norway)

=Unincorporated communities=

=Ghost towns/neighborhoods=

Government

File:RacineCountyCourthouse1879engraving.jpg

The County Board has 21 members, each elected from single-member districts.Racine County Website, {{cite web |url=http://www.racineco.com/racinecountyboard/index.aspx |title=Racine County |access-date=May 5, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160512173644/http://www.racineco.com/racinecountyboard/index.aspx |archive-date=May 12, 2016 }} The county executive is elected in a countywide vote. The county executive is Jonathan Delagrave. The Circuit Court is made up of ten judges, elected in countywide elections to six-year terms.

Politics

Racine County has been a bellwether county, having voted for the winning presidential candidate in 28 of the last 33 elections since 1896 despite its solidly Democratic county seat, Racine, Wisconsin. The only exceptions to this were when it voted for Charles Evans Hughes in 1916, Gerald Ford in 1976, Michael Dukakis in 1988, and Donald Trump in 2020.

{{PresHead|place=Racine County, Wisconsin|whig=no|source1={{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 11, 2020}}}}

References

External links

{{Official website|http://racinecounty.com/}}
[http://wisconsindot.gov/Documents/travel/road/hwy-maps/county-maps/racine.pdf Racine County map] from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

{{Geographic Location

|Centre = Racine County, Wisconsin

|North = Milwaukee County

|Northeast = Ottawa County, Michigan

|East =

|Southeast = Allegan County, Michigan

|South = Kenosha County

|Southwest = McHenry County, Illinois

|West = Walworth County

|Northwest = Waukesha County

}}

Category:1836 establishments in Wisconsin Territory