# Dunn County, Wisconsin

Dunn County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,440. Its county seat is Menomonie. Dunn County comprises the Menomonie Micropolitan Statistical Area and is included in the Eau Claire-Menomonie, WI Combined Statistical Area.

## History

Dunn county was founded in 1854 from Chippewa County and organized in 1857. It is named for Charles Dunn, the territory's first chief justice.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 864 square miles (2,240 km$^2$), of which 850 square miles (2,200 km$^2$) is land and 14 square miles (36 km$^2$) (1.6%) is water.

### Adjacent counties

* Barron County - north
* Chippewa County - east
* Eau Claire County - southeast
* Pepin County - south
* Pierce County - southwest
* Polk County - northwest
* Saint Croix County - west

### Major highways

| Interstate 94 U.S. Highway 12 Highway 25 (Wisconsin) Highway 29 (Wisconsin) Highway 40 (Wisconsin) | Highway 64 (Wisconsin) Highway 72 (Wisconsin) Highway 79 (Wisconsin) Highway 85 (Wisconsin) Highway 170 (Wisconsin) |

### Railroads

* Canadian National
* Union Pacific

### Buses

* Dunn County Transit

### Airports

* Menomonie Municipal Airport (KLUM) serves the county and surrounding communities.
* Boyceville Municipal Airport (3T3) enhances county service.

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 45,440. The population density was 53.4 people per square mile (20.6 people/km$^2$). There were 18,693 housing units at an average density of 22.0 units per square mile (8.5 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 90.7% White, 3.2% Asian, 0.9% Black or African American, 0.5% Native American, 1.0% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.3% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

### 2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 39,858 people, 14,337 households, and 9,261 families residing in the county. The population density was 47 people per square mile (18 people/km$^2$). There were 15,277 housing units at an average density of 18 units per square mile (6.9 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 96.08% White, 0.34% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 2.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.37% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 0.84% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 39.3% were of German, 22.6% Norwegian and 5.1% Irish ancestry. 95.7% spoke English, 1.6% Spanish and 1.5% Hmong as their first language.
There were 14,337 households, out of which 31.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.10% were married couples living together, 6.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.40% were non-families. 24.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.07.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.30% under the age of 18, 19.80% from 18 to 24, 25.70% from 25 to 44, 19.80% from 45 to 64, and 11.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 102.20 males.
In 2017, there were 443 births, giving a general fertility rate of 47.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the fourth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.

## Communities
### City

* Menomonie

### Villages

* Boyceville
* Colfax
* Downing
* Elk Mound
* Knapp
* Ridgeland
* Wheeler

### Towns

* Colfax
* Dunn
* Eau Galle
* Elk Mound
* Grant
* Hay River
* Lucas
* Menomonie
* New Haven
* Otter Creek
* Peru
* Red Cedar
* Rock Creek
* Sand Creek
* Sheridan
* Sherman
* Spring Brook
* Stanton
* Tainter
* Tiffany
* Weston
* Wilson

### Census-designated places

* Downsville
* Tainter Lake

### Unincorporated communities

* Baxter
* Caryville
* Cedar Falls
* Comfort
* Connorsville
* Dunnville
* Eau Galle
* Falls City
* Graytown (partial)
* Hatchville (partial)
* Irvington
* Meridean
* Norton
* Red Cedar
* Rock Falls
* Rusk
* Sand Creek
* Weston

### Ghost towns/neighborhoods

* Old Tyrone
* Welch Point

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Dunn County, Wisconsin :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 14,726 | 57.35% | 10,643 | 41.45% | 309 | 1.20% |
| 2020 | 13,173 | 56.00% | 9,897 | 42.07% | 454 | 1.93% |
| 2016 | 11,486 | 51.96% | 9,034 | 40.87% | 1,586 | 7.17% |
| 2012 | 10,224 | 46.49% | 11,316 | 51.46% | 452 | 2.06% |
| 2008 | 9,566 | 41.61% | 13,002 | 56.56% | 421 | 1.83% |
| 2004 | 10,879 | 46.95% | 12,039 | 51.95% | 254 | 1.10% |
| 2000 | 8,911 | 46.10% | 9,172 | 47.45% | 1,247 | 6.45% |
| 1996 | 4,917 | 31.90% | 7,536 | 48.89% | 2,962 | 19.22% |
| 1992 | 5,283 | 29.00% | 7,965 | 43.72% | 4,970 | 27.28% |
| 1988 | 7,273 | 43.83% | 9,205 | 55.47% | 116 | 0.70% |
| 1984 | 8,473 | 51.80% | 7,712 | 47.15% | 173 | 1.06% |
| 1980 | 7,428 | 43.47% | 7,743 | 45.31% | 1,917 | 11.22% |
| 1976 | 6,751 | 44.99% | 7,882 | 52.53% | 371 | 2.47% |
| 1972 | 6,660 | 53.04% | 5,681 | 45.25% | 215 | 1.71% |
| 1968 | 5,415 | 51.44% | 4,392 | 41.73% | 719 | 6.83% |
| 1964 | 3,964 | 37.90% | 6,475 | 61.91% | 19 | 0.18% |
| 1960 | 6,723 | 59.82% | 4,487 | 39.92% | 29 | 0.26% |
| 1956 | 6,401 | 60.36% | 4,189 | 39.50% | 14 | 0.13% |
| 1952 | 7,475 | 67.38% | 3,593 | 32.39% | 26 | 0.23% |
| 1948 | 4,319 | 46.03% | 4,894 | 52.16% | 169 | 1.80% |
| 1944 | 5,980 | 60.37% | 3,853 | 38.90% | 72 | 0.73% |
| 1940 | 6,968 | 59.87% | 4,545 | 39.05% | 126 | 1.08% |
| 1936 | 4,570 | 41.64% | 5,619 | 51.20% | 786 | 7.16% |
| 1932 | 3,898 | 42.80% | 4,936 | 54.19% | 274 | 3.01% |
| 1928 | 7,096 | 76.51% | 2,045 | 22.05% | 133 | 1.43% |
| 1924 | 3,177 | 40.13% | 284 | 3.59% | 4,455 | 56.28% |
| 1920 | 5,596 | 87.85% | 491 | 7.71% | 283 | 4.44% |
| 1916 | 2,556 | 60.04% | 1,447 | 33.99% | 254 | 5.97% |
| 1912 | 1,403 | 37.45% | 833 | 22.24% | 1,510 | 40.31% |
| 1908 | 3,297 | 74.39% | 914 | 20.62% | 221 | 4.99% |
| 1904 | 3,303 | 81.25% | 546 | 13.43% | 216 | 5.31% |
| 1900 | 3,046 | 70.79% | 1,110 | 25.80% | 147 | 3.42% |
| 1896 | 3,370 | 67.94% | 1,418 | 28.59% | 172 | 3.47% |
| 1892 | 2,169 | 50.93% | 1,257 | 29.51% | 833 | 19.56% |