# Washburn County, Wisconsin

Washburn County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is named after Governor Cadwallader C. Washburn. As of the 2020 census, the population was 16,623. Its county seat is Shell Lake. The county was created in 1883.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 853 square miles (2,210 km$^2$), of which 797 square miles (2,060 km$^2$) is land and 56 square miles (150 km$^2$) (6.6%) is water.

### Major highways

* U.S. Highway 53
* U.S. Highway 63
* Highway 48 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 70 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 77 (Wisconsin)
* Highway 253 (Wisconsin)

### Railroads

* Canadian National
* Wisconsin Great Northern Railroad

### Airport

Shell Lake Municipal Airport (KSSQ) serves the county and surrounding communities.

### Adjacent counties

* Douglas County - north
* Bayfield County - northeast
* Sawyer County - east
* Rusk County - southeast
* Barron County - south
* Burnett County - west

### National protected area

* Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (part)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 16,623. The population density was 20.9 people per square mile (8.1 people/km$^2$). There were 12,708 housing units at an average density of 15.9 units per square mile (6.1 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 92.9% White, 1.2% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.5% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.8% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

### 2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 16,036 people, 6,604 households, and 4,530 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile (7.7 people/km$^2$). There were 10,814 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 97.27% White, 0.17% Black or African American, 1.01% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.12% from other races, and 1.22% from two or more races. 0.89% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 33.9% were of German, 11.4% Norwegian, 7.0% Irish, 6.2% Swedish, 6.1% English and 5.6% American ancestry.
There were 6,604 households, out of which 27.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 7.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.88.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 27.1% from 45 to 64, and 18.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.3 males.
In 2017, there were 153 births, giving a general fertility rate of 70.0 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 17th highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. Additionally, there were fewer than five reported induced abortions performed on women of Washburn County residence in 2017.

## Communities
### Cities

* Shell Lake (county seat)
* Spooner

### Villages

* Birchwood
* Minong

### Towns

* Barronett
* Bashaw
* Bass Lake
* Beaver Brook
* Birchwood
* Brooklyn
* Casey
* Chicog
* Crystal
* Evergreen
* Frog Creek
* Gull Lake
* Long Lake
* Madge
* Minong
* Sarona
* Spooner
* Springbrook
* Stinnett
* Stone Lake
* Trego

### Census-designated places

* Springbrook
* Stone Lake (part)
* Trego

### Other unincorporated communities

* Beaver Brook
* Chicago Junction
* Chittamo
* Earl
* Lampson
* Madge
* Nobleton
* Sarona
* Springbrook
* Stanberry

### Ghost towns

* Harmon

## Politics

United States presidential election results for Washburn County, Wisconsin :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 6,962 | 63.42% | 3,867 | 35.22% | 149 | 1.36% |
| 2020 | 6,334 | 61.03% | 3,867 | 37.26% | 177 | 1.71% |
| 2016 | 5,436 | 59.13% | 3,282 | 35.70% | 475 | 5.17% |
| 2012 | 4,699 | 50.60% | 4,447 | 47.88% | 141 | 1.52% |
| 2008 | 4,303 | 47.22% | 4,693 | 51.50% | 116 | 1.27% |
| 2004 | 4,762 | 49.78% | 4,705 | 49.18% | 100 | 1.05% |
| 2000 | 3,912 | 48.63% | 3,695 | 45.93% | 438 | 5.44% |
| 1996 | 2,703 | 38.64% | 3,231 | 46.18% | 1,062 | 15.18% |
| 1992 | 2,586 | 33.65% | 3,080 | 40.07% | 2,020 | 26.28% |
| 1988 | 3,074 | 47.25% | 3,393 | 52.15% | 39 | 0.60% |
| 1984 | 3,848 | 54.38% | 3,188 | 45.05% | 40 | 0.57% |
| 1980 | 3,193 | 46.41% | 3,172 | 46.10% | 515 | 7.49% |
| 1976 | 2,787 | 43.20% | 3,503 | 54.30% | 161 | 2.50% |
| 1972 | 3,220 | 56.84% | 2,336 | 41.24% | 109 | 1.92% |
| 1968 | 2,425 | 47.63% | 2,273 | 44.65% | 393 | 7.72% |
| 1964 | 1,865 | 36.84% | 3,181 | 62.84% | 16 | 0.32% |
| 1960 | 2,848 | 54.13% | 2,398 | 45.58% | 15 | 0.29% |
| 1956 | 2,798 | 58.88% | 1,935 | 40.72% | 19 | 0.40% |
| 1952 | 3,184 | 60.80% | 2,039 | 38.93% | 14 | 0.27% |
| 1948 | 2,059 | 41.81% | 2,708 | 54.98% | 158 | 3.21% |
| 1944 | 2,441 | 53.85% | 2,059 | 45.42% | 33 | 0.73% |
| 1940 | 2,805 | 48.68% | 2,901 | 50.35% | 56 | 0.97% |
| 1936 | 1,650 | 31.64% | 3,220 | 61.74% | 345 | 6.62% |
| 1932 | 1,501 | 34.68% | 2,619 | 60.51% | 208 | 4.81% |
| 1928 | 2,898 | 70.03% | 1,192 | 28.81% | 48 | 1.16% |
| 1924 | 1,422 | 38.91% | 158 | 4.32% | 2,075 | 56.77% |
| 1920 | 2,023 | 78.26% | 352 | 13.62% | 210 | 8.12% |
| 1916 | 938 | 55.37% | 644 | 38.02% | 112 | 6.61% |
| 1912 | 409 | 27.52% | 398 | 26.78% | 679 | 45.69% |
| 1908 | 1,114 | 69.02% | 396 | 24.54% | 104 | 6.44% |
| 1904 | 989 | 77.33% | 207 | 16.18% | 83 | 6.49% |
| 1900 | 808 | 73.99% | 253 | 23.17% | 31 | 2.84% |
| 1896 | 771 | 73.29% | 250 | 23.76% | 31 | 2.95% |
| 1892 | 488 | 57.82% | 305 | 36.14% | 51 | 6.04% |
Between 1964 and 2008, Washburn County backed the nationwide winner in every election except for 1988. In 2012, Mitt Romney defeated Barack Obama in the county by a margin of less than 3%, after Obama had won the county by more than 4% in 2008 over John McCain. Washburn County moved significantly to the right in 2016, as Donald Trump took over 59% of the county's vote and won by a margin of over 23%, the best margin of victory for any candidate in the county since 1964. He slightly increased his margin of victory to nearly 24% in 2020 and further increased it to more than 28% in 2024 while turning in the best vote share for a Republican in the county since 1928 at over 63%.

## Education

School districts include:
* Birchwood School District
* Hayward Community School District
* Northwood School District
* Rice Lake Area School District
* Shell Lake School District
* Spooner Area School District
In 1918, the loss of the SS Tuscania prompted the county to burn its German textbooks as part of anti-German sentiment in World War I.