Chippewa County, Wisconsin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chippewa County
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Chippewa County Courthouse, February 2015
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Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
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 Wisconsin's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Wisconsin |
| Founded | 1853 |
| Named for | Ojibwa |
| Seat | Chippewa Falls |
| Largest city | Chippewa Falls |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,041 sq mi (2,700 km2) |
| • Land | 1,008 sq mi (2,610 km2) |
| • Water | 33 sq mi (90 km2) 3.2% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 66,297 |
| • Estimate
(2023)
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66,970  |
| • Density | 65.7/sq mi (25.4/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional districts | 3rd, 7th |
Chippewa County is a county in the state of Wisconsin. It is named after the historic Chippewa people, also known as the Ojibwe. They lived in this area for a long time.
In 2020, about 66,297 people lived here. The main city and government center is Chippewa Falls. The county was started in 1845 and officially organized in 1853.
Chippewa County is part of the larger Eau Claire and Menomonie city areas.
Contents
Exploring Chippewa County's Land
According to government information, Chippewa County covers about 1,041 square miles. Most of this area, 1,008 square miles, is land. The rest, about 33 square miles, is water.
In the northern part of Chippewa County, you can find bumpy hills. These hills have many small, round lakes and wet areas called bogs. These features were left behind by the last glacier (a huge sheet of ice) that covered the area.
The Ice Age Trail goes through some of these unique landscapes. This trail lets people explore these special landforms on foot.
Neighboring Counties
Chippewa County shares borders with these other counties:
- Rusk County (to the north)
- Taylor County (to the east)
- Clark County (to the southeast)
- Eau Claire County (to the south)
- Dunn County (to the west)
- Barron County (to the northwest)
Getting Around Chippewa County
You can travel through Chippewa County using several major roads and other transportation options.
Main Roads
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Trains and Buses
- Union Pacific (trains)
- Wisconsin Northern Railroad (trains)
- Canadian National (trains)
- Eau Claire Transit (buses)
Airports
- KEAU - Chippewa Valley Regional Airport
- 4WI9 - Cornell Municipal Airport
Who Lives in Chippewa County?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1850 | 615 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,895 | 208.1% | |
| 1870 | 8,311 | 338.6% | |
| 1880 | 15,491 | 86.4% | |
| 1890 | 25,143 | 62.3% | |
| 1900 | 33,037 | 31.4% | |
| 1910 | 32,103 | −2.8% | |
| 1920 | 36,482 | 13.6% | |
| 1930 | 37,342 | 2.4% | |
| 1940 | 40,703 | 9.0% | |
| 1950 | 42,839 | 5.2% | |
| 1960 | 45,096 | 5.3% | |
| 1970 | 47,717 | 5.8% | |
| 1980 | 52,127 | 9.2% | |
| 1990 | 52,360 | 0.4% | |
| 2000 | 55,195 | 5.4% | |
| 2010 | 62,415 | 13.1% | |
| 2020 | 66,297 | 6.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010 2020 |
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In 2020, the county had 66,297 people. This means there were about 65.7 people living in each square mile.
Most people in the county (about 91.8%) are White. Other groups include Black or African American (1.6%), Asian (1.5%), and Native American (0.5%). About 1.9% of the population is Hispanic or Latino.
Jobs and Businesses
Many people in Chippewa County work for these large employers:
| 1 | TTM Advanced Circuits |
| 2 | Chippewa Falls Public Schools |
| 3 | Saint Joseph's Hospital |
| 4 | Wisconsin Department of Corrections |
| 5 | Wal-Mart |
| 6 | Mason Companies Inc |
| 7 | Chippewa County |
| 8 | Mayo Health System |
| 9 | Silicon Graphics International |
| 10 | Cooperative Educational Service Agency #10 |
Learning About Local History
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire has a special collection of records and books about Chippewa County. It's located in the McIntyre Library.
Here, you can find old birth and marriage records, starting from 1907. There are also records about people becoming citizens and old court documents. These are very helpful for people researching their family history.
The collection also has books about how people moved to the area, the history of logging, churches, and cemeteries. You can also read stories from local residents.
There are many files about logging, the railway industry, and farming in Chippewa County. This collection also has information for other nearby counties like Buffalo, Clark, Eau Claire, Rusk, and Taylor.
Towns and Villages
Chippewa County has several cities, villages, and towns.
Cities
- Bloomer
- Chippewa Falls (This is the county seat, where the main government offices are.)
- Cornell
- Eau Claire (Most of this city is in Eau Claire County.)
- Stanley (Part of this city is in Clark County.)
Villages
- Boyd
- Cadott
- Lake Hallie
- New Auburn (Part of this village is in Barron County.)
Towns
Other Communities
These are smaller communities that are not officially cities, villages, or towns:
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Chippewa (Wisconsin) para niños
