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Dane County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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Dane County
The Dane County Courthouse, 2004
The Dane County Courthouse, 2004
Official seal of Dane County
Seal
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Dane County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Wisconsin
Founded 1839
Named for Nathan Dane
Seat Madison
Largest city Madison
Area
 • Total 1,238 sq mi (3,210 km2)
 • Land 1,197 sq mi (3,100 km2)
 • Water 41 sq mi (110 km2)  3.3%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 561,504
 • Density 453.56/sq mi (175.12/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 2nd

Dane County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 561,504, making it the second-most populous county in Wisconsin. The county seat is Madison, which is also the state capital.

Dane County is the central county of the Madison, Wisconsin, Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Madison-Janesville-Beloit Combined Statistical Area.

History

Dane County was formed in 1836 as a territorial county and organized in 1839. It was named after Nathan Dane, a Massachusetts delegate to the Congress of the Confederation who helped carve Wisconsin out of the Northwest Territory. Dane County was first settled in the 1840s by settlers from New England.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,238 square miles (3,210 km2), of which 1,197 square miles (3,100 km2) is land and 41 square miles (110 km2) (3.3%) is water.

Major highways

  • I-39.svg Interstate 39
  • I-90.svg Interstate 90
  • I-94.svg Interstate 94
  • US 12.svg U.S. Highway 12
  • US 14.svg U.S. Highway 14
  • US 18.svg U.S. Highway 18
  • US 51.svg U.S. Highway 51
  • US 151.svg U.S. Highway 151
  • WIS 19.svg Highway 19 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 30.svg Highway 30 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 69.svg Highway 69 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 73.svg Highway 73 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 78.svg Highway 78 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 89.svg Highway 89 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 92.svg Highway 92 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 104.svg Highway 104 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 106.svg Highway 106 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 113.svg Highway 113 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 134.svg Highway 134 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 138.svg Highway 138 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 188.svg Highway 188 (Wisconsin)

Airports

  • Dane County Regional Airport (MSN) supports commercial airline service for Dane County.
  • Middleton Municipal Airport (C29) serves the county and surrounding communities.

Adjacent counties

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 314
1850 16,639 5,199.0%
1860 43,922 164.0%
1870 53,096 20.9%
1880 53,233 0.3%
1890 59,578 11.9%
1900 69,435 16.5%
1910 77,435 11.5%
1920 89,432 15.5%
1930 112,737 26.1%
1940 130,660 15.9%
1950 169,357 29.6%
1960 222,095 31.1%
1970 290,272 30.7%
1980 323,545 11.5%
1990 367,085 13.5%
2000 426,526 16.2%
2010 488,073 14.4%
2020 561,504 15.0%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020 2020 census

In 2017, there were 5,891 births, giving a general fertility rate of 51.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the eighth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. Of these, 73 of the births occurred at home, the fifth highest number of home births for Wisconsin counties. 428 of the births were to mothers who held doctorate or professional degrees, more than any other Wisconsin county. These accounted for 7.3% of total births for the county, a higher percent than any other Wisconsin county and more than Ozaukee County which had 5.8% of births to mothers who held doctorate or professional degrees and ranked second.

2010 census

At the 2010 census there were 488,073 people, 203,750 households, and 116,752 families living in the county. The population density was 394 people per square mile (152/km2). There were 216,022 housing units at an average density of 174 per square mile (67/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 84.7% White, 5.2% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.7% Asian, 0.003% Pacific Islander, 2.5% from other races, and 2.5% from two or more races. 5.9% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 203,750 households 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.1% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.7% were non-families. 30.5% of households were one person and 7.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.95.

The age distribution was 21.7% under the age of 18, 12.8% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.3% 65 or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.

USA Dane County, Wisconsin age pyramid
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Dane County.

Religion

In 2010, the largest religious groups in Dane County by number of adherents were Catholic at 106,036 adherents, ELCA Lutheran at 48,620 adherents, United Methodist at 9,753 adherents, non-denominational Christian at 7,448 adherents, Evangelical Free at 6,075 adherents, United Church of Christ at 5,035 adherents, Wisconsin Synod Lutheran at 4,214 adherents, Missouri Synod Lutheran at 3,921 adherents, American Baptist at 3,755 adherents, and PC-USA Presbyterian at 3,664 adherents.

Language

As of 2020, the majority of people in Dane County speak American English with sizable Spanish and Hmong speaking minorities. A small community is known to speak Kölsch or Colognian, a minority language from the German city of Cologne.

Recreation

County parks

  • Babcock County Park
  • Badger Prairie County Park
  • Blooming Grove Drumlins
  • Blue Mounds Natural Resource Area
  • Brigham County Park
  • CamRock County Park
  • Cherokee Marsh
  • Donald County Park
  • Festge County Park
  • Fish Camp County Park
  • Fish Lake County Park
  • Goodland County Park
  • Halfway Prairie School
  • Indian Lake County Park
  • Jenni & Kyle Preserve
  • LaFollette County Park
  • Lake Farm County Park
  • Lake View Hill Park
  • Lussier County Park
  • McCarthy County Park
  • Mendota County Park
  • Phil's Woods County Park
  • Prairie Moraine County Park
  • Riley-Deppe County Park
  • Salmo Pond County Park
  • Scheidegger Forest
  • Schumacher Farm
  • Stewart Lake County Park
  • Token Creek County Park
  • Viking County Park
  • Walking Iron County Park
  • Yahara Heights County Park

Communities

Political map of Dane County

Cities

Villages

Towns

Unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Dane para niños

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