Douglas County, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Douglas County
U.S. county
Douglas County Courthouse in Superior in 2023.
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	February 8, 1854
Named for	Stephen A. Douglas
Seat	Superior
Largest city	Superior
Area
• Total	1,480 sq mi (3,800 km2)
• Land	1,304 sq mi (3,380 km2)
• Water	176 sq mi (460 km2)  12%
Population  (2020)
• Total	44,295
• Estimate  (2023)	44,264
• Density	29.93/sq mi (11.56/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	7th

Douglas County is a county in the northwest part of Wisconsin, a state in the United States. It is located right in the corner of the state! In 2020, about 44,295 people lived here. The main city and county seat is Superior. Douglas County is part of a bigger area called the Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Duluth, Minnesota.

History of Douglas County

Douglas County was created on February 8, 1854. It was named after Stephen A. Douglas, who was a famous Senator from Illinois. The City of Superior was chosen right away to be the county seat, which is like the main administrative city for the county.

Geography of Douglas County

Douglas County covers a total area of about 1,480 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,304 square miles, is land. The rest, about 176 square miles (or 12%), is water.

A part of the Fond du Lac Indian Reservation is located within Douglas County.

Neighboring Counties

Douglas County shares borders with several other counties:

Main Roads

Here are some of the major highways that run through Douglas County:

Railroads

Several railroad companies operate in Douglas County:

• BNSF
• Canadian National
• Canadian Pacific
• Union Pacific

Bus Services

You can find bus services here from:

• Duluth Transit Authority
• Indian Trails

Airports

The county is served by two airports:

• Solon Springs Municipal Airport (KOLG)
• Richard I. Bong Airport (KSUW)

Protected Areas

A part of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is located in Douglas County. This is a special area protected for its natural beauty.

Population Information

2020 Census Details

According to the census of 2020, Douglas County had a population of 44,295 people. The average number of people per square mile was about 34.0. There were also 22,906 housing units.

Most of the people in the county, about 89.7%, identified as White. Other groups included 1.8% Native American, 1.3% Black or African American, and 0.6% Asian. About 5.9% of people identified with two or more races. About 1.7% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.

2010 Census Details

In the 2010 United States Census, there were 44,159 people living in Douglas County. About 93.2% of them were White. Other groups included 2.0% Native American, 1.1% Black or African American, and 0.9% Asian. About 2.7% of people identified with two or more races. About 1.1% of the population was of Hispanic or Latino background.

Many people in Douglas County have roots from different countries. In 2010, some of the largest ancestry groups included German (20.7%), Norwegian (11.2%), Swedish (9.7%), Irish (7.8%), Finnish (6.4%), and Polish (6.1%).

Communities in Douglas County

Douglas County has different types of communities, from cities to small villages and towns.

City

• Superior (This is the county seat!)

Villages

• Lake Nebagamon
• Oliver
• Poplar
• Solon Springs
• Superior

Towns

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as one:

• Brule
• Gordon

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially part of a city or village:

Ghost Towns

These are places that used to be communities but are now abandoned or no longer exist:

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Douglas (Wisconsin) para niños