Pierce County, Wisconsin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pierce County
U.S. county
Pierce County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	1853
Named for	Franklin Pierce
Seat	Ellsworth
Largest city	River Falls
Area
• Total	592 sq mi (1,530 km2)
• Land	574 sq mi (1,490 km2)
• Water	18 sq mi (50 km2)  3.1%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	42,212
• Estimate  (2023)	43,026
• Density	71.30/sq mi (27.531/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	3rd

Pierce County is a place in Wisconsin, a state in the United States. It is called a county, which is like a smaller region within a state. In 2020, about 42,212 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, is Ellsworth. Pierce County is also part of a larger area called the Minneapolis–St. Paul Metropolitan Area. This means it's connected to the big cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul in Minnesota.

History of Pierce County

Long ago, the first people to live in what is now Pierce County were Native Americans. We know this because of old burial mounds found near a place called Diamond Bluff. People have lived in this area for a very long time, possibly for 10,000 to 12,000 years!

In 1840, a big area called St. Croix County covered much of northwest Wisconsin Territory. In 1853, the government of Wisconsin decided to divide St. Croix County. They created three new counties: Pierce, Polk, and Saint Croix. Pierce County was named after Franklin Pierce, who was the fourteenth president of the United States.

Geography and Nature

Pierce County covers a total area of about 592 square miles (1,533 square kilometers). Most of this area, about 574 square miles (1,487 square kilometers), is land. The rest, about 18 square miles (47 square kilometers), is water. This means about 3.1% of the county is covered by water.

Neighboring Counties

Pierce County shares its borders with several other counties:

• St. Croix County is to the north.
• Dunn County is to the northeast.
• Pepin County is to the southeast.
• Goodhue County, Minnesota is to the south.
• Dakota County, Minnesota is to the southwest.
• Washington County, Minnesota is to the west.

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is located in Pierce County. This is a special area protected for its beautiful rivers and nature.

Population and People

The population of Pierce County has grown a lot over the years. In 1860, there were fewer than 5,000 people. By 2020, the population had grown to over 42,000 people.

2020 Census Information

According to the 2020 United States census, 42,212 people lived in Pierce County. This means there were about 73.5 people living in each square mile. There were also about 16,780 homes in the county.

Most people in the county, about 92.3%, identified as White. Other groups included 1.0% Black or African American, 0.7% Asian, and 0.5% Native American. About 2.9% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

Cities, Towns, and Villages

A sign welcoming you to Pierce County on Highway 35.

Pierce County has several different types of communities where people live.

Cities

• Prescott
• River Falls (part of this city is also in St. Croix County)

Villages

• Bay City
• Ellsworth (This is the county seat, the main town for the county's government.)
• Elmwood
• Maiden Rock
• Plum City
• Spring Valley (part of this village is also in St. Croix County)

Towns

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or villages.

• Diamond Bluff
• Hager City

Other Communities

Ghost Town

• Brasington (This is a place that used to be a community but is no longer inhabited.)

Transportation

Railroads

The BNSF railway operates in Pierce County, helping to move goods and materials.

Buses

There are also bus services available for transportation.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Pierce (Wisconsin) para niños