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Polk County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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Polk County
U.S. county
Old Polk County Courthouse and Museum
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Polk 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 1853
Named for James K. Polk
Seat Balsam Lake
Largest city Amery
Area
 • Total 956 sq mi (2,480 km2)
 • Land 914 sq mi (2,370 km2)
 • Water 42 sq mi (110 km2)  4.4%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 44,977
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 45,762 Increase
 • Density 49.2/sq mi (19.0/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 7th

Polk County is a county located in the state of Wisconsin in the United States. In 2020, about 44,977 people lived here. The main town, or county seat, where the county government is located, is Balsam Lake. Polk County was created in 1853 and was named after James K. Polk, who was a President of the United States.

History of Polk County

After the Wisconsin Territory was formed in 1836, a lot of land that belonged to American Indian tribes was given to the United States. This happened through a special agreement called the White Pine Treaty. Much of this land was covered in huge pine forests. Because of these many trees, people started logging (cutting down trees for wood) very soon after the treaty.

Geography of Polk County

Polk County covers a total area of about 956 square miles. Most of this area, about 914 square miles, is land. The remaining 42 square miles (which is about 4.4% of the county) is covered by water, like lakes and rivers.

Neighboring Counties

Polk County shares its borders with several other counties:

Main Roads and Highways

Many important roads run through Polk County, helping people travel around. These include:

  • US 8.svg U.S. Highway 8
  • US 63.svg U.S. Highway 63
  • WIS 35.svg Highway 35 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 46.svg Highway 46 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 48.svg Highway 48 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 65.svg Highway 65 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 87.svg Highway 87 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 243.svg Highway 243 (Wisconsin)

Railroads and Airports

Trains and planes also help connect Polk County.

For air travel, the county has:

  • Amery Municipal Airport (KAHH)
  • L.O. Simenstad Municipal Airport (KOEO)

Protected Natural Areas

Part of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway is located in Polk County. This is a special area protected for its natural beauty and history.

Interstate Park

Interstate Park was created in 1900. It is a very important park because it is part of the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve. It is also the westernmost point of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, which is a long trail that shows features left behind by glaciers.

Population Information

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 1,400 —
1870 3,422 144.4%
1880 10,018 192.8%
1890 12,968 29.4%
1900 17,801 37.3%
1910 21,367 20.0%
1920 26,870 25.8%
1930 26,567 −1.1%
1940 26,197 −1.4%
1950 24,944 −4.8%
1960 24,968 0.1%
1970 26,666 6.8%
1980 32,351 21.3%
1990 34,773 7.5%
2000 41,319 18.8%
2010 44,205 7.0%
2020 44,977 1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010 2020

2020 Census Details

In 2020, the population of Polk County was 44,977 people. This means there were about 49.2 people living in each square mile. There were also 24,129 homes in the county.

Most of the people in Polk County, about 93.5%, identified as White. Other groups included 0.9% Native American, 0.5% Asian, and 0.4% Black or African American. About 3.9% of the population identified as being from two or more races. About 2.1% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

Education in Polk County

Polk County has several school districts that serve its communities:

  • Amery School District
  • Clayton School District
  • Clear Lake School District
  • Frederic School District
  • Luck School District
  • Osceola School District
  • St. Croix Falls School District
  • Unity School District

Communities in Polk County

Polk County Wisconsin Sign US8 entering Wisconsin
A sign welcoming you to Polk County on U.S. Highway 8.

Polk County is made up of different types of communities, from larger cities to smaller villages and towns.

Cities

Villages

Towns

Census-Designated Place

Unincorporated Communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially cities or villages.

Famous People from Polk County

  • Arnold Franz Brasz (1888–1966) was a well-known painter, sculptor, and printmaker. He was born in Polk County.
  • George A. Nelson (1873–1962) was a dairy farmer from rural Polk County. He was also a politician and ran for Vice President of the United States in 1936 for the Socialist Party of America.

Images for kids

  • Interstate Park Sign Wisconsin

    A sign for Interstate Park in Wisconsin.

  • St Croix Dalles

    Beautiful rock formations along the St. Croix River at Interstate Park.

  • Fall Colors, Interstate State Park (1502556726)

    Vibrant fall colors at Interstate State Park.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Polk (Wisconsin) para niños

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Polk County, Wisconsin Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.