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Vernon County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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Not to be confused with Vernon, Wisconsin.
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Vernon County
U.S. county
Vernon County Courthouse in October 2015
Vernon County Courthouse in October 2015
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Vernon 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 1851
Named for Mount Vernon
Seat Viroqua
Largest city Viroqua
Area
 • Total 816 sq mi (2,110 km2)
 • Land 792 sq mi (2,050 km2)
 • Water 25 sq mi (60 km2)  3.0%%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 30,714
 • Estimate 
(2023)
 31,170 Increase
 • Density 37.640/sq mi (14.533/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd

Vernon County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,714. Its county seat is Viroqua.

History

Vernon County was renamed from Bad Ax County on March 22, 1862. Bad Ax County had been created on March 1, 1851, from territory that had been part of Richland and Crawford counties. The name Vernon was chosen to reflect the county's green fields of wheat and to evoke Mount Vernon.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 816 square miles (2,110 km2), of which 792 square miles (2,050 km2) is land and 25 square miles (65 km2) (3.0%) is water.

Major highways

  • US 14.svg U.S. Highway 14
  • US 61.svg U.S. Highway 61
  • WIS 27.svg Highway 27 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 33.svg Highway 33 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 35.svg Highway 35 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 56.svg Highway 56 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 80.svg Highway 80 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 82.svg Highway 82 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 131.svg Highway 131 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 162.svg Highway 162 (Wisconsin)

Railroads

Buses

  • Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit
  • List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin

Airports

  • Viroqua Municipal Airport (Y51) serves the county and surrounding communities.
  • The Joshua Sanford Field airport (KHBW) closed on November 10, 2016.

Adjacent counties

Demographics and religion statistics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 11,007 —
1870 18,645 69.4%
1880 23,235 24.6%
1890 25,111 8.1%
1900 28,351 12.9%
1910 28,116 −0.8%
1920 29,252 4.0%
1930 28,537 −2.4%
1940 29,940 4.9%
1950 27,906 −6.8%
1960 25,663 −8.0%
1970 24,557 −4.3%
1980 25,642 4.4%
1990 25,617 −0.1%
2000 28,056 9.5%
2010 29,773 6.1%
2020 30,714 3.2%
2022 (est.) 31,060 4.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

2020 census

As of the census of 2020, the population was 30,714. The population density was 38.8 people per square mile (15.0 people/km2). There were 13,813 housing units at an average density of 17.5 units per square mile (6.8 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.4% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 0.3% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 0.8% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 1.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Religion


Circle frame-1.svg

Religion in Vernon County,according to ARDA (2020)      Mainline Protestant Churches (21%)     Evangelical Churches (14.7%)     Anabaptist Churches (Amish and Mennonite) (11.8%)     Catholic Church (6.8%)     Others (1.1%)     None (44.6%)

Economy

The county is home to the headquarters of Organic Valley, the world's largest cooperative of family farmers.

Parks

Vernon County is home to multiple county and state parks. The Kickapoo Valley Reserve, an 8600-acre natural reserve, is between the villages of La Farge and Ontario. Wildcat Mountain State Park is also in the county.

County Parks and Forests

  • Blackhawk Park
  • Duck Egg County Forest
  • Esofea/Rentz Memorial Park
  • Jersey Valley Park
  • Kooyumjian - Lost Creek County Forest
  • Runge Hollow Recreation Area
  • Sidie Hollow Park
  • Wayside Park & Coon Prairie Trail

Communities

Cities

Villages

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Gallery

  • RoundBarnHillsboroWisconsin

    Round barn near Hillsboro

  • VernonCountyWisconsinCountrysideWIS80

    Farm and countryside near Hillsboro, along Wisconsin Highway 80

  • Vernon County jail

    Vernon County jail in Viroqua, Wisconsin

See also

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

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