Pierce County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,212. Pierce County is part of the Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington, MN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
Native Americans were the first to live in what became Pierce County, as evidenced in the burial mounds near Diamond Bluff. Evidence indicates that this area has been inhabited for 10,000 to 12,000 years. In 1840, St. Croix County covered a large portion of northwest Wisconsin Territory. In 1853, the Wisconsin State Legislature split St. Croix County into Pierce, Polk, and Saint Croix counties. Pierce County was named for Franklin Pierce, the 14th president of the United States.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (3.1%) is water.
Adjacent counties
- St. Croix County – north
- Dunn County – northeast
- Pepin County – southeast
- Goodhue County, Minnesota – south
- Dakota County, Minnesota – southwest
- Washington County, Minnesota – west
National protected area
- Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (part)