Racine County, Wisconsin

Racine County ( ) is a county in southeastern Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 197,727, The county was founded in 1836, then a part of the Wisconsin Territory. The Root River is the county's namesake, as is the French for "root".

Racine County comprises the Racine metropolitan statistical area. This area is part of the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha combined statistical area. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has an area of , of which is land and (58%) is water. The county's unemployment rate was 5.6% in June 2021.

History

The Potawatomi people occupied the area of Racine County until European settlement. The Wisconsin Territory legislature established Racine County in 1836, separating it from Milwaukee County. Racine County originally extended to Wisconsin's southern border and encompassed the land that is now Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Kenosha County was created as a separate entity in 1850.

Adjacent counties

Milwaukee County (north)
Ottawa County, Michigan (northeast across Lake Michigan)
Allegan County, Michigan (southeast across Lake Michigan)
Kenosha County (south)
Walworth County (west)
Waukesha County (northwest)

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Racine County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 1980

!Pop 1990

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020

!% 1980

!% 1990

!% 2000

!% 2010

!style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020

|White alone (NH)

|150,936

|147,745

|150,238

|145,414

|style='background: #ffffe6; |135,333

|87.18%

|84.41%

|79.56%

|74.42%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |68.44%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|13,731

|16,693

|19,441

|21,212

|style='background: #ffffe6; |22,531

|7.93%

|9.54%

|10.30%

|10.86%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11.40%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|419

|456

|541

|614

|style='background: #ffffe6; |538

|0.24%

|0.26%

|0.29%

|0.31%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27%

|Asian alone (NH)

|576

|964

|1,331

|2,081

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2,261

|0.33%

|0.55%

|0.70%

|1.06%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |1.14%

|Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|54

|40

|style='background: #ffffe6; |47

|0.03%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.02%

|Other race alone (NH)

|269

|142

|156

|228

|style='background: #ffffe6; |792

|0.16%

|0.08%

|0.12%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.40%

|Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)

|2,080

|3,273

|style='background: #ffffe6; |8,314

|1.10%

|1.67%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.20%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|7,201

|9,034

|14,990

|22,546

|style='background: #ffffe6; |27,911

|4.16%

|5.16%

|7.94%

|11.54%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.12%

|Total

|173,132

|175,034

|188,831

|195,408

|style='background: #ffffe6; |197,727

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the population was 197,727. The population density was . There were 84,490 housing units at an average density of .

The median age was 41.1 years. 22.6% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older.

Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 14.1% of the population.

There were 78,959 households in the county, of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.0% were married-couple households, 18.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.5% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2000, there were 188,831 people, 70,819 households, and 49,856 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 74,718 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 83.04% White, 10.47% Black or African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.69% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 7.94% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.9% were of German, 7.4% Polish and 5.5% Irish ancestry.

There were 70,819 households, of which 34.5% had children under 18 living with them, 54.0% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.2% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 29.9% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.3% who were 65 or older. The median age was 36. For every 100 females there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 95.5 males.

Transportation

Major highways

Railroads

Amtrak
Canadian National
Canadian Pacific
Union Pacific
Sturtevant station

Buses

Ryde Racine

Airports

John H. Batten Airport (KRAC) serves the county and surrounding communities.
Burlington Municipal Airport (KBUU) enhances county service.
Cindy Guntly Memorial Airport (62C) enhances county service.
Fox River Airport (96C) enhances county service.
Sylvania Airport (C89) enhances county service.

Communities

thumb|Map of Racine County, with municipal boundaries

thumb|right|Racine County sign on [[Wisconsin Highway 11|WIS 11]]

Cities

Burlington (partly in Walworth County)
Racine (county seat)

Villages

Caledonia
Elmwood Park
Mount Pleasant
North Bay
Raymond
Rochester
Sturtevant
Union Grove
Waterford
Wind Point
Yorkville

Towns

Burlington
Dover
Norway
Waterford

Census-designated places

Bohners Lake (Town of Burlington)
Browns Lake (Town of Burlington)
Eagle Lake (Town of Dover)
Tichigan (Town of Waterford)
Wind Lake (Town of Norway)

Unincorporated communities

Beaumont
Buena Park
Caldwell
Cedar Park
Eagle Lake Manor
Eagle Lake Terrace
Franksville
Honey Creek (partial)
Honey Lake (partial)
Husher
Ives Grove
Kansasville
Kneeland
North Cape
Raymond
Rosewood
Sylvania
Union Church
Yorkville

Ghost towns/neighborhoods

DeNoon
Muskego Settlement
Raymond Center

Government

right|thumb|1879 engraving of the Racine County courthouse

The County Board has 21 members, each elected from single-member districts in nonpartisan elections. In 1974, county voters voted in favor of a referendum to replace the appointed county administrator with an elected county executive, with the first election taking place in 1975. The County Executive is elected in nonpartisan elections taking place in the spring. The current County Executive is Ralph Malicki, who was elected in a 2024 special election following the death of County Executive Jonathan Delagrave.

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Racine County Executives

! Name

! Term start

! Term end

! Elected

| Gilbert Berthelsen

| May 5, 1975

| March 3, 1982

| 1975, 1979

| John Neis (interim)

| March 12, 1982

| May 7, 1982

| April 21, 1987

| April 18, 1995

| April 15, 2003

| 1995, 1999

| William McReynolds

| April 15, 2003

| December 30, 2014

| 2011

| Peter Hansen (interim)

| December 30, 2014

| April 21, 2015

| Appointed acting and then interim County Executive following Ladwig's resignation.

| Jonathan Delagrave

| April 21, 2015

| June 28, 2024

| July 23, 2024

| Became acting County Executive following Delagrave's death.

| Thomas Roanhouse (interim)