Kenosha County, Wisconsin

Kenosha County
County
Kenosha County Courthouse and Jail
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 42°34′22″N 87°50′23″W / 42.5728°N 87.83981°W / 42.5728; -87.83981
Country	United States
State	Wisconsin
Founded	January 30, 1850
Seat	Kenosha
Largest city	Kenosha
Area
• Total	754 sq mi (1,950 km2)
• Land	272 sq mi (700 km2)
• Water	482 sq mi (1,250 km2)  64%
Population  (2020)
• Total	169,151
• Estimate  (2023)	167,488
• Density	224.3/sq mi (86.6/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st
Website	www.kenoshacounty.org

Kenosha County is located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 169,151 as of the 2020 census, making it the eighth-most populous county in Wisconsin.^[1][2] The county shares the same name as its county seat, the city of Kenosha,^[3] the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin.^[1]

Kenosha County is situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. ^[4] The county has a direct rail link to Chicago via Metra's Union Pacific / North Line. In 2022, Kenosha County was ranked 16th out of 72 Wisconsin counties for tourism revenue, at $424 million in 2022.^[5]

The Potowatomi inhabited the area that would become Kenosha County for centuries prior to the acquisition of the area in 1833. The city of Kenosha was founded in 1835, and Kenosha County was formed from Racine County on January 30, 1850.^[6] Its location led to development and factories being built in the 19th century. Manufacturing continued to be a key component of the economy into the 20th century.^[7]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 754 square miles (1,950 km²), of which 272 square miles (700 km²) is land and 482 square miles (1,250 km²) (64%) is water.^[8] Although the county contains area from Lake Michigan, it is the fourth-smallest county in Wisconsin by land area.^[9]

• Canadian National
• Canadian Pacific
• Metra
• Union Pacific
• Kenosha station
• Kenosha Streetcar

• Kenosha Area Transit

Kenosha Regional Airport (KENW) serves the county and surrounding communities.

• Racine County (north)
• Allegan County, Michigan (east)
• Lake County, Illinois (south)
• McHenry County, Illinois (southwest)
• Walworth County (west)

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1850	10,734		—
1860	13,900		29.5%
1870	13,147		−5.4%
1880	13,550		3.1%
1890	15,581		15.0%
1900	21,707		39.3%
1910	32,929		51.7%
1920	51,284		55.7%
1930	63,277		23.4%
1940	63,505		0.4%
1950	75,238		18.5%
1960	100,615		33.7%
1970	117,917		17.2%
1980	123,137		4.4%
1990	128,181		4.1%
2000	149,577		16.7%
2010	166,426		11.3%
2020	169,151		1.6%
2023 (est.)	167,488	[10]	−1.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[11] 1790–1960[12] 1900–1990[13] 1990–2000[14] 2010–2020[15] 2020 census[2]

As of the census^[16] of 2000, there were 149,577 people, 56,057 households, and 38,455 families residing in the county. The population density was 548 people per square mile (212 people/km²). There were 59,989 housing units at an average density of 220 units per square mile (85 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.38% White, 5.08% Black or African American, 0.38% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 3.29% from other races, and 1.91% from two or more races. 7.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 28.8% were of German, 10.4% Italian, 7.9% Irish, 7.6% Polish and 7.5% English ancestry.

There were 56,057 households, out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

In 2017, there were 1,873 births, giving a general fertility rate of 55.7 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 13th lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.^[17]

The county legislature is known as the Board of Supervisors. It consists of 23 members, each elected from single-member districts. The county executive is elected in a spring countywide, nonpartisan vote. The county executive is Samantha Kerkman.^[18] The district attorney, treasurer, clerk, and register of deeds are elected in fall countywide, partisan elections held in presidential years, while the sheriff and clerk of circuit court are elected in fall countywide, partisan elections held in gubernatorial years.

In presidential elections, Kenosha County has voted Democratic for most of the past century. In 2016, Donald Trump became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the county since President Nixon in 1972. Trump won it again in 2020, this time with an outright majority of the vote, marking the first consecutive victories for the GOP in Kenosha County since 1928. In 2024, Trump won the county again with 52.95% of the vote, continuing the Republican trend in the county.

United States presidential election results for Kenosha County, Wisconsin^[19]

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	47,471	52.95%	41,823	46.65%	355	0.40%
2020	44,972	50.68%	42,193	47.55%	1,573	1.77%
2016	36,037	47.23%	35,799	46.92%	4,468	5.86%
2012	34,977	43.24%	44,867	55.46%	1,053	1.30%
2008	31,609	40.12%	45,836	58.18%	1,344	1.71%
2004	35,587	46.56%	40,107	52.48%	734	0.96%
2000	28,891	45.35%	32,429	50.90%	2,389	3.75%
1996	18,296	34.06%	27,964	52.06%	7,457	13.88%
1992	19,854	32.11%	27,341	44.21%	14,642	23.68%
1988	21,661	41.55%	30,089	57.72%	379	0.73%
1984	26,118	46.89%	29,233	52.49%	344	0.62%
1980	24,481	43.82%	26,738	47.86%	4,644	8.31%
1976	22,349	43.61%	27,585	53.82%	1,316	2.57%
1972	24,041	53.93%	19,441	43.61%	1,094	2.45%
1968	17,089	40.57%	21,427	50.86%	3,610	8.57%
1964	14,764	32.55%	30,522	67.29%	70	0.15%
1960	19,969	46.43%	22,956	53.37%	86	0.20%
1956	21,367	55.08%	17,094	44.06%	335	0.86%
1952	18,917	48.72%	19,768	50.91%	142	0.37%
1948	12,780	39.80%	17,987	56.02%	1,342	4.18%
1944	12,436	39.96%	18,325	58.88%	360	1.16%
1940	12,182	40.91%	17,174	57.68%	421	1.41%
1936	7,268	26.68%	18,137	66.57%	1,840	6.75%
1932	7,307	30.57%	14,373	60.13%	2,223	9.30%
1928	11,330	50.66%	10,638	47.57%	395	1.77%
1924	10,341	55.45%	1,517	8.13%	6,791	36.41%
1920	9,791	77.81%	1,724	13.70%	1,069	8.49%
1916	3,537	50.99%	2,813	40.55%	587	8.46%
1912	1,671	27.21%	2,216	36.09%	2,254	36.70%
1908	3,409	54.50%	2,006	32.07%	840	13.43%
1904	3,293	60.86%	1,592	29.42%	526	9.72%
1900	3,078	58.37%	2,101	39.84%	94	1.78%
1896	2,827	60.54%	1,732	37.09%	111	2.38%
1892	1,628	44.71%	1,928	52.95%	85	2.33%

• Kenosha (county seat)

• Bristol
• Genoa City (mostly in Walworth County)
• Paddock Lake
• Pleasant Prairie
• Salem Lakes
• Somers
• Twin Lakes

• Brighton
• Paris
• Randall
• Somers
• Wheatland

• Lily Lake
• New Munster
• Powers Lake

• Aurora

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Kenosha County, Wisconsin

• Forstall, Richard L., ed. (1996). Population of States and Counties of the United States: 1790 to 1990: From the Twenty-One Decennial Censuses. Washington, DC: United States Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Population Division. ISBN 0-934213-48-8.

• Official website
• Kenosha County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

42°34′22″N 87°50′23″W / 42.5728°N 87.83981°W / 42.5728; -87.83981