Dane County, Wisconsin

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Dane County, Wisconsin
Seal of Dane County, Wisconsin
Map
Map of Wisconsin highlighting Dane County
Location in the state of Wisconsin
Map of the U.S. highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded 1839
Seat Madison
Largest city Madison
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

1,238 sq mi (3,206 km²)
1,202 sq mi (3,113 km²)
36 sq mi (93 km²), 2.94%
Population
 - (2005)
 - Density

458,106
355/sq mi (137/km²)
Website: co.dane.wi.us

Dane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 426,526. Its county seat is Madison. The United States Census Bureau's Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Dane County (as well as neighboring Iowa and Columbia counties). Dane County is made up of more than 60 cities, towns, and villages.

Dane County is one of the fastest growing counties in the country and adds around 60,000 people per decade. It is the second largest county in Wisconsin behind Milwaukee County.[1] The governing body of Dane County is the Dane County Board of Supervisors.

Contents

[edit] Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,238 square miles (3,207 km²), of which, 1,202 square miles (3,113 km²) of it is land and 36 square miles (94 km²) of it (2.94%) is water.

[edit] History

Dane County was formed in 1836 as a territorial county. It was named after Nathan Dane, a Massachusetts delegate to the Congress of the Confederation who helped carve Wisconsin out of the Northwest Territory.[2]

[edit] Adjacent counties

[edit] Demographics

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Dane County.
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Dane County.
Historical populations
Census Pop.  %±
1900 69,435
1910 77,435 11.5%
1920 89,432 15.5%
1930 112,737 26.1%
1940 130,660 15.9%
1950 169,357 29.6%
1960 222,095 31.1%
1970 290,272 30.7%
1980 323,545 11.5%
1990 367,085 13.5%
2000 426,526 16.2%
WI Counties 1900-1990

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 426,526 people, 173,484 households, and 100,794 families residing in the county. The population density was 355 people per square mile (137/km²). There were 180,398 housing units at an average density of 150 per square mile (58/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.96% White, 4.00% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 3.45% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.43% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. 3.37% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 34.4% were of German, 11.5% Norwegian, 8.9% Irish and 6.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 173,484 households out of which 29.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.10% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.90% were non-families. 29.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out with 22.60% under the age of 18, 14.30% from 18 to 24, 32.50% from 25 to 44, 21.30% from 45 to 64, and 9.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.00 males.

[edit] Cities, villages and towns

Wisconsin State Capitol in Dane County
Wisconsin State Capitol in Dane County
Cities of Dane County
Fitchburg Madison Middleton Monona Stoughton Sun Prairie Verona
Villages of Dane County
Belleville Black Earth Blue Mounds Brooklyn Cambridge Cottage Grove Cross Plains
Dane Deerfield DeForest Maple Bluff Marshall Mazomanie McFarland
Mount Horeb Oregon Rockdale Shorewood Hills Waunakee
Towns of Dane County
Albion Berry Black Earth (town) Blooming Grove Blue Mounds (town) Bristol Burke
Christiana Cottage Grove (town) Cross Plains (town) Dane (town) Deerfield (town) Dunkirk Dunn
Madison (town) Mazomanie (town) Medina Middleton (town) Montrose Oregon (town) Perry
Pleasant Springs Primrose Roxbury Rutland Springdale Springfield Sun Prairie (town)
Vermont Verona (town) Vienna Westport Windsor (town) York

[edit] Unincorporated communities

[edit] Map

Political map of Dane County
Political map of Dane County

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 43°04′N 89°25′W / 43.07, -89.42