Manitowoc County (/ˈmænɪtəwɒk/ ⓘ MAN-it-ə-wok) is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 81,359. Its county seat is Manitowoc. The county was created in 1836 prior to Wisconsin's statehood and organized in 1848. Manitowoc County comprises the Manitowoc, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,494 square miles (3,870 km2), of which 589 square miles (1,530 km2) is land and 905 square miles (2,340 km2) (61%) is water.

Major highways

Railroads

Buses

Airport

Manitowoc County Airport (KMTW) serves the county and surrounding communities.

Adjacent counties

National marine sanctuary

The Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary was established in 2021 in the waters of Lake Michigan, with most of its northern half lying off Manitowoc County's coast. The national marine sanctuary is the site of a large number of historically significant shipwrecks.

Climate

Manitowoc County
Manitowoc County Climate chart (explanation) J F M A M J J A S O N D 62 −6 −8 62 −6 −11 66 3 −3 141 9 2 105 12 2 106 21 9 108 19 14 88 18 18 72 19 12 121 9 5 68 5 2 61 1 −2 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mmSource: Imperial conversion JFMAMJJASOND 2.4 21 18 2.4 21 12 2.6 37 27 5.6 48 36 4.1 54 36 4.2 70 48 4.3 66 57 3.5 64 64 2.8 66 54 4.8 48 41 2.7 41 36 2.4 34 28 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D 62 −6 −8 62 −6 −11 66 3 −3 141 9 2 105 12 2 106 21 9 108 19 14 88 18 18 72 19 12 121 9 5 68 5 2 61 1 −2 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C █ Precipitation totals in mmSource:
JFMAMJJASOND
62 −6 −862 −6 −1166 3 −3141 9 2105 12 2106 21 9108 19 1488 18 1872 19 12121 9 568 5 261 1 −2
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °C
█ Precipitation totals in mm
Source:
Imperial conversion JFMAMJJASOND 2.4 21 18 2.4 21 12 2.6 37 27 5.6 48 36 4.1 54 36 4.2 70 48 4.3 66 57 3.5 64 64 2.8 66 54 4.8 48 41 2.7 41 36 2.4 34 28 █ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F █ Precipitation totals in inches
Imperial conversion
JFMAMJJASOND
2.4 21 182.4 21 122.6 37 275.6 48 364.1 54 364.2 70 484.3 66 573.5 64 642.8 66 544.8 48 412.7 41 362.4 34 28
█ Average max. and min. temperatures in °F
█ Precipitation totals in inches

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
1840235—
18503,7021,475.3%
186022,416505.5%
187033,36448.8%
188037,50512.4%
189037,8310.9%
190042,26111.7%
191044,9786.4%
192051,64414.8%
193058,67413.6%
194061,6175.0%
195067,1599.0%
196075,21512.0%
197082,2949.4%
198082,9180.8%
199080,421−3.0%
200082,8873.1%
201081,442−1.7%
202081,359−0.1%
2025 (est.)81,7100.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

Racial and ethnic composition

Manitowoc County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic compositionNote: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020
White alone (NH)81,62578,36078,75675,21070,95198.44%97.44%95.02%92.35%87.21%
Black or African American alone (NH)701132274121,0270.08%0.14%0.27%0.51%1.26%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)3113103383953710.38%0.39%0.41%0.49%0.46%
Asian alone (NH)1871,0441,6372,0272,2470.23%1.30%1.97%2.49%2.76%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)xx291015xx0.03%0.01%0.02%
Other race alone (NH)2031217512120.24%0.01%0.02%0.06%0.26%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)xx5407722,486xx0.65%0.95%3.06%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)5225821,3432,5654,0500.63%0.72%1.62%3.15%4.98%
Total82,91880,42182,88781,44281,359100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 81,359. The population density was 138.1 people per square mile (53.3 people/km2), and there were 37,818 housing units at an average density of 64.2 units per square mile (24.8 units/km2).

The median age was 45.1 years, with 20.6% of residents under the age of 18 and 21.4% aged 65 years or older.

For every 100 females there were 101.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.4 males.

The racial makeup of the county was 88.5% White, 1.3% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.8% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.8% from some other race, and 4.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 5.0% of the population.

57.2% of residents lived in urban areas, while 42.8% lived in rural areas.

There were 34,995 households in the county, of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 49.1% were married-couple households, 20.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 22.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 37,818 housing units, of which 7.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 73.5% were owner-occupied and 26.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.5%.

2000 census

2000 Census age pyramid for Manitowoc County

The 2000 census shows Manitowoc County as having 82,887 people, 32,721 households and 22,348 families. The population density was 140 people per square mile (54 people/km2). There were 34,651 housing units at an average density of 59 units per square mile (23 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.90% White, 0.30% Black or African American, 0.43% Native American, 1.98% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.60% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 1.62% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 53.7% were of German, 7.3% Polish, 5.3% Czech and 5.0% American ancestry. 95.2% spoke English, 1.8% Spanish, 1.3% Hmong and 1.1% German as their first language.

There were 32,721 households, out of which 31.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.10% were married couples living together, 7.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.70% were non-families. 26.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the age distribution is 25.5% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 23% from 45 to 64, and 15.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 98.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.10 males.

Vital statistics

In 2017, there were 780 births, giving a general fertility rate of 60.2 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 27th lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.

Government

The county executive is Bob Ziegelbauer. He is serving his fourth term in that position after being elected in April 2006 and reelected in April 2010, April 2014, and April 2018. The county is served by a 25-member county board.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Manitowoc County, Wisconsin
YearRepublicanDemocraticThird party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
18922,24933.64%4,34965.06%871.30%
18964,43051.57%3,91945.62%2422.82%
19004,31749.50%4,16747.78%2382.73%
19044,62653.28%3,27437.71%7839.02%
19084,12645.39%3,95243.47%1,01311.14%
19122,38931.11%3,43644.74%1,85524.15%
19164,22446.46%4,33847.72%5295.82%
19208,37861.70%2,01814.86%3,18323.44%
19244,82829.54%1,5999.78%9,91860.68%
19287,51941.70%10,29257.08%2211.23%
19324,57321.98%15,69675.44%5362.58%
19365,09421.20%15,53964.68%3,39314.12%
194012,61648.29%13,14250.30%3681.41%
194414,04753.52%11,94945.53%2510.96%
194810,94744.03%13,40153.90%5152.07%
195218,95061.32%11,87938.44%720.23%
195618,07861.91%10,80036.99%3211.10%
196014,62245.58%17,42354.31%350.11%
19649,84930.96%21,92768.92%390.12%
196813,56244.23%15,29849.89%1,8015.87%
197216,59948.51%16,48948.19%1,1323.31%
197616,03943.62%19,81953.90%9132.48%
198018,59148.00%17,33044.74%2,8117.26%
198419,63952.54%17,25046.15%4871.30%
198816,02044.52%19,68054.69%2870.80%
199214,00833.94%15,90338.54%11,35727.52%
199613,23938.44%16,75048.63%4,45512.93%
200019,35849.86%17,66745.51%1,7994.63%
200423,02752.14%20,65246.77%4811.09%
200819,23445.35%22,42852.88%7521.77%
201221,60450.69%20,40347.88%6101.43%
201623,24456.99%14,53835.64%3,0047.37%
202027,21860.72%16,81837.52%7931.77%
202428,20060.89%17,39937.57%7171.55%

Manitowoc County is fairly competitive in presidential elections; in 2016, Donald Trump became the first candidate since Lyndon B. Johnson from his 1964 landslide to win more than 55% of the vote. He expanded his share to over 60% during the 2020 election, the first time since Dwight D. Eisenhower in his 1956 landslide that a Republican has hit 60% of the vote in the county. Trump continued this upward trend in 2024, albeit slightly. Statewide, Manitowoc County has voted Republican since the 2002 gubernatorial election.

Communities

Cities

Villages

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

At night

The bright light on the lakeshore to the far left is the Point Beach Nuclear Plant. Taken at 3:09:47 A.M. CDT on March 28, 2012, from an altitude of 211 nautical miles (391 km) during ISS Expedition 30.

Education

School districts include:

Silver Lake College, later Holy Family College, was in the county.

In the media

The Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer (2015) explores the arrests and trials in 2007 of Manitowoc County residents Steven Avery and his nephew Brendan Dassey for the murder of Teresa Halbach, who disappeared in October 2005. The series describes an earlier wrongful conviction of Avery, for which he served 18 years, and his subsequent lawsuit against Manitowoc County. It then focuses on the procedures of the Calumet County Sheriff's Office and the Manitowoc County Sheriff's Department, which investigated the later Halbach case. The Sheriffs officers have come under intense scrutiny for their involvement in the Halbach case due to Steven Avery's $36 million lawsuit and their questionable police and investigative techniques.

In 2017, Charlie Berens created a comedic short-form video series called Manitowoc Minute, which features a fictitious news presenter character who exaggerates the culture and dialect of Wisconsin.

Gallery

  • Manitowoc County Expo Grounds
  • Sign marking entrance to Manitowoc County in Kiel
  • Manitowoc County Jail

See also

Further reading

  • Falge, Louis (ed.). History of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, 1912. ,
  • Langill, Ellen, Robin E. Butler, Rachel Young, and MaryBeth Matzek. Manitowoc County: A Beacon on the Lakeshore. Milwaukee, Wis.: Milwaukee Pub. Group, 1999.
  • Plumb, Ralph Gordon. . Manitowoc, Wis.: Brant Print & Binding Co., 1904.
  • Rapper, Joseph J. Story of a Century, 1848-1948: Manitowoc County During Wisconsin's First Hundred Years. Manitowoc, Wis.: Manitowoc County Centennial Committee, 1948.

External links

  • from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation

44°09′N 87°33′W/44.15°N 87.55°W/ 44.15; -87.55