Racine County (/rəˈsiːn,reɪ-/ⓘ rə-SEEN, ray-) is a county in southeastern Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 197,727, making it Wisconsin's fifth-most populous county. Its county seat is Racine. The county was founded in 1836, then a part of the Wisconsin Territory. The Root River is the county's namesake, as racine 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 792 square miles (2,050km2), of which 333 square miles (860km2) is land and 460 square miles (1,200km2) (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

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18403,475—
185014,973330.9%
186021,36042.7%
187026,74025.2%
188030,92215.6%
189036,26817.3%
190045,64425.9%
191057,42425.8%
192078,96137.5%
193090,21714.3%
194094,0474.2%
1950109,58516.5%
1960141,78129.4%
1970170,83820.5%
1980173,1321.3%
1990175,0341.1%
2000188,8317.9%
2010195,4083.5%
2020197,7271.2%
2025 (est.)198,9190.6%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 2020 census

Racial and ethnic composition

Racine 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)150,936147,745150,238145,414135,33387.18%84.41%79.56%74.42%68.44%
Black or African American alone (NH)13,73116,69319,44121,21222,5317.93%9.54%10.30%10.86%11.40%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)4194565416145380.24%0.26%0.29%0.31%0.27%
Asian alone (NH)5769641,3312,0812,2610.33%0.55%0.70%1.06%1.14%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)xx544047xx0.03%0.02%0.02%
Other race alone (NH)2691421562287920.16%0.08%0.08%0.12%0.40%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)xx2,0803,2738,314xx1.10%1.67%4.20%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)7,2019,03414,99022,54627,9114.16%5.16%7.94%11.54%14.12%
Total173,132175,034188,831195,408197,727100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the population was 197,727. The population density was 594.4 peopleper square mile (229.5 people/km2). There were 84,490 housing units at an average density of 254.0 unitsper square mile (98.1 units/km2).

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.

For every 100 females there were 97.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.9 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 72.0% White, 11.8% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.4% from some other race, and 9.0% from two or more races.

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

85.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 14.3% lived in rural areas.

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 those housing units, 6.5% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 67.7% were owner-occupied and 32.3% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 6.1%.

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Racine County

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 188,831 people, 70,819 households, and 49,856 families residing in the county. The population density was 567 peopleper square mile (219 people/km2). There were 74,718 housing units at an average density of 224 unitsper square mile (86 units/km2). 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

Buses

Airports

Communities

Map of Racine County, with municipal boundaries
Racine County sign on WIS 11

Cities

Villages

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

Ghost towns/neighborhoods

Government

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.

Racine County Executives
NameTerm startTerm endElected
Gilbert BerthelsenMay 5, 1975March 3, 19821975, 1979
John Neis (interim)March 12, 1982May 7, 1982Appointed as acting and then interim County Executive following Berthelsen's resignation.
Leonard ZiolkowskiMay 7, 1982April 21, 19871982 (special), 1983
Dennis KornwolfApril 21, 1987April 18, 19951987, 1991
Jean JacobsonApril 18, 1995April 15, 20031995, 1999
William McReynoldsApril 15, 2003April 19, 20112003, 2007
Jim LadwigApril 19, 2011December 30, 20142011
Peter Hansen (interim)December 30, 2014April 21, 2015Appointed acting and then interim County Executive following Ladwig's resignation.
Jonathan DelagraveApril 21, 2015June 28, 20242015, 2019, 2023
Thomas Kramer (acting)June 28, 2024July 23, 2024Became acting County Executive following Delagrave's death.
Thomas Roanhouse (interim)July 23, 2024December 30, 2024Appointed interim County Executive.
Ralph MalickiDecember 30, 2024incumbent2024 (special)

Politics

Racine County has been a bellwether county, having voted for the winning presidential candidate in 28 of the last 33 elections since 1896 despite its solidly Democratic county seat, Racine, Wisconsin. The only exceptions to this were when it voted for Charles Evans Hughes in 1916, Gerald Ford in 1976, Michael Dukakis in 1988, and Donald Trump in 2020. No presidential candidate has won over 60 percent of the vote in Racine County since 1964.

United States presidential election results for Racine County, Wisconsin
YearRepublicanDemocraticThird party(ies)
No.%No.%No.%
18923,95646.19%3,75043.79%85810.02%
18965,84957.61%3,97539.15%3293.24%
19005,92558.37%3,85537.98%3713.65%
19045,57355.61%2,58425.79%1,86418.60%
19085,49052.77%3,68835.45%1,22611.78%
19122,60629.42%3,90944.13%2,34326.45%
19165,08147.77%4,49542.26%1,0619.97%
192014,40671.95%3,65018.23%1,9659.81%
192413,04050.21%1,4635.63%11,46644.15%
192817,42356.56%13,02142.27%3621.18%
193210,75432.49%19,96060.31%2,3837.20%
193610,85028.73%24,47464.80%2,4476.48%
194018,75343.63%23,53254.75%6931.61%
194418,22041.11%25,69757.97%4080.92%
194819,02943.45%23,26653.12%1,5023.43%
195230,62854.65%25,24145.03%1800.32%
195631,96858.21%22,64641.24%3050.56%
196029,56249.03%30,59650.74%1360.23%
196421,43436.14%37,78563.71%870.15%
196828,02844.78%27,04543.21%7,51312.00%
197238,49056.41%27,77840.71%1,9682.88%
197637,08849.00%36,74048.54%1,8582.45%
198039,68349.76%33,56542.09%6,4948.14%
198442,09252.84%36,95546.39%6160.77%
198836,34247.42%39,63151.72%6580.86%
199232,31036.79%34,87539.71%20,63423.50%
199630,10738.81%38,56749.72%8,89411.47%
200044,01449.53%41,56346.77%3,2883.70%
200452,45651.65%48,22947.48%8840.87%
200845,95445.66%53,40853.07%1,2801.27%
201249,34747.74%53,00851.28%1,0090.98%
201646,68149.50%42,64145.22%4,9805.28%
202054,47951.18%50,15947.12%1,8131.70%
202456,34752.33%49,72146.17%1,6181.50%

See also

Further reading

  • . Chicago: J. H. Beers, 1906.

External links

  • from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation