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Rock County, Wisconsin

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Template:Infobox U.S. county

Rock County is a county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 163,687.[1] Its county seat is Janesville.[2] Rock County comprises the Janesville–Beloit metropolitan statistical area and is included in the Madison–Janesville–Beloit combined statistical area.

History

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Rock County was created as a territorial county on December 7, 1836, from Milwaukee County and fully organized February 19, 1839.[3] The county is named for the Rock River, which bisects the county from north to south.[4]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 726 square miles (1,880 km2), of which 718 square miles (1,860 km2) is land and 8.0 square miles (21 km2) (1.1%) is water.[5]

Cook Memorial Arboretum, a natural area with birding and nature trails, is located northwest of Janesville. It is owned by the Janesville School District.[6]

Transportation

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Major highways

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Railroads

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Buses

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Airport

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Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport (KJVL) serves Rock County and the surrounding communities.

Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

Racial and ethnic composition

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Rock County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: 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 1980[7] Pop 1990[8] Pop 2000[9] Pop 2010[10] Pop 2020[11] % 1980 % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 132,785 129,788 135,884 135,526 129,796 95.24% 93.03% 89.22% 84.53% 79.30%
Black or African American alone (NH) 4,660 6,593 6,943 7,766 8,060 3.34% 4.73% 4.56% 4.84% 4.92%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 269 356 376 383 386 0.19% 0.26% 0.25% 0.24% 0.24%
Asian alone (NH) 539 932 1,180 1,603 2,022 0.39% 0.67% 0.77% 1.00% 1.24%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) x [12] x [13] 50 35 50 x x 0.03% 0.02% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 209 87 143 125 523 0.15% 0.06% 0.09% 0.08% 0.32%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) x [14] x [15] 1,778 2,769 7,050 x x 1.17% 1.73% 4.31%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 958 1,754 5,953 12,124 15,800 0.69% 1.26% 3.91% 7.56% 9.65%
Total 139,420 139,510 152,307 160,331 163,687 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the population was 163,687 and the median age was 40.3 years. 22.9% 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 95.1 males age 18 and over.[1][16]

The population density was 227.9 people per square mile (88.0 people/km2), and there were 70,068 housing units at an average density of 97.6 units per square mile (37.7 units/km2).[1][16]

The racial makeup of the county was 81.3% White, 5.1% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.6% from some other race, and 7.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 9.7% of the population.[17]

80.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 20.0% lived in rural areas.[18]

There were 65,937 households in the county, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 46.1% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[16]

Of those housing units, 5.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 69.0% were owner-occupied and 31.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.0% and the rental vacancy rate was 4.8%.[16]

File:USA Rock County, Wisconsin age pyramid.svg
2000 Census Age Pyramid for Rock County

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census, there were 160,331 people residing in the county.[19]

2000 census

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As of the 2000 census, there were 152,307 people, 58,617 households, and 40,387 families residing in the county. The population density was 211 people per square mile (81 people/km2). There were 62,187 housing units at an average density of 86 units per square mile (33 units/km2).[19]

The racial makeup of the county was 91.01% white, 4.63% black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.78% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.77% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. 3.91% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 32.8% were of German, 13.0% Norwegian, 10.1% Irish, 7.5% English and 5.5% American ancestry.[19]

There were 58,617 households, out of which 33.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.50% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.10% were non-families. 25.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.03.[19]

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 22.30% from 45 to 64, and 12.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.10 males.[19]

Communities

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Cities

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Villages

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated communities

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Ghost towns/neighborhoods

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Politics

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United States presidential election results for Rock County, Wisconsin[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1892 6,052 55.24% 4,231 38.62% 673 6.14%
1896 8,282 67.46% 3,655 29.77% 340 2.77%
1900 8,249 69.97% 3,094 26.24% 447 3.79%
1904 7,972 71.65% 2,348 21.10% 807 7.25%
1908 7,839 66.81% 3,227 27.50% 668 5.69%
1912 4,276 43.21% 3,032 30.64% 2,587 26.14%
1916 7,011 61.09% 4,015 34.98% 451 3.93%
1920 16,152 83.53% 2,447 12.65% 738 3.82%
1924 14,815 60.92% 1,453 5.97% 8,052 33.11%
1928 21,497 70.75% 8,726 28.72% 161 0.53%
1932 16,825 56.07% 12,612 42.03% 571 1.90%
1936 14,693 43.56% 17,991 53.34% 1,045 3.10%
1940 20,141 53.15% 17,543 46.29% 214 0.56%
1944 18,477 52.23% 16,766 47.39% 133 0.38%
1948 17,068 50.66% 16,150 47.93% 474 1.41%
1952 27,837 64.64% 15,183 35.26% 45 0.10%
1956 28,980 67.42% 13,834 32.18% 173 0.40%
1960 29,675 60.63% 19,194 39.22% 76 0.16%
1964 20,372 41.85% 28,257 58.04% 55 0.11%
1968 25,229 50.97% 20,567 41.56% 3,697 7.47%
1972 30,361 58.03% 21,033 40.20% 925 1.77%
1976 28,325 49.04% 28,048 48.56% 1,389 2.40%
1980 30,960 50.60% 24,740 40.44% 5,482 8.96%
1984 32,491 54.76% 26,433 44.55% 410 0.69%
1988 28,178 48.43% 29,576 50.83% 434 0.75%
1992 21,942 31.79% 31,154 45.13% 15,929 23.08%
1996 20,096 33.32% 32,450 53.80% 7,774 12.89%
2000 27,467 39.01% 40,472 57.49% 2,465 3.50%
2004 33,151 41.19% 46,598 57.90% 730 0.91%
2008 27,364 34.56% 50,529 63.82% 1,276 1.61%
2012 30,517 37.82% 49,219 61.00% 954 1.18%
2016 31,493 41.40% 39,339 51.71% 5,242 6.89%
2020 37,138 43.51% 46,658 54.66% 1,564 1.83%
2024 40,218 45.54% 46,642 52.82% 1,450 1.64%
2016 1 33.33% 1 33.33% 1 33.33%


Since 1988, Rock County has consistently voted for the Democratic candidate in every Presidential election. In 2024, Kamala Harris carried the county by the smallest margin of victory since Michael Dukakis in 1988.

Education

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School districts include:[21]

There is a state-operated school, Wisconsin School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named 2020-census-55105
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Wisconsin: Individual County Chronologies". Wisconsin Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. Archived from the original on April 14, 2017. Retrieved August 15, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Rock County, origin of place name Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine" Dictionary of Wisconsin History.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
  6. ↑ Great Wisconsin Birding & Nature Trail. Cook Memorial Arboretum.
  7. ↑ "1980 General Population Characteristics - Wisconsin - Table 15: Persons by Race and Table 16: Total Persons and Spanish Origin Persons by Type of Spanish Origin and Race". United States Census Bureau – via Internet Archive.
  8. ↑ "1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - Wisconsin - Table 3: Race and Hispanic Origin: 1990" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. p. 23-111. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 28, 2025 – via Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Rock County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
  10. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Rock County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ↑ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Rock County, Wisconsin". United States Census Bureau.
  12. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census
  13. ↑ included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census
  14. ↑ not an option in the 1980 Census
  15. ↑ not an option in the 1990 Census
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  17. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  18. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2026.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 19.4 "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  20. ↑ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  21. ↑ "2020 census - school district reference map: Rock County, WI" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2022. - Text list

Further reading

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Template:Geographic location

Template:Rock County, Wisconsin Template:Wisconsin Coordinates: 42°40′N 89°04′W / 42.67°N 89.07°W / 42.67; -89.07

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