Outagamie is a county in the northeast region of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, the population was 190,705. Its county seat is Appleton.
Outagamie County is included in the Appleton, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Appleton-Neenah-Oshkosh, WI Combined Statistical Area. It was named for the historic Meskwaki (Fox) Indians.
History
"Outagamie," a French transliteration of the Anishinaabe term for the Meskwaki (Fox) Indians, meant "dwellers of other shore" or "dwellers on the other side of the stream," referring to their historic habitation along the St. Lawrence River and south of the Great Lakes. They had occupied considerable territory in Wisconsin prior to colonization. Outagamie County was created in 1851 and organized in 1852.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (1.1%) is water.
Adjacent counties
Shawano County - north
Brown County - east
Calumet County - southeast
Winnebago County - southwest
Waupaca County - west
Rivers
Wolf River - The Wolf River runs through the city of New London and the village of Shiocton along western half of the county.
Fox River - The Fox River follows the south-eastern corner of the county, running through the cities of Appleton and Kaukauna
Shioc River - This river runs merges with the Wolf River in the village of Shiocton.
Embarrass River - The Embarrass River runs through the city of New London and merges with the Wolf River there.
Lakes
Black Otter Lake - Located in Hortonville, it receives much recreational use by anglers for being the only lake within the county.
Government
Outagamie County's government consists of an elected County Board of Supervisors, a County Executive, and 36 county agencies and departments.
County Executive
The county executive serves as its chief executive officer, participating in the legislative process with the County Board of Supervisors and exercising administrative authority and control over the county's operations, departments, offices, boards, programs, and communications.
Department heads are appointed by the county executive, subject to the approval of the board of supervisors. The county executive also appoints members to the county's boards and commissions. The county executive sets the annual budget in consultation with and subject to the approval of the board of supervisors.
County Executive Tom Nelson was first elected in 2011.
Transportation
Major Highways
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20px Wisconsin Highway 441
County Highways
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Airports
Appleton International Airport (KATW) serves the county and surrounding communities. It is served by 4 airlines to 11 destinations.
Shiocton Airport (W34) is a grass strip airport located in Shiocton, Wisconsin
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 160,971 people, 60,530 households, and 42,189 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 62,614 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 93.87% White, 0.54% Black or African American, 1.54% Native American, 2.23% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.81% from other races, and 0.98% from two or more races. 1.99% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 47.7% were of German, 9.4% Dutch, 6.2% Irish and 5.2% American and French-Canadian ancestry.
Of the 60,530 households, 36.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.90% were married couples living together, 7.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.14.
By age, 27.70% of the population was under 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 31.90% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 10.90% were 65 or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 99.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.90 males.
In 2017, there were 2,204 births, giving a general fertility rate of 64.0 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the 34th highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties. Additionally, there were 136 reported induced abortions performed on women of Outagamie County residence in 2017.
Communities
thumb|right|Outagamie County Fairgrounds grandstands in
thumb|right|Municipality Boundaries in Outagamie County, Wisconsin
Cities
Appleton (county seat; partly in Calumet County and Winnebago County)
Kaukauna (partially in Calumet County)
New London (mostly in Waupaca County)
Seymour
Villages
Bear Creek
Black Creek
Combined Locks
Harrison (mostly in Calumet County)
Hortonville
Howard (mostly in Brown County)
Kimberly
Little Chute
Nichols
Shiocton
Wrightstown (mostly in Brown County)
Towns
Black Creek
Bovina
Buchanan
Center
Cicero
Dale
Deer Creek
Ellington
Freedom
Grand Chute
Greenville
Hortonia
Kaukauna
Liberty
Maine
Maple Creek
Oneida
Osborn
Seymour
Vandenbroek
Census-designated place
Dale
Unincorporated communities
Apple Creek
Binghamton
Center Valley
Chicago Corners
Cicero
Darboy
Five Corners
Freedom
Greenville
Hamples Corner
Isaar
Leeman
Mackville
Medina
Minersville, Wisconsin
Murphy Corner
Oneida
Sniderville (partial)
Stephensville
Sugar Bush
Twelve Corners
Ghost towns/neighborhoods
Grand Chute
Lawesburg
Lime Rock
Wakefield
Native American community
Oneida Nation of Wisconsin (partial)
Politics
Outagamie County has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in seventeen of the last twenty presidential elections.
