Abbotsford is a city in

Clark Clark is an English language surname, ultimately derived from the Latin with historical links to England, Scotland, and Ireland ''clericus'' meaning "scribe", "secretary" or a scholar within a religious order, referring to someone who was educate ...

(mostly) and

Marathon The marathon is a long-distance foot race with a distance of , usually run as a road race, but the distance can be covered on trail routes. The marathon can be completed by running or with a run/walk strategy. There are also wheelchair div ...

counties in the U.S. state of

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. The population was 2,275 at the 2020 census. Of this, 1,665 were in Clark County, and 610 were in Marathon County. Abbotsford is nicknamed "Wisconsin's First City" due to its alphabetical place on a list of Wisconsin cities.

History

In 1872, the Wisconsin Central Railroad cleared its right of way through the forest which would become Abbotsford, heading north for Ashland. Rails were built through the town site in 1874. In 1879 the directors of the Wisconsin Central decided to build west from Colby to

Chippewa Falls Chippewa Falls is a city located on the Chippewa River (Wisconsin), Chippewa River in Chippewa County, Wisconsin, Chippewa County in the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. The population was 14,778 in the 2021 census. Incorporated as ...

, to connect there with the Chippewa Falls & Western and ultimately St. Paul. However, they found that Colby Hill was not a good site for a junction and rail yard, so they instead planned the east–west line 2.5 miles north of Colby. The place was called Colby Junction from 1879 to 1880, then renamed for Edwin H. Abbott of the Wisconsin Central. Abbotsford incorporated as a village in 1894. The village incorporated as a city in 1965.

Geography

Abbotsford is located at (44.946716, -90.318333). According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , all of it land.

Demographics

Abbotsford is part of the Wausau, Wisconsin

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

. In 2020 Abbotsford had a population of 2,275. The racial and ethnic composition was 65.9% white, 0.5% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 20.7% other race, and 11.4% two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 38.5% of the population.

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2010, there were 2,310 people, 864 households, and 569 families living in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 941 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.9%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 0.1%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.7%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 16.4% from other races, and 0.5% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 25.0% of the population. There were 864 households, of which 33.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 8.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.1% were non-families. 27.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.14. The median age in the city was 36.7 years. 25.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.8% were from 25 to 44; 20.9% were from 45 to 64; and 19.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

2000 census

As of the

of 2000, there were 1,956 people, 817 households, and 516 families living in the city. The

was 641.1 people per square mile (247.6/km). There were 870 housing units at an average density of 285.1 per square mile (110.1/km). The racial makeup of the city was 98.57%

, 0.15%

, 0.10% Native American, 0.05%

, 0.66% from other races, and 0.46% from two or more races.

of any race were 1.99% of the population. There were 817 households, out of which 27.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.7% were

living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.92. In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 18.7% from 45 to 64, and 22.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.5 males. The median income for a household in the city was $36,949, and the median income for a family was $46,058. Males had a median income of $30,650 versus $22,727 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $17,133. About 1.9% of families and 6.7% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 3.8% of those under age 18 and 13.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Abbotsford Public Schools are part of the Abbotsford School District. The district has one elementary school, one middle/senior high school and one alternative high school and education center.

Notable people

* Herman Hedrich, Wisconsin State Representative, lived in Abbotsford. * Galen Laack,

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

player, was born in Abbotsford. *

Frank Nikolay Frank Nikolay (September 1, 1922 – December 10, 2011) was an American politician and lawyer. Born in Day, Wisconsin, Nikolay served in the Wisconsin National Guard and the United States Navy. He received his bachelor's degree and law degree ...

, Wisconsin State Representative, lived in Abbotsford.'Wisconsin Blue Book 1970,' Biographical Sketch of Frank Nikolay, pg. 38

Images

File:Abbotsford Wisconsin Downtown Looking South WIS13.jpg, Looking south in Abbotsford File:Abbotsford Wisconsin Sign WIS13.jpg, Sign on WIS13 File:Abbotsford Wisconsin Welcome Sign.jpg, Welcome sign

References

External links

City of Abbotsford official website
{{authority control Cities in Wisconsin Cities in Clark County, Wisconsin Cities in Marathon County, Wisconsin