Kenosha County () is located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 169,151, and was estimated to be 168,754 in 2024, making it the eighth-most populous county in Wisconsin. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

and the largest city is Kenosha. the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha County is situated on the southwestern shore of

Lake Michigan Lake Michigan ( ) is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume () and depth () after Lake Superior and the third-largest by surface area (), after Lake Superior and Lake Huron. To the ...

. It is part of the

Chicago metropolitan area The Chicago metropolitan area, also referred to as Chicagoland, is the largest metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the Midwest, containing the City of Chicago along with its surrounding suburbs and satellite cities. ...

. The county has a direct rail link to

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

via Metra's Union Pacific North Line. In 2022, Kenosha County was ranked 16th out of 72 Wisconsin counties for tourism revenue, at $424 million in 2022.

History

The Potowatomi inhabited the area that would become Kenosha County for centuries prior to the acquisition of the area in 1833. The city of Kenosha was founded in 1835, and Kenosha County was formed from Racine County on January 30, 1850. Its location led to development and factories being built in the 19th century. Manufacturing continued to be a key component of the economy into the 20th century.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (63.95%) is water. It is the 69th largest county in Wisconsin by total area (fourth-smallest county). Although the county contains area from

Major highways

* Interstate 41 * Interstate 94 * U.S. Highway 41 (Skokie Highway) * U.S. Highway 45 * Highway 31 (Wisconsin) * Highway 32 (Wisconsin) * Highway 50 (Wisconsin) * Highway 75 (Wisconsin) * Highway 83 (Wisconsin) * Highway 142 (Wisconsin) * Highway 158 (Wisconsin) * Highway 165 (Wisconsin)

Railroads

* Canadian National * Canadian Pacific * Metra * Union Pacific * Kenosha station * Kenosha Streetcar

Buses

* Kenosha Area Transit * Jefferson Lines

Airport

Kenosha Regional Airport (KENW) serves the county and surrounding communities.

Adjacent counties

* Racine County (north) * Allegan County, Michigan (east across

) * Lake County, Illinois (south) * McHenry County, Illinois (southwest) * Walworth County (west)

Demographics

As of the third quarter of 2024, the median home value in Kenosha County was $284,600. As of the 2023 American Community Survey, there are 67,631 estimated households in Kenosha County with an average of 2.43 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $79,412. Approximately 11.3% of the county's population lives at or 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 ...

. Kenosha County has an estimated 67.0% employment rate, with 30.8% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 95.0% holding a high school diploma. The top five reported ancestries (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (85.8%), Spanish (9.5%), Indo-European (3.3%), Asian and Pacific Islander (0.9%), and Other (0.5%). The median age in the county was 39.5 years. Kenosha County, Wisconsin – racial and ethnic composition

2023 estimate

As of the 2023 estimate, there were 167,488 people and 67,631 households residing in the county. There were 73,786 housing units. The racial makeup of the county was 86.3% White ''(72.8% NH White)'', 7.7% African American, 0.8% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, _% from some other races and 3.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 15.4% of the population.

2020 Census

As of the 2020 census, there were 169,151 people, 66,842 households, and 42,891 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), 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 geog ...

was . There were 72,451 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 75.92%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 7.14%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.43% Native American, 1.70% Asian, 0.05%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 5.24% from some other races and 9.52% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 14.51% of the population.

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 166,426 people, 62,650 households, and _ families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 69,288 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 83.77%

, 6.64%

, 0.49% Native American, 1.44% Asian, 0.05%

, 4.73% from some other races and 2.87% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 11.77% of the population.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 149,577 people, 56,057 households, and 38,455 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 59,989 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.38%

, 5.08%

, 0.38% Native American, 0.92% Asian, 0.04%

, 3.29% from some other races and 1.91% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 7.19% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 28.8% were of German, 10.4% Italian, 7.9% Irish, 7.6% Polish and 7.5% English. There were 56,057 households, out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.70% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.40% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.13. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 31.30% from 25 to 44, 20.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

Government

The county legislature is known as the Board of Supervisors. It consists of 23 members, each elected from single-member districts. The county executive is elected in a spring countywide, nonpartisan vote. The county executive is Samantha Kerkman. The district attorney, treasurer, clerk, and register of deeds are elected in fall countywide, partisan elections held in presidential years, while the sheriff and clerk of circuit court are elected in fall countywide, partisan elections held in gubernatorial years.

Politics

In presidential elections, Kenosha County has voted Democratic for most of the past century. In 2016,

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...

became the first Republican presidential candidate to win the county since President Nixon in 1972. In 2020 and 2024, Trump was able to gain more of the vote share with 2024 being the highest share for a Republican since 1972.

Education

Libraries

Library services are provided by the Kenosha County Library System (KCLS), comprising the Kenosha Public Library (KPL), serving the city of Kenosha and the village of Pleasant Prairie, and the Community Library, which serves the town of Randall and the villages of Paddock Lake, Salem Lakes, and Twin Lakes.

Communities

City

* Kenosha (county seat)

Villages

Bristol Bristol () is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, the most populous city in the region. Built around the River Avon, Bristol, River Avon, it is bordered by t ...

* Genoa City (mostly in Walworth County) * Paddock Lake * Pleasant Prairie * Salem Lakes * Somers * Twin Lakes

Towns

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

* Randall * Somers * Wheatland