Shields is a

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

in Dodge County,

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 ...

, United States. The population was 554 at the 2000 census. The unincorporated community of Richwood is located in the town.

History

The town was named after James Shields, a general during the Mexican War and a United States senator who represented the states of Illinois, Minnesota, and Missouri.

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 town has a total area of 27 square miles (69.8 km²), of which, 26.5 square miles (68.7 km²) is land and 0.4 square miles (1.2 km²) (1.67%) is water.

Demographics

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 554 people, 198 households, and 158 families living in the town. 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 20.9 people per square mile (8.1/km²). There were 203 housing units at an average density of 7.7 per square mile (3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 99.46%

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 ...

, 0.18%

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 ...

, 0.18% Native American, and 0.18% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino people of any race were 0.90% of the population. There were 198 households, out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.2% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 3.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.2% were non-families. 18.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.16. In the town, the population was spread out, with 28% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 28.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 113.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 118 males. The median income for a household in the town was $50,000, and the median income for a family was $55,375. Males had a median income of $37,109 versus $25,000 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the town was $21,218. About 1.2% of families and 1.6% 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 ...

, including none of those under the age of 18 or those 65 or over.

Notable people

* Patrick Griffin, Irish-born Wisconsin legislator, lived in the town * James Higgins, Irish-born farmer and Wisconsin Reform Party legislator, lived in the town * George G. King, farmer and state legislator, lived in the town * John Solon, Irish-born Wisconsin farmer and legislator, lived in the town * Thomas F. Solon, businessman and Wisconsin legislator, born in the town * Herman A. Ziemer, farmer and politician, lived in the town

References

External links

Town of Shields website
{{authority control Towns in Dodge County, Wisconsin Towns in Wisconsin