Balsam Lake, Wisconsin
Encyclopedia
Balsam Lake is a village in, and the county seat of, Polk County, Wisconsin
, United States
. The population was 950 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Balsam Lake
.
The town was organized on January 8, 1870, and was named after the lake that lay within its borders. The first businesses included a blacksmith shop, a bank, a creamery, two sawmills, a hardware store, and a general store. Governmental buildings included a courthouse and a log schoolhouse.
Today, Balsam Lake is the home of the Polk County Government Center.
The town celebrates its history, and the history of the United States, with its annual Freedom Festival, which takes place on the Thursday through Sunday surrounding the Fourth of July.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the village has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²), of which, 2.0 square miles (5.3 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.2 km²) of it (38.23%) is water.
of 2000, there were 950 people, 428 households, and 264 families residing in the village. The population density
was 469.1 people per square mile (180.7/km²). There were 673 housing units at an average density of 332.3 per square mile (128.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.00% White, 2.95% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, and 0.63% from two or more races. 0.42% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 428 households out of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.62.
In the village the population was spread out with 18.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $34,276, and the median income for a family was $42,708. Males had a median income of $31,397 versus $24,028 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $19,576. About 4.8% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 950 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Balsam Lake
Balsam Lake (town), Wisconsin
Balsam Lake is a town in Polk County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,384 at the 2000 census. The Village of Balsam Lake is located within the town...
.
History
The area in and around Balsam Lake was originally inhabited by a large band of Chippewa Indians. They referred to the area as "Innenehinduc," which means "place of the evergreen." This may have been due to the large amount of Canadian Yew, an evergreen shrub, which grew in abundance there.The town was organized on January 8, 1870, and was named after the lake that lay within its borders. The first businesses included a blacksmith shop, a bank, a creamery, two sawmills, a hardware store, and a general store. Governmental buildings included a courthouse and a log schoolhouse.
Today, Balsam Lake is the home of the Polk County Government Center.
The town celebrates its history, and the history of the United States, with its annual Freedom Festival, which takes place on the Thursday through Sunday surrounding the Fourth of July.
Geography
Balsam Lake is located at 45°27′28"N 92°27′17"W (45.45805, -92.454872).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the village has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²), of which, 2.0 square miles (5.3 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.2 km²) of it (38.23%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 950 people, 428 households, and 264 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 469.1 people per square mile (180.7/km²). There were 673 housing units at an average density of 332.3 per square mile (128.0/km²). The racial makeup of the village was 96.00% White, 2.95% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, and 0.63% from two or more races. 0.42% of the population were Hispanic
Hispanic
Hispanic is a term that originally denoted a relationship to Hispania, which is to say the Iberian Peninsula: Andorra, Gibraltar, Portugal and Spain. During the Modern Era, Hispanic sometimes takes on a more limited meaning, particularly in the United States, where the term means a person of ...
or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 428 households out of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.1% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.10 and the average family size was 2.62.
In the village the population was spread out with 18.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 26.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $34,276, and the median income for a family was $42,708. Males had a median income of $31,397 versus $24,028 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $19,576. About 4.8% of families and 7.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 10.4% of those age 65 or over.