Green Lake County is a county in Wisconsin, United States, home to the state’s namesake deep glacial lake and, as of 2020, Wisconsin’s own population center. It had a population of 19,018 at the 2020 census and covers 380 square miles (980 km2) — 349 square miles (900 km2) of land and 31 square miles (80 km2) of water — centred near 43°49′N 89°02′W.
Green Lake is the county seat, and its postal code is 54941. The county holds 4 cities, 2 villages and 16 unincorporated communities and lake settlements, organized into 10 civil towns. It sits in the Central time zone and carries FIPS code 55047.
Towns & Villages in Green Lake County
Green Lake County’s 22 named places split into 4 incorporated cities, 2 incorporated villages, and roughly 16 unincorporated communities — mostly small lake-resort settlements around Green Lake and Puckaway Lake with no municipal government of their own. Each place below is tied to the civil town (Wisconsin’s version of a township) that surrounds it; the City of Berlin straddles the Green Lake–Waushara county line, with most of its population and area on the Green Lake County side.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Lake | City · seat | Town of Green Lake | 1,001 | 54941 |
| Berlin | City | Town of Berlin | 5,435 | 54923 |
| Markesan | City | Town of Mackford | 1,377 | 53946 |
| Princeton | City | Town of Princeton | 1,267 | 54968 |
| Kingston | Village | Town of Kingston | — | 53939 |
| Marquette | Village | Town of Marquette | — | 53947 |
| Dalton | Unincorp. | Town of Mackford | — | 53926 |
| Manchester | Unincorp. | Town of Manchester | — | — |
| Center House | Unincorp. | Town of Seneca | — | — |
| Fairburn | Unincorp. | Town of Green Lake | — | — |
| Forest Glen Beach | Unincorp. | Town of St. Marie | — | — |
| Green Lake Terrace | Unincorp. | Town of Green Lake | — | — |
| Greenwyck | Unincorp. | Town of St. Marie | — | — |
| Indian Hills | Unincorp. | Town of St. Marie | — | — |
| Lakewood Estates | Unincorp. | Town of Brooklyn | — | — |
| Pleasant Point | Unincorp. | Town of Green Lake | — | — |
| Sandstone Bluff | Unincorp. | Town of St. Marie | — | — |
| Sherwood Forest | Unincorp. | Town of Brooklyn | — | — |
| Spring Grove | Unincorp. | Town of Seneca | — | — |
| Sylvan Shores | Unincorp. | Town of St. Marie | — | — |
| Tuleta Hills | Unincorp. | Town of St. Marie | — | — |
| Utley | Unincorp. | Town of Mackford | — | — |
Townships
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Town of Berlin | — | Berlin (city portion) |
| Town of Green Lake | — | Green Lake (city, unincorp.), Fairburn, Green Lake Terrace, Pleasant Point |
| Town of St. Marie | — | Forest Glen Beach, Greenwyck, Indian Hills, Sandstone Bluff, Sylvan Shores, Tuleta Hills |
| Town of Mackford | — | Markesan (city), Dalton, Utley |
| Town of Brooklyn | — | Lakewood Estates, Sherwood Forest |
| Town of Seneca | — | Center House, Spring Grove |
| Town of Manchester | — | Manchester |
| Town of Kingston | — | Kingston (village) |
| Town of Marquette | — | Marquette (village) |
| Town of Princeton | — | Princeton (city) |
Wisconsin does not report separate 2020 census counts for its civil towns net of the incorporated cities and villages within them, so per-township population figures are omitted here rather than guessed.
ZIP Codes
- 54941 — Green Lake (also serves Fairburn, Green Lake Terrace, Pleasant Point)
- 54923 — Berlin
- 53946 — Markesan (also serves Utley)
- 54968 — Princeton
- 53926 — Dalton
- 53939 — Kingston (PO Box service only)
- 53947 — Marquette (PO Box service only)
Manchester and the small lake-cottage settlements in the towns of St. Marie and Brooklyn have no post office of their own and are served by the nearest listed ZIP code.
Geography
Green Lake County sits in Wisconsin’s Central Sand Plain and Kettle Moraine transition zone, its terrain shaped by glacial outwash and moraine. Green Lake, the state’s deepest inland lake at roughly 237 feet, dominates the county’s east-central townships; Puckaway Lake and the Fox River define its western edge near Marquette and Montello. Roughly 8 percent of the county is water. It borders Waushara County to the north, Winnebago County to the northeast, Fond du Lac County to the east, Dodge County to the southeast, Columbia County to the southwest, and Marquette County to the west.
Demographics
Green Lake County had 19,018 residents at the 2020 census. Its largest communities are the city of Berlin, with 5,435 residents on the Green Lake County side of the city, and Markesan, with 1,377. Median household income in the county runs below the Wisconsin median of $74,631, reflecting its rural, agricultural and tourism-dependent economy. Population density is roughly 54 people per square mile of land, among the lower densities in eastern Wisconsin.
Economy & Local Life
Tourism around Green Lake anchors much of the county’s economy: the Green Lake Conference Center, founded by the American Baptist Churches USA in 1943, draws retreat and conference visitors year-round, and the Golf Courses of Lawsonia, built on the onetime country property of Chicago Daily News publisher Victor F. Lawson, are a longstanding golf destination. Agriculture and light manufacturing support the western and northern towns; Princeton’s history includes Muk Luks Handcraft Co., once a major knitted-slipper manufacturer employing more than 450 workers across three factories. Princeton also hosts what it advertises as Wisconsin’s largest weekly outdoor flea market, running Saturdays from mid-April through mid-October.
History
Green Lake County was organized in 1858, split off from Marquette County, and takes its name from Green Lake itself. It is Wisconsin’s third-smallest county by total area. The county’s lakes drew resort development from the late 19th century onward, a pattern still visible in the many small unincorporated lake settlements — Forest Glen Beach, Sylvan Shores, Sandstone Bluff and others — platted around Green Lake’s shoreline in the towns of Green Lake and St. Marie.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 23 and State Highways 23, 44, 49 and 73 cross the county, linking its towns to the surrounding region.
- Oshkosh — 25 miles northeast
- Fond du Lac — 25 miles east
- Madison — 65 miles south
- Wisconsin Dells — 35 miles southwest
The nearest commercial airport is Outagamie County Regional Airport in Appleton, roughly 45 miles northeast; Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh offers general aviation service closer by.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Green Lake County?
Green Lake County is in east-central Wisconsin, between Oshkosh and the Wisconsin Dells area.
What is the population of Green Lake County?
19,018 at the 2020 census.
How big is Green Lake County?
380 square miles (980 km2) total, of which 349 square miles (900 km2) is land.
What is the county seat of Green Lake County?
The city of Green Lake.
How many towns and villages are in Green Lake County?
Four cities (Berlin, Green Lake, Markesan, Princeton), two villages (Kingston, Marquette), and about 16 smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Green Lake County?
54941 (Green Lake), 54923 (Berlin), 53946 (Markesan), 54968 (Princeton), 53926 (Dalton), 53939 (Kingston) and 53947 (Marquette).
What is Green Lake County known for?
Green Lake, Wisconsin’s deepest natural inland lake, and being home to Wisconsin’s calculated population center as of the 2020 census.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Wisconsin.