Waupaca County is a county in Wisconsin, United States, in the east-central part of the state along the Waupaca and Little Wolf rivers. It had a population of 51,812 at the 2020 census and covers 765 square miles (1,980 km2), centred near 44°29′N 88°58′W.
Waupaca is the county seat, and its postal code is 54981. The county has six cities, six villages and 22 towns (Wisconsin’s term for civil townships), plus several unincorporated communities and census-designated places. Waupaca County runs on Central time and carries FIPS code 55135.
Towns & Villages in Waupaca County
New London is the county’s largest city, though about half of it lies across the line in Outagamie County. The rest of the settlements are spread among the county’s towns, several clustered around the Chain O’ Lakes.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waupaca | City · seat | Waupaca | 6,282 | 54981 |
| New London | City | Mukwa | 7,348 | — |
| Clintonville | City | Union | — | — |
| Manawa | City | Little Wolf | — | — |
| Marion | City | Matteson | — | — |
| Weyauwega | City | Weyauwega | — | — |
| Iola | Village | Iola | — | — |
| Fremont | Village | Fremont | — | — |
| Ogdensburg | Village | Farmington | — | — |
| Scandinavia | Village | Scandinavia | — | — |
| Embarrass | Village | Matteson | — | — |
| Big Falls | Village | Little Wolf | — | — |
| King | CDP | Waupaca | — | — |
| Northport | CDP | Farmington | — | — |
| Chain O’ Lakes | CDP | Farmington | — | — |
Townships
Wisconsin calls its civil townships “towns.” Waupaca County has 22 of them, covering the land outside the cities and villages: Bear Creek, Caledonia, Dayton, Dupont, Farmington, Fremont, Harrison, Helvetia, Iola, Larrabee, Lebanon, Lind, Little Wolf, Matteson, Mukwa, Royalton, Scandinavia, St. Lawrence, Union, Waupaca, Weyauwega and Wyoming.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Waupaca | — | King, surrounds the city of Waupaca |
| Farmington | — | Ogdensburg, Northport, Chain O’ Lakes |
| Mukwa | — | New London (part) |
| Little Wolf | — | Manawa, Big Falls |
| Matteson | — | Marion (part), Embarrass |
| Iola | — | Village of Iola |
| Scandinavia | — | Village of Scandinavia |
| Fremont | — | Village of Fremont |
| Union | — | Clintonville (part) |
| Weyauwega | — | City of Weyauwega |
ZIP Codes
- 54981 — Waupaca (also serves the town of Waupaca and the King area)
Wikipedia’s county article does not confirm ZIP codes for the county’s other cities and villages, so they are omitted here rather than guessed; most are served by their own post office under a distinct code.
Geography
Waupaca County sits in the Central Plain, drained by the Waupaca River, the Little Wolf River and the Wolf River. Its best-known feature is the Waupaca Chain O’ Lakes, 22 spring-fed lakes linked by the short Crystal River, in the county’s northeast corner. Of the county’s 765 square miles, 748 square miles are land and 17 square miles are water, about 2.3 percent of the total.
Waupaca County borders six other counties:
- Shawano County to the north
- Outagamie County to the east
- Winnebago County to the southeast
- Waushara County to the southwest
- Portage County to the west
- Marathon County to the northwest
Demographics
Waupaca County had 51,812 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 69 people per square mile. New London (population 7,348, split with Outagamie County) and Waupaca (population 6,282) are the two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs below the Wisconsin state figure of $74,631, reflecting its mix of small manufacturing towns and farm townships. Population is spread thinly outside the six cities, with most towns holding only a few hundred to a couple thousand residents.
Economy & Local Life
Manufacturing, agriculture and tourism anchor the county’s economy. Waupaca Foundry, headquartered in the city of Waupaca, is one of the world’s largest iron foundries and among the county’s biggest employers; Clintonville is home to truck maker Four Wheel Drive Auto Company’s historic plant site. Dairy farming and cash-crop agriculture remain significant in the townships, and the Chain O’ Lakes draws summer visitors for boating and fishing. Iola hosts the Iola Old Car Show each July, one of the largest antique and collector car shows in the country.
History
Waupaca County was created by the Wisconsin territorial legislature in 1851 and organized in 1853. It takes its name from the Waupaca River, a Menominee word rendered variously as “tomorrow river” or “pale water,” reflecting the river’s clear, spring-fed character. Early settlement followed the lumber trade along the Wolf and Little Wolf rivers in the 1850s, and the arrival of the railroad through New London and Waupaca in the 1870s spurred the growth of the county’s manufacturing towns.
Getting There
U.S. Route 10 and State Highway 22 cross the county through Waupaca and Iola; State Highway 54 links Waupaca to New London.
- Appleton — 25 miles east
- Stevens Point — 25 miles west
- Wausau — 40 miles northwest
- Oshkosh — 35 miles southeast
Appleton International Airport is the nearest commercial airport. Amtrak does not serve Waupaca County; the closest stations are in Milwaukee and Portage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Waupaca County?
It is in east-central Wisconsin, between Green Bay and Stevens Point, along the Waupaca and Little Wolf rivers.
What is the Waupaca postcode?
Waupaca, the county seat, uses ZIP code 54981.
What is the population of Waupaca County?
51,812 people, per the 2020 census.
Which city is the county seat?
Waupaca is the county seat.
What is Waupaca County’s largest city?
New London, with 7,348 residents, though about half of the city sits in neighboring Outagamie County.
What is the Chain O’ Lakes?
A group of 22 spring-fed lakes near the village of King, linked by the short Crystal River, popular for boating and fishing.
When was Waupaca County created?
It was created in 1851 and organized in 1853.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Wisconsin.