Clark County is a county in Wisconsin, United States, in the west-central part of the state. It had a population of 34,659 at the 2020 census and covers 1,219 square miles (3,160 km2) centred near 44°44′N 90°37′W.
Neillsville is the county seat, and its postal code is 54456. The county holds eight cities, five villages, two census-designated places (CDPs) and more than twenty unincorporated communities, spread across 32 towns — Wisconsin’s name for its township-level civil divisions. Clark County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Clark County
Clark County has 37 named places outside its 32 civil towns: eight incorporated cities (Neillsville, Abbotsford, Colby, Greenwood, Loyal, Owen, Stanley and Thorp), five villages (Curtiss, Dorchester, Granton, Unity and Withee), two census-designated places with no municipal government of their own (Chili and Humbird), and roughly two dozen unincorporated communities that sit inside one of the county’s towns. 2020 population figures below are shown as — where a place-level count was not confirmed for this profile.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Neillsville | City · seat | — | 54456 |
| Abbotsford | City | — | 54405 |
| Colby | City | — | 54421 |
| Greenwood | City | — | 54437 |
| Loyal | City | — | 54446 |
| Owen | City | — | 54460 |
| Stanley | City | — | — |
| Thorp | City | — | 54771 |
| Curtiss | Village | — | 54422 |
| Dorchester | Village | — | 54425 |
| Granton | Village | — | 54436 |
| Unity | Village | — | — |
| Withee | Village | — | 54498 |
| Chili | CDP | — | 54420 |
| Humbird | CDP | — | 54746 |
| Atwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bright | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Christie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clark | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Columbia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eadsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eidsvold | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Globe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hemlock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lombard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Longwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lynn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Nevins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Reseburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riplinger | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sherwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shortville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sidney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spokeville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tioga | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Veefkind | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willard | Unincorp. | — | 54493 |
Four Clark County municipalities straddle the county line: Abbotsford and Colby both extend into neighboring Marathon County, Dorchester village extends into Marathon County, and Unity village lies mostly in Marathon County. Stanley, whose downtown is a few miles from the Clark line, lies mostly in Chippewa County. Local addresses for these places may show either county depending on the parcel.
Townships
Wisconsin calls its township-level civil divisions “towns,” and Clark County has 32 of them, each with its own elected town board separate from any city or village inside it. Place-level 2020 counts were not available for this profile, so the towns are listed alphabetically rather than by population. Three towns — Longwood, Lynn and Reseburg — share a name with an unincorporated community inside them.
| Town | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Beaver | — | — |
| Butler | — | — |
| Colby | — | — |
| Dewhurst | — | — |
| Eaton | — | — |
| Foster | — | — |
| Fremont | — | — |
| Grant | — | — |
| Green Grove | — | — |
| Hendren | — | — |
| Hewett | — | — |
| Hixon | — | — |
| Hoard | — | — |
| Levis | — | — |
| Longwood | — | Longwood |
| Loyal | — | — |
| Lynn | — | Lynn |
| Mayville | — | — |
| Mead | — | — |
| Mentor | — | — |
| Pine Valley | — | — |
| Reseburg | — | Reseburg |
| Seif | — | — |
| Sherman | — | — |
| Thorp | — | — |
| Unity | — | — |
| Warner | — | — |
| Washburn | — | — |
| Weston | — | — |
| Withee | — | — |
| Worden | — | — |
| York | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 54456 — Neillsville
- 54405 — Abbotsford
- 54421 — Colby
- 54437 — Greenwood
- 54446 — Loyal
- 54460 — Owen
- 54771 — Thorp
- 54422 — Curtiss
- 54425 — Dorchester
- 54436 — Granton
- 54498 — Withee
- 54420 — Chili (also serves nearby farm addresses)
- 54746 — Humbird
- 54493 — Willard
Stanley and Unity, whose built-up areas sit mostly across the line in Chippewa and Marathon counties respectively, are not carried as separate ZIP codes in Clark County postal data; residents there generally use those counties’ post offices.
Geography
Clark County sits on the transition between Wisconsin’s central sand plains and the western coulee country, a mix of flat farmland, low sandy ridges and hardwood woodlots. The Black River crosses the county from north to south, passing near Neillsville, and the O’Neill and Eau Claire river systems drain its western and southern towns. Farmland dominates the eastern half of the county; forest cover, much of it county and state forest land, is heavier in the north and west.
Clark County borders six other counties: Taylor County to the north, Marathon County to the east, Wood County to the southeast, Jackson County to the south, Eau Claire County to the west, and Chippewa County to the northwest.
Demographics
Clark County had 34,659 residents at the 2020 census, spread across the county at a density of about 29 people per square mile — among the more rural counts in west-central Wisconsin. The population is spread across eight cities and 32 towns rather than concentrated in one large center; no single municipality holds a majority of the county’s residents. Clark County is also home to one of Wisconsin’s larger Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities, concentrated in its eastern and central towns. Median household income in the county runs below the Wisconsin median of $74,631, consistent with its agriculture-based economy.
Economy & Local Life
Dairy farming has anchored Clark County’s economy since the late 1800s, and the county remains one of Wisconsin’s leading milk-producing counties, with hundreds of family and Amish-run dairy operations. Forestry and logging, the industries that first drew settlers to the area, still support sawmills and wood-products manufacturing in and around Neillsville, Thorp and Owen. Neillsville is home to the Clark County Fair each summer and to Chatty Belle, a roadside fiberglass dairy cow that has been a local landmark for decades.
History
Clark County was established by the Wisconsin territorial legislature in 1853 and organized as a functioning county government in 1854, carved from parts of Jackson and Chippewa counties. The origin of its name is disputed: county histories credit it either to early settler A. W. Clark or to Revolutionary War general George Rogers Clark. Logging drove the county’s early growth, with lumber camps and river drives on the Black River supplying sawmills through the 19th century; as the pine forests were cut over, the cleared land was resettled by dairy farmers, including waves of Amish and Mennonite families who arrived in the 20th century and remain a significant part of the county’s population today.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 10 crosses the county through Neillsville and Withee, and U.S. Highway 29 runs along its southern towns near Curtiss and Owen; State Highway 73 links Neillsville north to Taylor County and south to Wood County.
- Wausau — about 40 miles east
- Eau Claire — about 45 miles west
- Marshfield — about 30 miles southeast
- Chippewa Falls — about 35 miles northwest
The nearest commercial airport is Central Wisconsin Airport (CWA) in Mosinee, roughly 45 miles east near Wausau. Clark County has no Amtrak service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Clark County, Wisconsin?
It is in west-central Wisconsin, bordered by Taylor, Marathon, Wood, Jackson, Eau Claire and Chippewa counties.
What is the population of Clark County?
34,659 people, at the 2020 census.
How big is Clark County?
1,219 square miles (3,160 km2), of which 1,210 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Clark County?
Neillsville is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Clark County?
The county has 8 cities, 5 villages, 2 census-designated places and 32 civil towns.
What ZIP codes are in Clark County?
Fourteen ZIP codes serve the county, including 54456 (Neillsville), 54771 (Thorp) and 54460 (Owen); see the ZIP Codes section above for the full list.
Does Clark County have an Amish community?
Yes — Clark County has one of Wisconsin’s larger Amish and Old Order Mennonite populations, concentrated in its central and eastern towns.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Wisconsin.