Eau Claire County is a county in Wisconsin, United States, about 90 miles east of Minneapolis
and St. Paul, Minnesota. It had a population of 105,710 at the 2020 census, an estimated 109,033
by 2025, and covers 645 square miles (1,670 km2) centred near 44°44′N 91°17′W.
Eau Claire is the county seat and by far its largest city; its postal code is 54701. The county
holds 3 cities, 2 incorporated villages and 13 towns, plus a scattering of unincorporated
communities across those towns, and it runs on Central Time. Its FIPS code is 55035.
Towns & Villages in Eau Claire County
Eau Claire County has 19 named places on record outside its 13 towns: 3 cities, 2 incorporated
villages and 14 unincorporated communities with no local government of their own. Unincorp. covers
crossroads and rural communities with no formal boundary; each town’s own government is covered in
the Townships section below.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire | City · seat | — | 69,421 | 54701 |
| Altoona | City | — | 8,292 | 54720 |
| Augusta | City | — | 1,567 | 54722 |
| Fairchild | Village | Fairchild | 451 | — |
| Fall Creek | Village | Lincoln | 1,422 | — |
| Rodell | Unincorp. | Lincoln | — | — |
| Ludington | Unincorp. | Ludington | — | — |
| Union | Unincorp. | Union | — | — |
| Wilson | Unincorp. | Wilson | — | — |
| Allen | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Brackett | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Candy Corners | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Cleghorn | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Foster | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hale Corner | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Hay Creek | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Lufkin | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Mount Hope Corners | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Truax | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
Three name pairs on this page are easy to confuse. The unincorporated community of Ludington
sits inside the Town of Ludington, and the same pattern repeats for the community of Union inside
the Town of Union and the community of Wilson inside the Town of Wilson — each pair shares a
name but not a government. The Village of Fairchild is a separate incorporated municipality
surrounded by, but administratively distinct from, the Town of Fairchild.
Townships
Wisconsin’s “town” is the state’s civil-township government, distinct from
an incorporated city or village. Eau Claire County has 13 towns, sorted here by population.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 7,662 | Rural, borders Eau Claire to the north |
| Pleasant Valley | 3,791 | Rural, no incorporated village |
| Seymour | 3,352 | Rural, borders the city of Eau Claire |
| Union | 2,696 | Union (unincorporated) |
| Bridge Creek | 2,214 | Rural, south of Augusta |
| Brunswick | 1,958 | Rural, northwest corner of the county |
| Lincoln | 1,125 | Fall Creek (village), Rodell |
| Ludington | 1,067 | Ludington (unincorporated) |
| Drammen | 792 | Rural, southwest corner of the county |
| Clear Creek | 778 | Rural farmland |
| Fairchild | 450 | Village of Fairchild lies within its boundary |
| Otter Creek | 427 | Rural farmland |
| Wilson | 427 | Wilson (unincorporated) |
ZIP Codes
- 54701 — Eau Claire (also serves 54702, a PO box ZIP)
- 54703 — Eau Claire
- 54720 — Altoona
- 54722 — Augusta
Fairchild, Fall Creek and the county’s unincorporated communities have no ZIP verified for
this page; their mail is handled under a neighbouring town’s code.
Geography
Eau Claire County sits in west-central Wisconsin, where the Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers meet
in the city of Eau Claire. Of its 645 square miles, 638 are land and 7.3 are water, about 1.1
percent. The Eau Claire River, which gave the county its name, runs west through the county to
join the Chippewa River downtown; the Chippewa continues southwest toward the Mississippi.
Chippewa County lies to the north, Clark County to the east, Jackson County to the southeast,
Trempealeau County to the south, Buffalo County to the southwest, and Pepin and Dunn counties to
the west. Chippewa County,
Clark County,
Jackson County,
Trempealeau County,
Buffalo County,
Pepin County and
Dunn County all border Eau
Claire directly.
Demographics
Eau Claire County had a population of 105,710 at the 2020 census, and the 2025 estimate puts
the county near 109,033 residents. Eau Claire and Altoona are by far the two largest communities,
together holding more than 70 percent of the county’s population. Median household income
runs about $74,546 (2024 estimate), close to Wisconsin’s statewide figure of $74,631 (2023
ACS). Population density works out to roughly 166 people per square mile of land, concentrated
heavily around the city of Eau Claire and its suburbs.
Economy & Local Life
Health care and social assistance employs the most workers in the county, about 10,020 people,
followed by retail trade at 9,888 and manufacturing at 7,674. Mayo Clinic Health System runs two
Eau Claire campuses, Luther and Clairemont, among the county’s largest employers. Menards,
the home-improvement retail chain, is headquartered in Eau Claire, and National Presto Industries,
a small-appliance manufacturer, has been based there since the 1900s. Silver Spring Foods, a major
grower and processor of horseradish, also operates out of the city. The University of
Wisconsin-Eau Claire, which opened in 1916, and Chippewa Valley Technical College anchor the
county’s education sector. The Eaux Claires Music & Arts Festival, founded by musician
Justin Vernon, drew large crowds to the city through the 2010s.
History
The area was first organized in 1855 as the Town of Clearwater within Chippewa County, renamed
the Town of Eau Claire on 31 March 1856, and separated into its own county by act of the Wisconsin
legislature on 6 October 1856. The county took its name from the Eau Claire River, a French
phrase meaning “clear water.” Logging and lumber milling on the Chippewa and Eau Claire
rivers drove the county’s early growth; the city of Eau Claire was incorporated in 1872 as
the timber trade peaked, and the industry declined through the early twentieth century as the
regional pine forests were exhausted.
Getting There
Interstate 94 crosses the county through Eau Claire and Altoona, running northwest toward
Minneapolis-Saint Paul and southeast toward Madison and Chicago. US 10, US 12 and US 53 also
cross the county, along with Wisconsin Highways 27, 37, 85, 93 and 312.
- Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota — about 90 miles west
- Madison — about 140 miles southeast
- La Crosse — about 70 miles south
- Chippewa Falls — about 10 miles north
Chippewa Valley Regional Airport, on Eau Claire’s north side, is the county’s
commercial airport. Amtrak has no station in the county; the nearest stop on the Empire Builder
line is in Tomah, about 45 miles south.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Eau Claire County located?
It sits in west-central Wisconsin, about 90 miles east of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, bordered by
Chippewa, Clark, Jackson, Trempealeau, Buffalo, Pepin and Dunn counties.
What is the population of Eau Claire County?
105,710 at the 2020 census, with a 2025 estimate near 109,033.
How big is Eau Claire County?
645 square miles (1,670 km2), of which 638 square miles are land.
What is the county seat of Eau Claire County?
Eau Claire is the county seat and largest city, incorporated in 1872.
How many towns and villages are in Eau Claire County?
Three cities — Eau Claire, Altoona and Augusta — two incorporated villages, Fairchild
and Fall Creek, and 13 towns, plus 14 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes does Eau Claire County use?
54701 and 54703 for Eau Claire, 54720 for Altoona and 54722 for Augusta.
What is Eau Claire County known for?
The Chippewa and Eau Claire rivers, Menards’ and National Presto Industries’
headquarters, and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Wisconsin.