Forest County is a county in Wisconsin, United States, on the state’s border with Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It had a population of 9,179 at the 2020 census and covers 1,046 square miles (2,710 km2) — 1,014 square miles (2,630 km2) of land and 32 square miles (83 km2) of water — centred near 45°40′N 88°47′W.
Crandon is the county seat, and its postal code is 54520. The county has one incorporated city (Crandon) and around a dozen unincorporated communities spread across 14 towns, plus the Forest County Potawatomi Community and Sokaogon Chippewa (Mole Lake) Community reservations. It sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Forest County
Crandon is the only incorporated municipality in Forest County; every other place on the list below is an unincorporated community or a census-designated place inside one of the county’s 14 civil towns. Several — Laona, Wabeno, Argonne — are populous enough to carry their own ZIP code even though they have never incorporated as a village or city.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crandon | City · seat | Crandon | 1,829 | 54520 |
| Laona | Unincorp. | Laona | — | 54541 |
| Wabeno | Unincorp. | Wabeno | — | 54566 |
| Argonne | Unincorp. | Argonne | — | 54511 |
| Armstrong Creek | Unincorp. | Armstrong Creek | — | 54103 |
| Alvin | Unincorp. | Alvin | — | 54511 |
| Blackwell | Unincorp. | Blackwell | — | 54541 |
| Blackwell Junction | Unincorp. | Blackwell | — | 54541 |
| Carter | Unincorp. | Freedom | — | 54566 |
| Cavour | Unincorp. | Freedom | — | 54566 |
| Hiles | Unincorp. | Hiles | — | 54541 |
| Mole Lake | Unincorp. | Nashville | — | 54520 |
| Nashville | Unincorp. | Nashville | — | 54520 |
| Nelma | Unincorp. | Argonne | — | 54511 |
| Newald | Unincorp. | Armstrong Creek | — | 54103 |
| Popple River | Unincorp. | Popple River | — | 54541 |
| Soperton | Unincorp. | Ross | — | 54520 |
| Wisconsin Junction | Unincorp. | Wabeno | — | 54566 |
| Woodlawn | Unincorp. | Crandon | — | 54520 |
The old site list also carried “Atkins” and “Padus” as separate places; both are logging-era place names inside the Town of Laona with no verifiable current population or distinct ZIP, so they are folded into the Laona entry above rather than listed as duplicates.
Townships
Wisconsin’s “towns” are the state’s civil-township layer — each governs the rural land around, and sometimes including, an unincorporated community. Forest County has 14 of them; only the Town of Crandon surrounds an incorporated city.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Crandon | — | Crandon (city), Woodlawn |
| Laona | — | Laona, Blackwell |
| Wabeno | — | Wabeno, Wisconsin Junction |
| Nashville | — | Nashville, Mole Lake |
| Argonne | — | Argonne, Nelma |
| Freedom | — | Carter, Cavour |
| Armstrong Creek | — | Armstrong Creek, Newald |
| Hiles | — | Hiles |
| Popple River | — | Popple River |
| Ross | — | Soperton |
| Alvin | — | Alvin |
| Caswell | — | rural, no named settlement |
| Lincoln | — | rural, no named settlement |
| Blackwell | — | Blackwell Junction |
ZIP Codes
- 54520 — Crandon (also serves Nashville, Mole Lake, Soperton, Woodlawn)
- 54541 — Laona (also serves Blackwell, Blackwell Junction, Hiles, Popple River)
- 54566 — Wabeno (also serves Carter, Cavour, Wisconsin Junction)
- 54511 — Argonne (also serves Alvin, Nelma)
- 54103 — Armstrong Creek (also serves Newald)
All five ZIP codes are anchored on a post office town; every other community in the county receives mail through one of them rather than carrying its own code.
Geography
Forest County sits in the forested Northwoods of northeastern Wisconsin, on the Michigan state line. Most of the land is part of the Nicolet National Forest, and Sugarbush Hill in the Town of Hiles is the second-highest point in Wisconsin. Water covers about 3 percent of the county’s area, split among hundreds of lakes and the headwaters of the Wolf and Pine rivers.
Forest County borders Florence County to the northeast, Marinette County to the east, Oconto County to the south, Langlade County to the southwest, Oneida County to the west, and Vilas County to the northwest, all in Wisconsin. Across the state line to the north lies Iron County, Michigan.
Demographics
Forest County had 9,179 residents at the 2020 census, spread over 1,014 square miles of land for a density of about 9 people per square mile — one of the lowest in Wisconsin. Crandon, the county seat, is the largest single community; Laona and Wabeno are the next-largest unincorporated centers. Forest County’s median household income runs well below the Wisconsin median of $74,631, reflecting the county’s reliance on seasonal tourism, forestry and a large tribal-reservation population.
Economy & Local Life
Forestry and forest-products manufacturing remain a core employer, alongside county and tribal government, health care, and tourism tied to the Nicolet National Forest’s lakes, hunting land and snowmobile trails. The Forest County Potawatomi Community and the Sokaogon Chippewa Community, based at Mole Lake, are major local employers and landholders, operating tribal government offices and gaming facilities. Summer cabin tourism and fall hunting season drive much of the retail and hospitality trade around Crandon and Laona.
History
Forest County was organized in 1885 out of portions of Langlade and Oconto counties and named simply for the forests that covered nearly all of it. Logging drove the county’s early economy, with rail lines built to move timber out of the Northwoods; Crandon was platted as a company town for the Crandon Land, Improvement and Investment Company and became the county seat. The Sokaogon Chippewa (Mole Lake) Community’s reservation, established in the late 19th century, and the Forest County Potawatomi Community’s later trust lands are both within the county’s boundaries, predating and outlasting much of the logging-era settlement around them.
Getting There
US Highway 8 crosses the county east–west through Crandon, and state highways 32, 52, 55, 70, 101 and 139 connect the smaller communities.
- Rhinelander — 30 miles west
- Antigo — 35 miles south
- Marinette — 55 miles east
- Green Bay — 85 miles southeast
Crandon Municipal Airport (Y55) handles general aviation; the nearest commercial airport is Rhinelander-Oneida County Airport (RHI), west of the county in Oneida County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Forest County, Wisconsin?
It is in northeastern Wisconsin’s Northwoods region, on the Michigan state line, roughly 30 miles east of Rhinelander.
What is the population of Forest County?
9,179 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Forest County?
1,046 square miles (2,710 km2) total, including 32 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Forest County?
Crandon is the county seat and the only incorporated city in the county.
How many towns and communities are in Forest County?
One incorporated city (Crandon) and about 18 unincorporated communities, organized into 14 civil towns.
What ZIP codes are in Forest County?
54520 (Crandon), 54541 (Laona), 54566 (Wabeno), 54511 (Argonne) and 54103 (Armstrong Creek).
Are there tribal reservations in Forest County?
Yes. The Forest County Potawatomi Community and the Sokaogon Chippewa (Mole Lake) Community both hold reservation and trust land in the county.