Door County, Wisconsin
Door County | |
|---|---|
Door County Government Center in Sturgeon Bay | |
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin | |
Wisconsin's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 45°01′N 87°01′W / 45.02°N 87.01°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Wisconsin |
| Founded | 1851 |
| Named after | Porte des Morts |
| Seat | Sturgeon Bay |
| Largest city | Sturgeon Bay |
| Area | |
• Total | 2,370 sq mi (6,100 km2) |
| • Land | 482 sq mi (1,250 km2) |
| • Water | 1,888 sq mi (4,890 km2) 80% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 30,066 |
• Estimate (2023) | 30,562 |
| • Density | 62.4/sq mi (24.1/km2) |
| Demonym | Door Countyite |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 920 |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | co.door.wi.gov |
| Wisconsin county code 15 FIPS county code 55029 | |
Door County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census, its population was 30,066. Its seat of government is Sturgeon Bay.
It is named after the strait between the Door Peninsula and Washington Island. This dangerous passage, known as Death's Door, contains shipwrecks and was known to Native Americans and early French explorers. The county was created in 1851 and organized in 1861.
Nicknamed the "Cape Cod of the Midwest," Door County is a popular Upper Midwest vacation destination. Tourism is a major contributor to Door County's economy. It is Wisconsin's forty-fourth largest county in population, but it is the eighth largest in terms of economic impact from tourism (over $600 million in 2023). The county is considered a high-recreation retirement destination by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.