The county was created from the northeastern portion of Shawano County on July 3, 1959, in anticipation of the termination of the Menominee Indian Reservation in 1961. The reservation status was restored in 1973, and is now co-extensive with the county. Most of the land within the county boundary is under Federal trust for the exclusive use by enrolled members of the Menominee nation. Scattered parcels that were purchased during termination, as well as many lots around the Legend Lake area in the southeastern part of the county, are the only parts of the county that are privately owned by non-Native Americans. Most of Menominee County's population consists of members of the Menominee nation.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and is water. It is the second-smallest county in Wisconsin by total area.
At the 2000 census there were 4,562 people, 1,345 households, and 1,065 families in the county. This total makes it the least-populated county in the state. The population density was 13 people per square mile. There were 2,098 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile. The racial makup of the county was 11.57% White, 0.07% Black or African American, 87.26% Native American, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.33% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 2.67%. were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 5.0% were of German ancestry. 89.8% spoke English, 7.0% Menominee and 1.6% Hmong as their first language. Of the 1,345 households 42.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.50% were married couplesliving together, 26.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.80% were non-families. 16.50% of households were one person and 6.40% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.35 and the average family size was 3.66. The age distribution was 38.90% under the age of 18, 8.40% from 18 to 24, 24.70% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 8.50% 65 or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 97.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males. In 2017, there were 89 births, giving a general fertility rate of 115.9 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the highest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.
Politics
In presidential elections, Menominee County has always voted for the Democratic candidate and always by a higher percentage than all other Wisconsin counties. In 2016, Donald Trump became the first Republican to win over 20% of the vote in the county since George H. W. Bush in 1992.
Communities
Menominee County is one of only two counties in Wisconsin with no incorporated communities, the other being Florence County.
