Washburn County, Wisconsin, USA
County or equivalent
Location overview
Washburn County lies in northwestern Wisconsin’s Northwoods, with Shell Lake as its county seat and Spooner as its largest city. Hundreds of lakes, the Namekagon River, pine and hardwood forests, wetlands and sandy glacial terrain give the county a strong outdoor character. Logging drove much of its late-19th-century settlement, followed by farming, rail connections and the growth of lake resorts and seasonal cabins. Washburn County had about 17,100 residents in 2025. Tourism, forestry, agriculture, manufacturing and health care support communities that remain closely tied to hunting, fishing, boating and trail recreation.