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Population and Demography of Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north.
Wisconsin is the 25th-most populous state of the United States & Its third-largest U.S. state by area. The total Land area is 54,153 square miles (140,256 square kilometers) and there is an average of 109 people for every square mile. This makes Wisconsin the 23rd most densely populated state in the US. As per the United States Census Bureau, the population of Wisconsin in 2020 is 58,93,718 (5.9 million)
Estimated Population of Wisconsin in 2023 – 5,910,955 or 6 million
Wisconsin Population (2010-2020)
Wisconsin has a population growth rate of 3.6% during 2010-2020. It has had a population increase of 206,732 since 2010. The median age of the population residing in the state of Wisconsin is approximately 39.1 years of age. In terms of the ratio of females to males, females lead at 50.3% with males at 49.7% of the population.
| Wisconsin | Census 2020 |
| Total Population | 58,93,718 (5.9 million) |
| Median Age | 39.1 years |
| Population Rank | 20th |
| Total Land Area | 54,153 sq mi (140,256 km2) |
| Area Rank | 25th |
| Population Density | 108.8/sq mi (42.0/km2) |
| Capital City | Madison |
| Largest City | Milwaukee |
Source: US Census 2020 and estimates
Wisconsin Historical Population
Wisconsin has a population growth rate of 3.6% during 2010-2020. In the year 1900, Wisconsin’s Population was 2 million and in 2020 it reached 5.9 million, an increase of almost 4 million.
Let’s look at the decade population & percentage change
| Census | Population | % Change |
| 1820 | 1,444 | – |
| 1830 | 3,635 | 151.70% |
| 1840 | 30,945 | 751.30% |
| 1850 | 305,391 | 886.90% |
| 1860 | 775,881 | 154.10% |
| 1870 | 1,054,670 | 35.90% |
| 1880 | 1,315,457 | 24.70% |
| 1890 | 1,693,330 | 28.70% |
| 1900 | 2,069,042 | 22.20% |
| 1910 | 2,333,860 | 12.80% |
| 1920 | 2,632,067 | 12.80% |
| 1930 | 2,939,006 | 11.70% |
| 1940 | 3,137,587 | 6.80% |
| 1950 | 3,434,575 | 9.50% |
| 1960 | 3,951,777 | 15.10% |
| 1970 | 4,417,731 | 11.80% |
| 1980 | 4,705,767 | 6.50% |
| 1990 | 4,891,769 | 4.00% |
| 2000 | 5,363,675 | 9.60% |
| 2010 | 5,686,986 | 6.00% |
| 2020 | 5,893,718 | 3.60% |
Source: US Census 2020
Religion and affiliations
Christianity is the majority religion in Wisconsin followed by 71% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in Wisconsin is Protestants (44%); Roman Catholics (25%); Eastern Orthodoxy (1%); Jehovah’s Witnesses (1%). Next comes the Unaffiliated population, 25% of the population doesn’t follow or adhere to any faith or religion.
Other non-Christian-based religions and faiths are followed by 4% of the population and include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jews, Islam, and other smaller faiths.
For more details read Religion in Wisconsin
Race and Ethnicity
In 2020, the White alone (non-Hispanic) population was the largest racial or ethnic group in Wisconsin, comprising 78.63% of the total population. It was followed by the Hispanic or Latino population whose share was 7.59%. Black or African American was the third largest group at 6.22%. Two or more races are at 3.46% & Asians are at 2.96%.
Ancestry in Wisconsin
As per Census Studies & estimate German, Irish, Polish, Norwegian and English have made the five largest ancestry groups in Wisconsin.
For more Details read Race and Ethnicity in Wisconsin
Top cities and counties in Wisconsin
As of 2022, Wisconsin is divided into 72 counties. The most populous and densely populated county in Wisconsin is Milwaukee county and the least populated is Menominee County. The largest county by Land Area is Marathon County and the smallest in size is Pepin County.
Milwaukee, with a population of 589067 is the biggest City in Wisconsin followed by Madison (263,094), Green Bay (103,836), and Kenosha (99,570).
read about cities and counties in Wisconsin
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