Wisconsin population

State · Official geographic code 55

5,972,787

· Annual resident population estimate

U.S. Census Bureau · Population Estimates Program · Vintage 2025

+15,619 residents (+0.26%) since July 1, 2024.

Wisconsin had an estimated 5,972,787 residents on July 1, 2025, the 21st most populous of the 50 states and 1.75% of the U.S. total. Its population grew 0.26% between July 2024 and July 2025, compared with +0.35% for the Midwest region and +0.52% for the United States.

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Population change, 2020–2025
+75,416July 1 to July 1 · +1.28%
Land-area density, 2025
110.3People per square mile · 2025 land area
Population rank, 2025
21 of 5050 states; DC listed separately

Wisconsin population history

Open historical explorer

The six July 1 estimates in the table belong to one consistent Vintage 2025 series. The Census Bureau revises earlier years when it releases a new vintage; a figure from an older publication may differ from the value below.

Wisconsin population, 2010–2025: 2010–2020 intercensal estimates (2020 boundaries) and Vintage 2025 estimates (2025 boundaries) 6.0M5.8M5.6M 2010201520202025

Vintage 2025, July 1, 2020–2025 Intercensal, 2010–2020

The highest observed population in this annual series was 5,972,787 in 2025. This is a peak within 2020–2025 coverage, not an all-time record.

Wisconsin: July 1 annual population estimates, Vintage 2025
Reference datePopulationAnnual change
July 1, 20205,897,371—
July 1, 20215,882,128-15,243
July 1, 20225,903,472+21,344
July 1, 20235,930,350+26,878
July 1, 20245,957,168+26,818
July 1, 20255,972,787+15,619
Why is the April 2020 estimates base different from a census count?

The PEP estimates base here is 5,894,323 residents on April 1, 2020. It incorporates the Census Bureau’s corrections and geographic revisions and serves as the starting point for this annual series. It is not labeled an original 2020 census count. The chart starts at July 1, 2020, so its five-year change uses two July observations. Read about measurement types.

Wisconsin population by year, 2010–2020

From the April 2010 estimates base to the April 2020 census count, Wisconsin gained 206,413 residents (+3.6%). These Census Bureau intercensal estimates use 2020 boundaries and were released in November 2024.

Wisconsin: 2010–2020 intercensal population estimates and April 1, 2020 census count, 2020 boundaries
DatePopulationAnnual change
April 1, 2010 · estimates base5,687,285—
July 1, 20105,692,038—
July 1, 20115,713,359+21,321
July 1, 20125,734,379+21,020
July 1, 20135,757,584+23,205
July 1, 20145,778,789+21,205
July 1, 20155,794,536+15,747
July 1, 20165,812,814+18,278
July 1, 20175,836,809+23,995
July 1, 20185,859,000+22,191
July 1, 20195,880,280+21,280
April 1, 2020 · census count5,893,698—

The April 2020 census count (5,893,698) and the Vintage 2025 April 2020 base (5,894,323) differ by 625. The gap comes from the Census Bureau’s revised 2020 base, not population change, so measure growth within one series. This file’s April 2020 figure also differs by 20 from the 2020 census count in the 1910–2020 table (5,893,718); both are shown as the Census Bureau published them. Source and download

Wisconsin population by census year, 1910–2020

These are separate census counts from the Census Bureau’s historical population-change table. Historical geographic definitions apply; they are not standardized to the 2025 boundary. Census dates changed historically: April 15, 1910; January 1, 1920; April 1, 1930 and 1940; and April 1 from 1950 onward.

Decennial census counts for Wisconsin
Census yearResident populationChange from previous census
19102,333,860—
19202,632,067+12.8%
19302,939,006+11.7%
19403,137,587+6.8%
19503,434,575+9.5%
19603,951,777+15.1%
19704,417,731+11.8%
19804,705,767+6.5%
19904,891,769+4.0%
20005,363,675+9.6%
20105,686,986+6.0%
20205,893,718+3.6%

Census counts, not annual estimates. Historical source and download

Growth and density

Between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2025, Wisconsin gained 75,416 residents, a 1.28% increase. The annualized change over these five elapsed years was +0.25%. Annualized change is a summary of the interval; it does not imply that the population changed at that rate in every year.

The 2025 Gazetteer reports 54,168.25 square miles of land. Dividing the July 1, 2025 population by that compatible land area gives 110.3 people per square mile. Water area is excluded. Density depends on geographic boundaries. It describes this entire geography, rather than a typical neighborhood or built-up area.

Calculations use unrounded source values. Population counts are displayed as integers, percentages to two decimals and density to one decimal. Calculation methods · Growth calculator

Components of population change

The published components cover July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Natural change equals births minus deaths. Net migration is arrivals minus departures; it does not establish why people moved.

Natural change
+1,161
Net domestic migration
+6,984
Net international migration
+7,260
Residual
+214
Source-published components, annual interval ending June 30, 2025
ComponentPeople
Births59,167
Deaths58,006
Natural change+1,161
Net domestic migration+6,984
Net international migration+7,260
Residual+214
Total population change+15,619

Reconciliation: natural change + net domestic migration + net international migration + residual = +15,619. Births and deaths are already included in natural change and must not be added again. Source: NST-EST2025-ALLDATA.csv; Vintage 2025.

How Wisconsin compares

Growth rates below use the same Vintage 2025 series for every row, so they can be compared directly. Regional and national rates combine faster- and slower-growing states.

Population and growth compared with larger geographies, Vintage 2025
GeographyPopulation · 2025Growth · 2024–25Growth · 2020–25
Wisconsin5,972,787+0.26%+1.28%
Midwest region69,762,666+0.35%+1.14%
United States341,784,857+0.52%+3.08%

Wisconsin demographics: age, race and income

The median age in Wisconsin is 40.2 years, compared with 38.9 in U.S.. 33.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the median household income is $77,485. About 10.6% of residents live below the poverty level, and 5.2% were born outside the United States.

These are American Community Survey 5-year estimates for 2020–2024. They describe the 60 months ending in December 2024, come from a sample survey with the margins of error shown, and are separate from the July 1, 2025 population estimate above.

Wisconsin population characteristics, ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimates with 90 percent margins of error
CharacteristicWisconsinMarginU.S.
Age and sex
Median age40.2±0.138.9
Under 18 years21.4%±0.122.0%
65 years and over18.5%±0.117.2%
Female49.9%±<0.150.5%
Race and Hispanic origin
Hispanic or Latino (any race)8.0%±<0.119.3%
White alone, not Hispanic78.6%±0.157.4%
Black alone, not Hispanic5.9%±<0.111.9%
Asian alone, not Hispanic2.9%±<0.15.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native, not Hispanic0.5%±<0.10.5%
Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, not Hispanic0.0%±<0.10.2%
Some other race, not Hispanic0.3%±<0.10.6%
Two or more races, not Hispanic3.7%±0.14.3%
Born outside the United States5.2%±0.114.1%
Households and education
Households2,479,480±5,787129,227,496
Average household size2.33±0.012.53
Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+33.4%±0.235.7%
Income and poverty
Median household income$77,485±$455$80,734
Below the poverty level10.6%±0.112.5%

Margins are 90% margins of error. Percentages are computed from published Summary File counts with Census Bureau margin formulas. ACS survey population: 5,914,872; 2024 boundaries. Source and download

Geographic context

County totals below describe separate county units. Incorporated cities are not an exhaustive division of a state, so their populations must not be summed as a state control total.

Resident population, July 1, 2025; change since July 1, 2024. PEP Vintage 2025.
PlacePopulation · 2025Change · 2024–25Growth · 2024–25People / sq. mi.
Milwaukee CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55079924,216-107-0.01%3,827.7
Dane CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55025590,375+4,050+0.69%493.4
Waukesha CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55133417,210+1,444+0.35%758.9
Brown CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55009275,803+1,552+0.57%520.3
Racine CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55101198,919+478+0.24%598.0
Outagamie CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55087195,894+1,109+0.57%307.3
Winnebago CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55139174,218+924+0.53%400.8
Kenosha CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55059168,44800.00%619.7
Rock CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55105166,472+807+0.49%231.8
Marathon CountyWisconsin · County equivalent · 55073139,432+338+0.24%90.2

Showing 10 of 72 related records. All counties · All incorporated places

Places with nearby population ranks

Neighboring 2025 population ranks. Similar population does not imply similar density, boundaries or demographics.

Resident population, July 1, 2025; change since July 1, 2024. PEP Vintage 2025.
PlacePopulation · 2025Change · 2024–25Growth · 2024–25People / sq. mi.
MarylandMaryland · State · 246,265,347+20,033+0.32%645.2
ColoradoColorado · State · 086,012,561+24,059+0.40%58.0
MinnesotaMinnesota · State · 275,830,405+33,000+0.57%73.2
South CarolinaSouth Carolina · State · 455,570,274+79,958+1.46%185.3

Source, citation and downloads

U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025, NST-EST2025-ALLDATA.csv, variable POPESTIMATE2025; Wisconsin, Wisconsin, geographic code 55; resident population 5,972,787 on July 1, 2025; boundaries January 1, 2025. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/state/totals/NST-EST2025-ALLDATA.csv. Retrieved September 30, 2026. US Population Data snapshot pep-2025-r1, transformation 1.

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