Eighteen of the 100 fastest growing municipalities in Wisconsin are located in the southeastern portion of the state, including seven in Lake Country or northern Waukesha County.
The village of Lannon leads all municipalities in the state with population growth of 20.6% from July 1, 2022 to July 1, 2023, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. The village’s population is now 2,290.
Other northern Waukesha County or Lake Country municipalities to see strong growth over the past year include Sussex, up 2.1% to 12,162; Merton, up 1.9% to 3,566; Menomonee Falls, up 1.2% to 39,700; the city of Oconomowoc, up 1% to 18,682; Hartland, up 1% to 10,065; and the city of Pewaukee, up 0.8% to 16,293.
Oak Creek was the second fastest-growing municipality in southeastern Wisconsin, adding almost 1,100 residents in a year. The city’s 3% growth rate brought its population to 37,156.
Other fast growing southeastern Wisconsin municipalities in the state's top 100 included Kohler, up 1.6% to 2,235; Grafton, up 1.4% to 12,608; Lake Geneva, up 1.4% to 8,684; Union Grove, up 1.3% to 5,152; Belgium, up 1.1% to 2,495; Slinger, up 1% to 6,363; Elkhart Lake, up 0.9% to 971; Eagle, up 0.9% to 2,146; Cedarburg, up 0.8% to 12,527; and West Bend, up 0.8% to 31,886.
In percentage terms, no southeastern Wisconsin municipalities made the top 100 in the state for population loss.
However, in absolute terms, Milwaukee did see the largest year-over-year decrease in population, losing 2,247 residents. The city’s population is now 561,385, a 0.4% decline. Milwaukee’s population is down more than 16,500 since 2020, although the 2023 decline was slower than in 2022 and 2021.
Wauwatosa saw a slightly larger decline at 0.5%, losing 219 residents to come in at 47,038. Kenosha lost 171 residents to come in at 98,211, a 0.2% decrease. Greenfield was down 130, a 0.4% decline that put its population at 36,916. Sheboygan decreased by 88, a 0.2% dip. South Milwaukee was down 87 or 0.4% and Cudahy decreased 82 or 0.3%.
Elsewhere in the state, Madison continued its growth, adding 2,891 residents, an increase of 1% that puts the city at 280,305.
Among the 10 largest city’s in the state, Racine, Appleton, Eau Claire, Waukesha, Oshkosh and Janesville all saw slight population gains last year.
Green Bay and Kenosha joined Milwaukee as top 10 cities to see a decline in population, dropping 0.4% and 0.2% respectively.
Population changes among Wisconsin's 50 largest municipalities
| Municipality |
2023 |
2023 Change |
2023 Rate |
Change since 2020 |
Rate of Change Since 2020 |
| Milwaukee |
561,385 |
-2,247 |
-0.40% |
-16,508 |
-2.90% |
| Madison |
280,305 |
2,891 |
1.00% |
5,661 |
2.10% |
| Green Bay |
105,744 |
-377 |
-0.40% |
-1,627 |
-1.50% |
| Kenosha |
98,211 |
-171 |
-0.20% |
-1,772 |
-1.80% |
| Racine |
76,602 |
93 |
0.10% |
-1,239 |
-1.60% |
| Appleton |
74,719 |
170 |
0.20% |
-955 |
-1.30% |
| Eau Claire |
70,542 |
840 |
1.20% |
1,104 |
1.60% |
| Waukesha |
70,446 |
10 |
0.00% |
-717 |
-1.00% |
| Oshkosh |
66,184 |
253 |
0.40% |
-617 |
-0.90% |
| Janesville |
66,102 |
281 |
0.40% |
488 |
0.70% |
| West Allis |
58,874 |
-41 |
-0.10% |
-1,460 |
-2.40% |
| La Crosse |
51,327 |
-49 |
-0.10% |
-1,360 |
-2.60% |
| Sheboygan |
49,686 |
-88 |
-0.20% |
-253 |
-0.50% |
| Wauwatosa |
47,038 |
-219 |
-0.50% |
-1,342 |
-2.80% |
| Fond du Lac |
44,300 |
-29 |
-0.10% |
-390 |
-0.90% |
| Brookfield |
41,884 |
-57 |
-0.10% |
417 |
1.00% |
| New Berlin |
40,260 |
-42 |
-0.10% |
-190 |
-0.50% |
| Wausau |
39,968 |
162 |
0.40% |
-56 |
-0.10% |
| Menomonee Falls |
39,700 |
476 |
1.20% |
1,177 |
3.10% |
| Sun Prairie |
37,890 |
1,267 |
3.50% |
1,917 |
5.30% |
| Oak Creek |
37,156 |
1,094 |
3.00% |
649 |
1.80% |
| Greenfield |
36,916 |
-130 |
-0.40% |
-870 |
-2.30% |
| Beloit |
36,342 |
-65 |
-0.20% |
-346 |
-0.90% |
| Franklin |
35,485 |
118 |
0.30% |
-653 |
-1.80% |
| Manitowoc |
34,568 |
-4 |
0.00% |
-69 |
-0.20% |
| Fitchburg |
32,284 |
165 |
0.50% |
1,294 |
4.20% |
| West Bend |
31,886 |
263 |
0.80% |
147 |
0.50% |
| Mount Pleasant |
27,727 |
114 |
0.40% |
1 |
0.00% |
| Neenah |
27,453 |
92 |
0.30% |
123 |
0.50% |
| Superior |
26,423 |
-82 |
-0.30% |
-327 |
-1.20% |
| Stevens Point |
25,752 |
56 |
0.20% |
76 |
0.30% |
| Mequon |
25,489 |
150 |
0.60% |
341 |
1.40% |
| De Pere |
25,348 |
-15 |
-0.10% |
-63 |
-0.20% |
| Caledonia |
25,326 |
102 |
0.40% |
-25 |
-0.10% |
| Muskego |
25,312 |
171 |
0.70% |
274 |
1.10% |
| Middleton |
22,967 |
657 |
2.90% |
1,138 |
5.20% |
| Watertown |
22,692 |
-92 |
-0.40% |
-243 |
-1.10% |
| Pleasant Prairie |
21,818 |
8 |
0.00% |
564 |
2.70% |
| Germantown |
21,020 |
-4 |
0.00% |
113 |
0.50% |
| Howard |
20,775 |
314 |
1.50% |
823 |
4.10% |
| South Milwaukee |
20,211 |
-87 |
-0.40% |
-588 |
-2.80% |
| Onalaska |
19,018 |
49 |
0.30% |
203 |
1.10% |
| Fox Crossing |
18,947 |
122 |
0.60% |
-48 |
-0.30% |
| Marshfield |
18,736 |
-3 |
0.00% |
-197 |
-1.00% |
| Oconomowoc |
18,682 |
186 |
1.00% |
483 |
2.70% |
| Wisconsin Rapids |
18,670 |
8 |
0.00% |
-200 |
-1.10% |
| Menasha |
18,069 |
177 |
1.00% |
-193 |
-1.10% |
| Cudahy |
17,706 |
-78 |
-0.40% |
-496 |
-2.70% |
| Kaukauna |
17,493 |
109 |
0.60% |
404 |
2.40% |
| Ashwaubenon |
16,986 |
161 |
1.00% |
3 |
0.00% |
