Wisconsin’s population has grown every year since the 2010 Census. The gains have not been especially large, a net gain of between 9,400 to 18,300 people each year.
This last year was no different. The state added 15,028 people, an increase of 0.26% that brings the state’s estimated population to 5,822,434. The gain brings Wisconsin to a net increase of 135,448 people since 2010.
The U.S. Census Bureau releases annual estimates of state and national population as of July 1 each year. More detailed city, county and demographic data is released at later.
Wisconsin’s 2019 population gain ranks 28th in the country. The state’s 2.38% growth since 2010 ranks 37th in the country.
Most of the country’s growth has been concentrated in the South and West, which have increased 9.6% and 8.9% since 2010 respectively. Those two regions grew 0.81% and 0.66% respectively in the last year.
Wisconsin has outpaced the Midwest as a whole, which has grown 2.09% since 2010 and 0.14% in the last year.
The Midwest, however, has been held back by the declining population of Illinois, which has lost 158,811 people since 2010 and 51,250 in the last year.
Excluding Illinois from the region, the Midwest has grown 2.89% since 2010 and 0.26% in the last year.
In percentage terms, South Dakota, Minnesota, Indiana, North Dakota and Nebraska all grew faster than Wisconsin last year. Iowa and Missouri have also grown faster since 2010.
Most of Wisconsin’s population gain in the last year came from its natural increase with 63,712 births outpacing the state’s 50,393 deaths. Total net migration added another 1,903 people with a net gain of 3,341 internationally offsetting the net loss of 1,438 people domestically.
Since 2010, Wisconsin has seen a net loss of 12,755 people through migration with the loss of 72,006 residents domestically outpacing a gain of 59,251 from outside the U.S.
Every Midwestern state except North and South Dakota has seen a net loss off domestically. Illinois has lost 865,873 residents to other states while adding 242,945 from outside the U.S.
Five Midwest states – Minnesota, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri – have had enough international migration since 2010 to offset domestic losses. Minnesota had a net gain of 114,414 from outside the U.S and Indiana added 99,099.
