Population of Wisconsin 2021
Population
With its 5,709,843 residents (2011), Wisconsin ranks 20th in the list of American states, has about 400,000 fewer residents than Hesse and, with 33.7 residents per square kilometer, is only half as densely populated as Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
86.2% of the population are white, 6.3% African-American, 2.9% Hispanic, around 2.3% Asians, around 1.0% of Indian origin and 2.3% of other origins.
Wisconsin is regularly recorded as the worst African American state. Wisconsin has the highest black child mortality rate in the United States; in Milwaukee it is twice as high among black babies as it is among white ones. The black population is often below the poverty line or in custody, well above average. Seventy percent of black people in the state live in Milwaukee, where nearly half of all African American men between 20 and 40 have already been sentenced to prison. During the 2010 US Census, 12.8% of all black men in Wisconsin were in custody, the highest in the US. In addition, there are particularly strict criminal laws that disproportionately affect African Americans.
Historically, there are close ties between Germany and Wisconsin. Almost half of the population comes from German immigrants. City names such as Berlin, New Berlin, Kiel, New Holstein and Rhinelander indicate the origin of the town’s founders. Especially after the failed revolution of 1848, many disappointed and persecuted German democrats were drawn to this part of the USA, which had only recently been opened for settlement.
The largest city in the state, Milwaukee, was also heavily influenced by German influences. According to Samuel Freeman’s The Emigrant Handbook, in 1851 there were six German-language newspapers in the city that was nicknamed “German Athens”. By 1880, 27 percent of the city’s population were native Germans.
One of the legacies of the first generation of immigrants was the pronounced community spirit of the Milwaukee citizens. The city has always been very progressive in social matters. In 1910 Emil Seidel became the first socialist mayor of a major city in the USA.
The German immigrants also left their mark on the culinary front. The large breweries Pabst, Blatz, Schlitz and Miller earned Milwaukee the reputation of the American beer capital. Sausages and sauerkraut are still very popular today. Even the fast food chain McDonald’s had sausages on offer for a short time in Wisconsin, which are mostly just called brats.
However, the First World War led to the emphasis on German traditions and the reference to the old homeland being severely restricted. Even the sauerkraut was temporarily renamed liberty cabbage ; This partly forced, partly voluntary assimilation came to an end during the Second World War.
The Germanfest takes place annually in Milwaukee.
Top Counties by Population in Wisconsin
Rank | County Name | Population | Population Density (per km²) |
1 | Milwaukee County | 947,746 | 1,516.39 |
2 | Dane County | 488,084 | 157.40 |
3 | Waukesha County | 389,902 | 274.00 |
4 | Brown County | 248,018 | 180.77 |
5 | Racine County | 195,419 | 226.97 |
6 | Outagamie County | 176,706 | 107.03 |
7 | Winnebago County | 167,005 | 148.45 |
8 | Kenosha County | 166,437 | 236.42 |
9 | Rock County | 160,342 | 86.21 |
10 | Marathon County | 134,074 | 33.51 |
11 | Washington County | 131,898 | 118.19 |
12 | Sheboygan County | 115,518 | 87.25 |
13 | La Crosse County | 114,649 | 97.99 |
14 | Walworth County | 102,239 | 71.10 |
15 | Fond du Lac County | 101,644 | 54.53 |
16 | Eau Claire County | 98,747 | 59.77 |
17 | Dodge County | 88,770 | 39.14 |
18 | Ozaukee County | 86,406 | 143.06 |
19 | St. Croix County | 84,356 | 45.09 |
20 | Jefferson County | 83,697 | 58.08 |
21 | Manitowoc County | 81,453 | 53.38 |
22 | Wood County | 74,760 | 36.40 |
23 | Portage County | 70,030 | 33.77 |
24 | Chippewa County | 62,426 | 23.90 |
25 | Sauk County | 61,987 | 28.80 |
26 | Columbia County | 56,844 | 28.67 |
27 | Waupaca County | 52,421 | 27.06 |
28 | Grant County | 51,219 | 17.25 |
29 | Calumet County | 48,982 | 59.44 |
30 | Barron County | 45,881 | 20.54 |
31 | Monroe County | 44,684 | 19.15 |
32 | Polk County | 44,216 | 18.68 |
33 | Douglas County | 44,170 | 13.08 |
34 | Dunn County | 43,868 | 19.92 |
35 | Shawano County | 41,960 | 18.14 |
36 | Marinette County | 41,760 | 11.52 |
37 | Pierce County | 41,030 | 27.61 |
38 | Oconto County | 37,671 | 14.57 |
39 | Green County | 36,853 | 24.37 |
40 | Oneida County | 36,009 | 12.49 |
41 | Clark County | 34,701 | 11.08 |
42 | Vernon County | 29,784 | 14.53 |
43 | Trempealeau County | 28,827 | 15.19 |
44 | Lincoln County | 28,754 | 12.63 |
45 | Door County | 27,796 | 22.27 |
46 | Juneau County | 26,675 | 13.43 |
47 | Waushara County | 24,507 | 15.11 |
48 | Iowa County | 23,698 | 12.00 |
49 | Vilas County | 21,441 | 9.66 |
50 | Adams County | 20,886 | 12.49 |
51 | Taylor County | 20,700 | 8.20 |
52 | Kewaunee County | 20,585 | 23.21 |
53 | Jackson County | 20,460 | 8.00 |
54 | Langlade County | 19,988 | 8.86 |
55 | Green Lake County | 19,062 | 21.06 |
56 | Richland County | 18,032 | 11.88 |
57 | Lafayette County | 16,847 | 10.27 |
58 | Crawford County | 16,655 | 11.27 |
59 | Sawyer County | 16,568 | 5.09 |
60 | Ashland County | 16,168 | 5.97 |
61 | Washburn County | 15,922 | 7.71 |
62 | Burnett County | 15,468 | 7.27 |
63 | Marquette County | 15,415 | 13.06 |
64 | Bayfield County | 15,025 | 3.93 |
65 | Rusk County | 14,766 | 6.24 |
66 | Price County | 14,170 | 4.36 |
67 | Buffalo County | 13,598 | 7.81 |
68 | Forest County | 9,315 | 3.55 |
69 | Pepin County | 7,480 | 12.45 |
70 | Iron County | 5,927 | 3.02 |
71 | Florence County | 4,434 | 3.51 |
72 | Menominee County | 4,243 | 4.58 |
Main Cities in Wisconsin by Population
Below is the 10 largest cities In Wisconsin by population. Check COUNTRYAAH for a list of all towns and cities of Wisconsin in alphabetical order.