Wisconsin

"Badger State" redirects here. For other uses, see Wisconsin (disambiguation) and Badger State (disambiguation).

Wisconsin
State
Flag of Wisconsin
Flag
Official seal of Wisconsin
Seal
Nicknames: 
Badger State, America's Dairyland[1][2][3][4][5]
Motto: 
Forward
Anthem: "On, Wisconsin!"
Map of the United States with Wisconsin highlighted
Map of the United States with Wisconsin highlighted
CountryUnited States
Before statehoodWisconsin Territory
Admitted to the UnionMay 29, 1848 (30th)
CapitalMadison
Largest cityMilwaukee
Largest county or equivalentMilwaukee County
Largest metro and urban areasMilwaukee
Government
 • GovernorTony Evers (D)
 • Lieutenant governorSara Rodriguez (D)
LegislatureWisconsin Legislature
 • Upper houseSenate
 • Lower houseAssembly
JudiciaryWisconsin Supreme Court
U.S. senators
U.S. House delegation
  • 6 Republicans
  • 2 Democrats
(list)
Area
 • Total65,498.37 sq mi (169,640.0 km2)
 • Land54,153.1 sq mi (140,256 km2)
 • Rank23rd[6]
Dimensions
 • Length311 mi (507 km)
 • Width260 mi (427 km)
Elevation
1,050 ft (320 m)
Highest elevation
(Timms Hill[7][8])
1,951 ft (595 m)
Lowest elevation
(Lake Michigan[7][8])
579 ft (176 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total5,893,718[9]
 • Rank20th
 • Density108.8/sq mi (42.0/km2)
  • Rank27th[11]
 • Median household income
$64,168[10]
 • Income rank
21st
DemonymsWisconsinite, Cheesehead (colloquial)
Language
 • Official languageNone
 • Spoken language
  • English 91.32%
  • Spanish 4.64%
  • Other 8.68%[12]
Time zoneUTC– 06:00 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC– 05:00 (CDT)
USPS abbreviation
WI
ISO 3166 codeUS-WI
Traditional abbreviationWis., Wisc.
Latitude42° 30' N to 47° 05′ N
Longitude86° 46′ W to 92° 54′ W
Websitewww.wisconsin.gov
Symbols of Wisconsin
Bird
Fish
Flower
Insect
Tree
BeverageMilk
DancePolka
Food
  • Corn
  • Zea mays
Fossil
MineralGalena
RockRed granite
TartanWisconsin tartan

Wisconsin (/wɪˈskɒnsɪn/ ⓘ wisk-ON-sin)[13] is a state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders 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 20th-largest state by population and 23rd-largest state by area. It is divided into 72 counties and as of the 2020 census had a population of nearly 5.9 million.[14] Its most populous city is Milwaukee, while its capital and second-most populous city is Madison. Other urban areas include Green Bay, Kenosha, Racine, Eau Claire, and the Fox Cities.[15]

Wisconsin's geography is diverse, shaped by Ice Age glaciers except for the Driftless Area. The Northern Highland and Western Upland along with a part of the Central Plain occupy the western part of the state, with lowlands stretching to the shore of Lake Michigan. Wisconsin is third to Ontario and Michigan in the length of its Great Lakes coastline. The northern portion of the state is home to the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. At the time of European contact, the area was inhabited by Algonquian and Siouan nations, and today it is home to eleven federally recognized tribes.[16] Originally part of the Northwest Territory, it was admitted as a state in 1848. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, many European settlers entered the state, most of whom emigrated from Germany and Scandinavia.[17][18] Wisconsin remains a center of German American and Scandinavian American culture,[19] particularly in respect to its cuisine, with foods such as bratwurst and kringle.

Wisconsin is one of the nation's leading dairy producers and is known as "America's Dairyland"; it is particularly famous for its cheese.[20][21] The state is also famous for its beer, particularly and historically in Milwaukee, most notably as the headquarters of the Miller Brewing Company. Wisconsin has some of the most permissive alcohol laws in the country and is known for its drinking culture.[22][23] Its economy is dominated by manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, and agriculture—specifically dairy, cranberries, and ginseng.[24] Tourism is also a major contributor to the state's economy.[25] The gross domestic product in 2020 was $348 billion.[26] Wisconsin is home to one UNESCO World Heritage Site, comprising two of the most significant buildings designed by Wisconsin-born architect Frank Lloyd Wright: his studio at Taliesin near Spring Green and his Jacobs I House in Madison.[27] The Republican Party was founded in Wisconsin in 1854; in modern elections, it is considered a swing state.

  1. ^ Dornfeld, Margaret; Hantula, Richard (2010). Wisconsin: It's my state!. Marshall Cavendish. p. 5. ISBN 978-1-60870-062-2. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved June 10, 2015.
  2. ^ Urdang, Laurence (1988). Names and Nicknames of Places and Things. Penguin Group USA. p. 8. ISBN 9780452009073. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015. "America's Dairyland" A nickname of Wisconsin
  3. ^ Kane, Joseph Nathan; Alexander, Gerard L. (1979). Nicknames and sobriquets of U.S. cities, States, and counties. Scarecrow Press. p. 412. ISBN 9780810812550. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015. Wisconsin—America's Dairyland, The Badger State ...The Copper State
  4. ^ Herman, Jennifer L. (2008). Wisconsin Encyclopedia, American Guide. North American Book Dist LLC. p. 10. ISBN 9781878592613. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015. Nicknames Wisconsin is generally known as The Badger State, or America's Dairyland, although in the past it has been nicknamed The Copper State.
  5. ^ "Wisconsin State Symbols" Archived February 22, 2017, at the Wayback Machine in Wisconsin Blue Book 2005–2006, p. 966.
  6. ^ "State Area Measurements and Internal Point Coordinates". US Census Bureau. 2010. Archived from the original on April 7, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Elevations and Distances in the United States". United States Geological Survey. 2001. Archived from the original on October 15, 2011. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  8. ^ a b Elevation adjusted to North American Vertical Datum of 1988.
  9. ^ Schneider, Mike. "Census: Wisconsin retains its 8 seats in Congress as South gains, Midwest loses". madison.com. Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on April 26, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  10. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Archived from the original on October 5, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  11. ^ "Historical Apportionment Data Map". US Census Bureau. Archived from the original on October 4, 2021. Retrieved October 5, 2021.
  12. ^ "Wisconsin Population 2022 (Demographics, Maps, Graphs)". wisconsinpopulationreview.com. Archived from the original on November 18, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  13. ^ "Wisconsin". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster.
  14. ^ "QuickFacts Wisconsin; United States". census.gov. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  15. ^ "Census: Madison, suburbs top list of fastest-growing cities in Wisconsin". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on July 25, 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2020.
  16. ^ "American Indians in Wisconsin – Overview". Wisconsin Department of Health Services. August 12, 2014. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  17. ^ "Germans in Wisconsin". Wisconsin Historical Society. August 3, 2012. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  18. ^ Gordon, Scott (November 4, 2016). "How Scandinavians Transformed The Midwest, And The Midwest Transformed Them Too". WisContext. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  19. ^ "German and Scandinavian Immigrants in the American Midwest". Washington State University. Washington State University. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  20. ^ "wisconsin.uk". Archived from the original on October 25, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2019.
  21. ^ Our Fifty States.
  22. ^ Matthews, Christopher. "The 3 Best and 3 Worst States in America for Drinking". Time. ISSN 0040-781X. Archived from the original on September 1, 2019. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  23. ^ White, Laurel (May 19, 2019). "High Tolerance: How State's Drinking Culture Developed". urbanmilwaukee.com. Wisconsin Public Radio. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
  24. ^ Adams, Barry. "Ginseng continues rebound in central Wisconsin". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on August 11, 2018. Retrieved August 11, 2018.
  25. ^ "Evers announces $10M to promote tourism industry in Wisconsin". WDJT-TV. August 3, 2021. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  26. ^ "Wisconsin". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  27. ^ "The 20th-century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 7, 2019.