Fastest-growing counties in Wisconsin

Written by:
February 23, 2021
Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

Fastest-growing counties in Wisconsin

From 2018 to 2019, the U.S. population grew by .48%, its slowest rate in 100 years. Declining births, increasing deaths largely due to the graying Baby Boomer population, and a crackdown on immigration have contributed to many states seeing net population losses in recent years.

But in other pockets of the country, populations are growing. These shifts can be due to job opportunities, high quality of life, easy commutability to job centers, low rents, or any combination of these or other factors. Stacker compiled a list of the fastest-growing counties in Wisconsin using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest population growth from 2010 to 2019, based on 5-year estimates.

A county typically sees population growth as a “bedroom community” (a municipality with an atypically large commuting population) to a large city. These communities are typically quieter than their feeder cities, offer lower rents and a higher quality of living, and are remote enough to be immune to the feeder city’s crime, traffic, and crowds. Keep reading to see if your home county made the list.

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SD Dirk // Wikimedia Commons

#30. Green County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +448
--- #1,181 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.2%
--- #30 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,334 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 36,896
--- #39 largest county in Wisconsin, #1,252 largest county nationwide
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Downspec // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Columbia County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +783
--- #1,041 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.4%
--- #27 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,302 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 57,133
--- #26 largest county in Wisconsin, #897 largest county nationwide
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gillfoto // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Racine County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +866
--- #1,017 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +0.4%
--- #32 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,469 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 195,602
--- #5 largest county in Wisconsin, #341 largest county nationwide
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Jon Roanhaus // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Trempealeau County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +976
--- #981 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.4%
--- #16 among counties in Wisconsin, #992 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 29,499
--- #43 largest county in Wisconsin, #1,441 largest county nationwide
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Corey Coyle // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Grant County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,017
--- #970 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +2.0%
--- #23 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,206 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 51,733
--- #27 largest county in Wisconsin, #964 largest county nationwide
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Royalbroil // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Vernon County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,173
--- #941 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.0%
--- #10 among counties in Wisconsin, #915 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 30,633
--- #42 largest county in Wisconsin, #1,417 largest county nationwide
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TheCatalyst31 // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Portage County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,195
--- #932 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.7%
--- #24 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,251 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 70,632
--- #23 largest county in Wisconsin, #762 largest county nationwide
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Yinan Chen // Wikimedia Commons

#23. Walworth County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,339
--- #896 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.3%
--- #29 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,322 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 103,074
--- #15 largest county in Wisconsin, #585 largest county nationwide
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Emistuemke // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Dunn County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,394
--- #885 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.2%
--- #18 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,018 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 44,759
--- #32 largest county in Wisconsin, #1,078 largest county nationwide
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Iulus Ascanius // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Pierce County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,447
--- #875 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.6%
--- #15 among counties in Wisconsin, #976 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 41,977
--- #35 largest county in Wisconsin, #1,131 largest county nationwide
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Royalbroil // Wikimedia Commons

#20. Fond du Lac County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,678
--- #826 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.7%
--- #25 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,261 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 102,597
--- #16 largest county in Wisconsin, #588 largest county nationwide
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Wineinger // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Monroe County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,718
--- #816 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.9%
--- #12 among counties in Wisconsin, #926 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 45,771
--- #30 largest county in Wisconsin, #1,056 largest county nationwide
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Scott Catron // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Jefferson County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +1,923
--- #788 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +2.3%
--- #21 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,158 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 84,701
--- #20 largest county in Wisconsin, #675 largest county nationwide
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self // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Calumet County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +2,026
--- #772 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.2%
--- #9 among counties in Wisconsin, #887 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 49,928
--- #29 largest county in Wisconsin, #987 largest county nationwide
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Visit Beloit // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Rock County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +2,188
--- #751 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.4%
--- #28 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,306 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 162,152
--- #9 largest county in Wisconsin, #402 largest county nationwide
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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Chippewa County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +2,426
--- #720 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.9%
--- #11 among counties in Wisconsin, #920 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 63,892
--- #25 largest county in Wisconsin, #831 largest county nationwide
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James Meyer // Shutterstock

#14. Ozaukee County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +2,652
--- #699 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.1%
--- #19 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,036 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 88,597
--- #18 largest county in Wisconsin, #654 largest county nationwide
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Bobak Ha'Eri // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Marathon County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +2,752
--- #687 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +2.1%
--- #22 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,198 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 135,396
--- #10 largest county in Wisconsin, #468 largest county nationwide
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bogdanstepniak // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Sauk County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +2,965
--- #668 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.9%
--- #7 among counties in Wisconsin, #814 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 63,922
--- #24 largest county in Wisconsin, #829 largest county nationwide
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Keith Cooper // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Kenosha County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,196
--- #582 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +2.6%
--- #20 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,122 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 168,524
--- #8 largest county in Wisconsin, #382 largest county nationwide
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Mjrichter // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Washington County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +4,719
--- #558 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.6%
--- #14 among counties in Wisconsin, #968 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 134,925
--- #11 largest county in Wisconsin, #470 largest county nationwide
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Alan Froegel // Wikimedia Commons

#9. La Crosse County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +5,075
--- #540 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +4.5%
--- #8 among counties in Wisconsin, #854 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 117,894
--- #12 largest county in Wisconsin, #526 largest county nationwide
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Creative Commons

#8. Winnebago County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +5,379
--- #525 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.3%
--- #17 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,012 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 170,411
--- #7 largest county in Wisconsin, #380 largest county nationwide
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Thomson200 // Wikimedia Commons

#7. St. Croix County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +6,096
--- #497 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +7.4%
--- #2 among counties in Wisconsin, #576 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 88,732
--- #17 largest county in Wisconsin, #653 largest county nationwide
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Itrytohelp32 // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Eau Claire County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +6,133
--- #494 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +6.3%
--- #6 among counties in Wisconsin, #665 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 103,514
--- #14 largest county in Wisconsin, #580 largest county nationwide
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Royalbroil // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Outagamie County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +11,243
--- #365 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +6.4%
--- #5 among counties in Wisconsin, #655 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 185,700
--- #6 largest county in Wisconsin, #353 largest county nationwide
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compujeramey // Flickr

#4. Milwaukee County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +13,610
--- #335 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +1.5%
--- #26 among counties in Wisconsin, #1,291 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 951,226
--- #1 largest county in Wisconsin, #52 largest county nationwide
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pasa47 // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Waukesha County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +14,345
--- #325 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +3.7%
--- #13 among counties in Wisconsin, #952 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 400,475
--- #3 largest county in Wisconsin, #175 largest county nationwide
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Chris Rand//Wikicommons

#2. Brown County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +16,992
--- #293 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +7.0%
--- #4 among counties in Wisconsin, #615 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 261,368
--- #4 largest county in Wisconsin, #262 largest county nationwide
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Paul Brady Photography // Shutterstock

#1. Dane County

- 2010 to 2019 population change: +58,330
--- #91 among all counties nationwide
- 2010 to 2019 percent population change: +12.2%
--- #1 among counties in Wisconsin, #287 among all counties nationwide
- 2019 population: 536,078
--- #2 largest county in Wisconsin, #128 largest county nationwide

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