Fast Facts: Wisconsin remained under de facto British control for 25 years after becoming an American territory. The capital city is Madison and the largest city is Milwaukee.
Wisconsin Careers: Wisconsin was recently ranked the 43rd “Best State for Business” by Forbes.
Wisconsin Career Education: Wisconsin ranked 15th in a 2009 K-12 “Academic Achievement” study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Wisconsin Economy: The “Dairy State” ranks second in the nation in total dairy production, producing about one-third of the nation’s cheese and providing justification for the historic term “cheese-heads” in reference to pro football’s Green Bay Packers.
For details and sources, click the “Career Information” tab below.
Fond Du Lac
Fond Du Lac
Location, Location, Location…: Wisconsin is located in the north-central part of the country and borders two of the five Great Lakes and four states: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota.
Cities: Wisconsin’s capital is Madison, while its largest city is Milwaukee.
Behind the Name: Wisconsin has been nicknamed both “The Badger State” in reference to small homes of lead miners in the 1830s that shared a striking resemblance to badger huts, as well as “The Dairy State,” referring directly to the state’s large production of dairy products.
A Closer Look: Wisconsin’s main attractions for out-of-state visitors are its variety of outdoor recreation opportunities; it boasts over 15,000 lakes and miles of deep, cool woods.
Did You Know? The United States acquired the Wisconsin territory after the American Revolution in 1783, but it remained under de facto British control until after the War of 1812. (1) [Ed. Note: And we thought today’s government bureaucracy was slow…]
Population: 5,627,967 (4.9% increase since 2000) – 50.3% Female, 49.7% Male (2008 U.S. Census Bureau).
Business Environment: Ranked 43rd in Forbes Magazine’s “Best States for Business,” 2008.
Top Industries: In terms of paid employees, according to a 2008 U.S. Census Bureau study: (1) manufacturing; (2) retail trade; (3) health care and social assistance; (4) accommodation and food services; and (5) construction.
Taxes: Income Tax, 4.6% to 6.75% and Sales Tax, 5% (Federation of Tax Administrators).
Cost of Living: 95.8 in relation to the “National Average” of 100 (Federal Cost of Living Index).
Quality of Life: Ranked 23rd of 50 states by CNBC, 2009.
Weather: Average Temperature (In °F) – Jan: 13.18; Apr: 43.17; July: 69.11; Oct: 46.63 (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration).
K-12: Ranked 15th of 50 states in “Academic Achievement” by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 2009.
In General: Traditionally known as a farm state, Wisconsin’s economy is led by manufacturing, agriculture, and health care.
Service Industry: The service industry employs a significant portion of the Wisconsin workforce (32%), primarily in community, business and personal services such as private health care, law firms, hotels and repair shops.
Agriculture: Dairy products account for over half of Wisconsin’s total agricultural receipts, ranking second in the U.S. behind California in total dairy production. Wisconsin produces about one-third of the cheese made in the United States and is a leading butter-producing state. [Thus, the reason for the apt historic football term “cheese-heads” in reference to pro football’s Green Bay Packers].
Manufacturing: Machinery (engines and turbines, power cranes and other construction machinery, heating and cooling equipment and metalworking machinery) is Wisconsin’s leading manufactured product.
Mining: Used in the construction industry, gravel and crushed stone represent Wisconsin’s most important mined products.
A Closer Look: Milwaukee is one of the Midwest’s important financial centers, home to the two largest banking companies in Wisconsin and one of the biggest insurance companies in the United States.
Did You Know? How about a cold one? Beer is Wisconsin’s most important processed beverage product.
Sources: In addition to specific citations noted in this “Career Information” section, supplementary source materials include: the U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service; Netstate.com; Education-Portal.com; USCollegeSearch.org; and Wikipedia.com.
|5,362,884||Population (as of 2000)||2.0||Average Persons Per Household (as of 2000)|
|5,754,064||Population (current)||$93,397||Average House Value (as of 2000)|
|53,734.9||Square Miles of Land||$40,769||Average House Income (as of 2000)|
|775.1||Square Miles of Water|
|141,923||Number of Businesses (as of 2003)||$18,428,798,000||Total First Quarter Payroll (as of 2003)|
|2,348,013||Number of Employees (as of 2003)||$76,756,473,000||Total Annual Payroll (as of 2003)|