Wisconsin

Wisconsin population growth slows as international migration shrinks by more than half

Published

2 months ago

February 18, 2026

Wisconsin population growth slows as international migration shrinks by more than half

Wisconsin’s population is on the rise, but the rate of growth has slowed over the past year amid a plunge in international migration to the state, according to recent estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

As of July 2025, Wisconsin had 5,972,787 residents, the Census Bureau reported Jan. 27. That’s about 15,000 residents – or about 0.26% – more than in 2024. That growth rate is nearly half what it was the year before and the lowest of the post-pandemic years so far.

Wisconsin is not alone in the trend. Nationwide population growth also slowed significantly in 2025 due to a dip in international migration. The year saw President Donald Trump begin a sweeping crackdown on immigration, which has involved everything from halting refugee programs to revoking protected status for hundreds of thousands of migrants.

In Wisconsin, the latest estimates show the number of international migrants coming to the state fell by more than 62% in 2025.

Here’s what else the Census Bureau report found.

Wisconsin’s population growth rate falls to lowest since pandemic

After several years of post-pandemic recovery, Wisconsin’s population growth in 2025 was its lowest since 2021, according to Census Bureau estimates.

The state’s 0.26% population growth rate was down from about 0.45% in 2023 and 2024, and 0.36% from 2022. Nationally, population growth halved last year, with the country’s population growing by 0.5%, or 1.8 million residents, compared to 1%, or 3.2 million residents, in 2024.

Various projections have predicted a long-term decline of Wisconsin’s population. In early 2025, the Department of Administration projected most Wisconsin counties would face a shrinking population by 2050, with an estimated statewide loss of nearly 200,000 residents.

Milwaukee County, though, defied these expectations when its population grew for the first time in a decade in 2024. The county’s population reached just under 925,000 residents as of July 1, 2024, which was up by 2,880 people, or 0.31%, from the prior year. The slight growth came after the county lost about 15,000 residents between 2020 and 2024 – the most of any Wisconsin county in that time period.

The Census Bureau has not yet released county population data for 2025.

After reaching record levels in 2024, international migration plunges

For both Wisconsin and the country, a rapid decline in international migration is driving the slowdown in population growth.

The drop comes after migration to Wisconsin reached the highest level in two decades in 2024, largely spurred by people moving to the state from other countries, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. Between July 2023 and June 2024, Wisconsin saw about 19,300 international migrants and about 5,800 domestic migrants move to the state.

In contrast, between June 2024 and July 2025, the number of international migrants dropped to 7,200 – the lowest since 2020. Nationwide, the number of international migrants fell by more than 50% from 2.7 million to 1.3 million last year.

The latter half of that yearlong period saw the Trump administration start its nationwide crackdown on immigration, including in Wisconsin.

For several years, global unrest drove people to the U.S. and Wisconsin: The fall of Kabul in Afghanistan and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine led to a national and local influx of refugees from those countries. Biden-era sponsorship of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela also allowed more legal immigrants, and Milwaukee in particular became a hub for Burmese refugees from Myanmar.

In his first few weeks in office, Trump issued a slew of executive orders on immigration, including indefinitely suspending federal refugee programs. More recently, the Trump administration announced Jan. 14 it would stop processing visas from 75 countries, halting the legal immigration process for hundreds of local immigrants and refugees in Milwaukee.

The curbing of international migration comes as some economists and population experts have argued that more immigrants will be key to growing the economy in Milwaukee and Wisconsin – especially with a declining birth rate and projections of a shrinking population.

Midwest sees domestic migration grow for the first time since pandemic

Despite the dip in international migration, the Midwest was the only region of the country where all states gained population last year, the Census Bureau reported.

It’s a change from when the region saw a steep population decline in 2021, followed by small growth in 2022, and then steadier growth each year after that. The past year was the first time this decade that the Midwest saw positive domestic net migration, meaning more people moved to the Midwest from other U.S. states than moved away.

Through domestic migration, the Midwest gained 16,000 residents last year, compared to net losses of more than 175,000 residents in 2021 and 2022.

Still, Midwest states were not immune to the effects of the immigration decline: The region’s population grew by about 244,000 residents in 2025, compared to about 386,000 in 2024.

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Wisconsin

Kirk Bangstad enters Wisconsin governor’s race, two days after visit from FBI

Published

40 minutes ago

May 3, 2026

Press Room

Kirk Bangstad enters Wisconsin governor’s race, two days after visit from FBI

(WLUK) — Just two days after he met with the FBI and Secret Service, Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad has entered the Wisconsin governor’s race.

Bangstad made the announcement this afternoon during an event that was posted on the company’s Facebook page.

He says he wanted someone to “stand up to Trump” and that his main concerns is “saving our democracy.”

Bangstad also shared his dissatisfaction with the current group of candidates for the crowded Democratic primary later this year

“I never wanted to do this,” Bangstad said. “At least I’m part of the conversation that I feel like everybody needs to be hearing right now.”

The brewing company owner was under fire this week after he posted “well, we almost got #freebeerday” shortly after the latest assassination attempt on President Donald Trump.

Bangstad has been a outspoken critic of the president. His company currently has a promotion promising free beer on the day Trump dies, which has drawn heavy criticism in the past.

In addition, his company sells merchandise that’s critical of the president, including t-shirts that read “I wish it was free beer day at Minocqua Brewing Company” and “Is he dead yet?”

Bangstad did not share if he would be aiming for a partisan endorsement, or the status of various required documents to enter the race.

He previously ran for a seat in the 34th District of the Wisconsin Assembly in 2020, but did not win the race. The Democratic Party of Wisconsin did donate to that campaign.

The Democratic primary is up in the air, with several state legislators and officials already in the race.

These include State Rep. Francesca Hong, former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez, and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley.

On the Republican side, U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany is the front-runner, following an endorsement from President Trump that led to Washington County Executive Josh Schoemann dropping out of the race.

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Wisconsin

Walleye and musky fishing season now open on Wisconsin lakes

Published

13 hours ago

May 2, 2026

Press Room

Walleye and musky fishing season now open on Wisconsin lakes

article

MADISON, Wis. – Walleye and musky fishing season will proceed as normal on Wisconsin’s lakes, despite resolutions by a local Tribe to restrict fishing on certain lakes.

On Friday, May 1, the federal Western District of Wisconsin issued a temporary restraining order that stopped the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians from restricting fishing of walleye and musky on certain lakes.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), over the past month, the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians have passed resolutions and made public statements that attempted to prohibit non-tribal members from fishing walleye and musky on nineteen lakes within the external boundaries of the Band’s reservation and from using forward trolling and forward-facing sonar on all lakes within the external boundaries of the Band’s reservation.

The State of Wisconsin filed a federal complaint in the Western District of Wisconsin to prevent the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians from enforcing these resolutions against licensed anglers.

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Where to fish

What we know:

The federal court issued a restraining order against the tribe, which means that non-tribal anglers may fish as normal in the following lakes:

Big Crawling Stone Lake
Big Crooked Lake
Bolton Lake
Fat Lake
Fence Lake
Flambeau Lake
Ike Walton Lake
Little Crawling Stone Lake
Little Sand Lake
Long Lake
Pokegama Lake
Poupart Lake
Signal Lake
Stearns Lake
Sugarbush Chain (Upper, Middle and Lower)
White Sand Lake
Whitefish Lake

The DNR says it remains committed to collaborating with the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians on important conservation work to protect the walleye and musky fisheries.

Anglers are also reminded to follow all fishing regulations and bag limits for lakes across Wisconsin, and everyone is encouraged to be respectful of all tribal harvesters, anglers, and recreators.

Head to the DNR’s website to check out the full fishing season schedule.

The Source: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) sent FOX6 a news release.

Hunting and FishingNewsWisconsin

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Wisconsin

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for May 1, 2026

Published

1 day ago

May 2, 2026

Press Room

Wisconsin Lottery Mega Millions, Pick 3 results for May 1, 2026

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 1, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 1 drawing

16-21-27-41-61, Mega Ball: 24

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 1 drawing

Midday: 8-3-1

Evening: 0-8-0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 1 drawing

Midday: 4-5-0-8

Evening: 7-8-4-7

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning All or Nothing numbers from May 1 drawing

Midday: 01-02-03-05-07-10-11-14-15-16-17

Evening: 02-03-05-06-10-11-13-16-18-20-22

Check All or Nothing payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Badger 5 numbers from May 1 drawing

04-09-11-19-21

Check Badger 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning SuperCash numbers from May 1 drawing

16-18-21-22-28-29, Doubler: N

Check SuperCash payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Prizes up to $599: Can be claimed at any Wisconsin Lottery retailer.
Prizes from $600 to $199,999: Can be claimed in person at a Lottery Office. By mail, send the signed ticket and a completed claim form available on the Wisconsin Lottery claim page to: Prizes, PO Box 777 Madison, WI 53774.
Prizes of $200,000 or more: Must be claimed in person at the Madison Lottery office. Call the Lottery office prior to your visit: 608-261-4916.

Can Wisconsin lottery winners remain anonymous?

No, according to the Wisconsin Lottery. Due to the state’s open records laws, the lottery must, upon request, release the name and city of the winner. Other information about the winner is released only with the winner’s consent.

When are the Wisconsin Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 10:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
Super Cash: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 3 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
Pick 4 (Evening): 9:00 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Day): 1:30 p.m. CT daily.
All or Nothing (Evening): 9 p.m. CT daily.
Megabucks: 9:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Badger 5: 9:00 p.m. CT daily.

That lucky feeling: Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

Feeling lucky? WI man wins $768 million Powerball jackpot **

WI Lottery history: Top 10 Powerball and Mega Million jackpots

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Wisconsin editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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