E.g., 10/02/2023
E.g., 10/02/2023
State Demographics Data - WI
 

Wisconsin

Demographics & Social
2021
2000
1990
Demographics

Note: The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.

Foreign Born
Number 300,760
% Foreign Born 5.1%
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2021 55.2%
% change: 1990-2000 59.4%
Race (%)  
One race 78.2%
White
23.8%
Black or African American
6.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native
1.1%
Asian
31.7%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
0.0%
Other race
14.7%
Two or more races 21.8%
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Number 113,649
% Latino 37.8%
Age Groups (%)  
Under 5 0.3%
5-17 6.4%
18-64 80.0%
65 and older 13.3%
Median Age

Note: 1) Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the Census Bureau’s pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS. 2) The letter N indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

42.8
Gender (% female) 50.2%
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
Never married 25.2%
Married 60.0%
Separated, divorced, or widowed 14.8%

Note: The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.

U.S. Born
Number 5,595,148
% Foreign Born  
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 8.2%
% change: 1990-2000 8.4%
Race (%)  
One race 93.4%
White 83.3%
Black or African American 6.1%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.7%
Asian 1.4%
Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander 0.0%
Other race 1.8%
Two or more races 6.6%
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Number 327,674
% Latino 5.9%
Age Groups (%)  
Under 5 5.6%
5-17 16.8%
18-64 59.5%
65 and older 18.1%
Median Age 39.9
Gender (% female) 49.9%
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
Never married 33.7%
Married 49.3%
Separated, divorced, or widowed 17.0%
Foreign Born
Number 193,751
% Foreign Born 3.6%
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011  
 
Race (%)  
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Age Groups (%)  
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
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U.S. Born
Number 5,169,924
Population Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011  
1990-2000  
Race (%)  
Latino Origin (of any race)  
Age Groups (%)  
Marital Status (15 and older) (%)  
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Foreign Born
Number 121,547
% Foreign Born 2.5%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Number 4,770,222
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Place of Birth Number
Region of Birth (excluding born at sea)

Note: For 1990, 2000, and current ACS year, the total for the region of birth of the foreign born is different from the total foreign born. This is because the 1990 total excludes those who did not report a country of birth and those born at sea, while the 2000 and the current ACS year totals exclude those born at sea.

300,760
Born in Africa 21,299
Born in Asia 106,464
Born in Europe 45,287
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 119,482
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 6,817
Born in Oceania 1,411
Top 3 Countries of Birth

Note: These are the largest countries of birth reported by the Census Bureau. Some countries are only listed as part of a larger geographic region. For example, those born in Somalia are included only among those born in Eastern Africa. Therefore, a few states may have larger populations of foreign-born persons born in countries not listed individually in census data. For each of the three years, countries of birth reflect geographic boundaries as of that year.

 
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
Detailed Region/Country of Birth

Note: These are the largest countries of birth reported by the Census Bureau. Some countries are only listed as part of a larger geographic region. For example, those born in Somalia are included only among those born in Eastern Africa. Therefore, a few states may have larger populations of foreign-born persons born in countries not listed individually in census data. For each of the three years, countries of birth reflect geographic boundaries as of that year.

300,760
Europe 45,287
Northern Europe 6,764
United Kingdom
5,077
Ireland
446
Other Northern Europe
1,241
Western Europe 11,278
France
596
Germany
7,550
Other Western Europe
3,132
Southern Europe 4,931
Italy
2,937
Portugal
97
Other Southern Europe
1,897
Eastern Europe 22,269
Poland
4,254
Russia
4,491
Other Eastern Europe
13,524
Other Europe (no country specified) 45
Asia 106,464
Eastern Asia 22,282
China
15,877

China, excluding Taiwan

14,320

Taiwan

1,557
Japan
1,749
Korea
4,502
Other Eastern Asia
154
South Central Asia 32,769
India
26,167
Iran
1,126
Other South Central Asia
5,476
Southeastern Asia 43,873
Philippines
9,568
Vietnam
4,028
Other Southeastern Asia
30,277
Western Asia 6,945
Israel
22
Lebanon
421
Other Western Asia
6,502
Other Asia (no country specified) 595
Africa 21,299
Eastern Africa 3,188
Northern Africa
3,406
Western Africa
9,861
Middle and Southern Africa
2,975
Other Africa (no country specified)
1,869
Oceania 1,411
Australia and New Zealand subregion 1,341
Oceania (no country specified) 70
Americas 126,299
Latin America 119,482
Caribbean
6,094

Cuba

1,663

Jamaica

1,989

Other Caribbean

2,442
Central America
98,000

Mexico

86,946

El Salvador

1,227

Other Central America

9,827
South America
15,388

Brazil

3,117

Colombia

3,684

Other South America

8,587
Northern America 6,817
Canada
6,784
Other Northern America
33
Period of Entry into U.S.  
Before 1990 70,814
1990-1999 57,434
2000-2009 83,334
Since 2010 89,178
%
Region of Birth (excluding born at the sea)* 100%
Born in Africa 7.1%
Born in Asia 35.4%
Born in Europe 15.1%
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 39.7%
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 2.3%
Born in Oceania 0.5%
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
Detailed Region/Country of Birth* 100%
Europe 15.1%
Northern Europe 2.2%
United Kingdom 1.7%
Ireland 0.1%
Other Northern Europe 0.4%
Western Europe 3.7%
France 0.2%
Germany 2.5%
Other Western Europe 1.0%
Southern Europe 1.6%
Italy 1.0%
Portugal N
Other Southern Europe 0.6%
Eastern Europe 7.4%
Poland 1.4%
Russia 1.5%
Other Eastern Europe 4.5%
Other Europe (no country specified) N
Asia 35.4%
Eastern Asia 7.4%
China 5.3%
China, excluding Taiwan 4.8%
Taiwan 0.5%
Japan 0.6%
Korea 1.5%
Other Eastern Asia 0.1%
South Central Asia 10.9%
India 8.7%
Iran 0.4%
Other South Central Asia 1.8%
Southeastern Asia 14.6%
Philippines 3.2%
Vietnam 1.3%
Other Southeastern Asia 10.1%
Western Asia 2.3%
Israel N
Lebanon 0.1%
Other Western Asia 2.2%
Other Asia (no country specified) 0.2%
Africa 7.1%
Eastern Africa 1.1%
Northern Africa 1.1%
Western Africa 3.3%
Middle and Southern Africa 1.0%
Other Africa (no country specified) 0.6%
Oceania 0.5%
Australia and New Zealand subregion 0.4%
Oceania (no country specified) N
Americas 42.0%
Latin America 39.7%
Caribbean 2.0%
Cuba 0.6%
Jamaica 0.7%
Other Caribbean 0.8%
Central America 32.6%
Mexico 28.9%
El Salvador 0.4%
Other Central America 3.3%
South America 5.1%
Brazil 1.0%
Colombia 1.2%
Other South America 2.9%
Northern America 2.3%
Canada 2.3%
Other Northern America N
Period of Entry into U.S.  
Before 1980 23.5%
1980-1989 19.1%
1990-1999 27.7%
Since 2000 29.7%
Number
Region of Birth (excluding born at the sea)* 193,751
Born in Africa 4,812
Born in Asia 62,762
Born in Europe 52,213
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 65,683
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 7,228
Cat28 1,046
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Region of birth 100%
Born in Africa 2.5%
Born in Asia 32.4%
Born in Europe 26.9%
Born in Latin America 33.9%
Born in Northern America 3.7%
Born in Oceania 0.5%
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Number
Region of Birth (excluding born at the sea)* 118,289
Born in Africa 2,305
Born in Asia 36,472
Born in Europe 56,589
Born in Latin America (South America, Central America, Mexico, and the Caribbean) 16,593
Born in Northern America (Canada, Bermuda, Greenland, and St. Pierre and Miquelon) 5,764
Cat21 566
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Region of birth 100%
Born in Africa 1.9%
Born in Asia 30.8%
Born in Europe 47.8%
Born in Latin America 14.0%
Born in Northern America 4.9%
Born in Oceania 0.5%
Top 3 Countries of Birth*  
Country #1
Country #2
Country #3
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Naturalization Number
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 300,760
Naturalized citizens 147,691
Noncitizens 153,069
Naturalized Citizens by Period of Naturalization 147,691
Before 1990 28,842
1990-1999 20,672
2000-2009 42,593
2010-2014 19,867
Since 2015 35,717
%
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 100%
Naturalized citizens 49.1%
Noncitizens 50.9%
Naturalized Citizens by Period of Naturalization 100%
Before 1980 19.5%
1980-1989 14.0%
1990-1999 28.8%
2000-2009 13.5%
Since 2010 24.2%
Number
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 193,751
Naturalized citizens 76,223
Noncitizens 117,528
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 100%
Naturalized citizens 39.3%
Noncitizens 60.7%
   
   
   
   
   
   
Number
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 121,547
Naturalized citizens 63,611
Noncitizens 57,936
   
   
   
   
   
   
%
Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status 100%
Naturalized citizens 52.3%
Noncitizens 47.7%
   
   
   
   
   
   
Fertility Foreign Born
Female Population (ages 15-50) 95,051
Women (ages 15-50) who gave birth in the last 12 months 4,666
% married among women who gave birth
82.0%
% unmarried (never married, divorced, or widowed) among women who gave birth
18.0%
U.S. Born
Female Population (ages 15-50) 1,212,526
Women (ages 15-50) who gave birth in the last 12 months 59,155
% married among women who gave birth 73.0%
% unmarried (never married, divorced, or widowed) among women who gave birth 27.0%
Foreign Born
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
   
   
Household and Family Size

Note: Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S Census Bureau’s pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS. 2) The letter N indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

Foreign Born
Average household size 3.02
Average family size 3.65
U.S. Born
Average household size 2.31
Average family size 2.90
Foreign Born
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
Foreign Born
   
   
U.S. Born
   
   
 
Population
Population
Population
Children under 18 Number
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents

Note: Refers to children between ages 0 and 17 (regardless of their nativity) who reside with at least one parent. This means that the number of children shown here is smaller than the overall number of U.S. children under 18. Since 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau includes children of same-sex married couples in its count of children in families and subfamilies.

 
Children under age 18 with 1,222,906
Only native parent(s)
1,072,770
One or more foreign-born parents
150,136

Child is native

135,414

Child is foreign born

14,722
Children under age 6 with 369,671
Only native parent(s)
325,354
One or more foreign-born parents
44,317

Child is native

42,085

Child is foreign born

2,232
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 853,235
Only native parent(s)
747,416
One or more foreign-born parents
105,819

Child is native

93,329

Child is foreign born

12,490
Children in Low-Income Families

Note: Refers to children between ages 0 and 17 (regardless of their nativity) who reside with at least one parent. This means that the number of children shown here is smaller than the overall number of U.S. children under 18. Since 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau includes children of same-sex married couples in its count of children in families and subfamilies. The term "low-income families" refers to families with annual incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold.

387,448
Only native parents 320,304
One or more foreign-born parents 67,144
%
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents*  
Children under age 18 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 87.7%
One or more foreign-born parents 12.3%
Child is native 11.1%
Child is foreign born 1.2%
Children under age 6 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 88.0%
One or more foreign-born parents 12.0%
Child is native 11.4%
Child is foreign born 0.6%
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 87.6%
One or more foreign-born parents 12.4%
Child is native 10.9%
Child is foreign born 1.5%
Children in Low-Income Families* 100%
Only native parents 82.7%
One or more foreign-born parents 17.3%
Number
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 1,323,452
Only native parent(s) 1,236,514
One or more foreign-born parents 86,938
Child is native 67,598
Child is foreign born 19,340
Children under age 6 with 405,095
Only native parent(s) 375,296
One or more foreign-born parents 29,799
Child is native 26,721
Child is foreign born 3,078
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 918,357
Only native parent(s) 861,218
One or more foreign-born parents 57,139
Child is native 40,877
Child is foreign born 16,262
Children in Low-Income Families* 379,819
Only native parents 334,993
One or more foreign-born parents 44,826
%
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 93.4%
One or more foreign-born parents 6.6%
Child is native 5.1%
Child is foreign born 1.5%
Children under age 6 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 92.6%
One or more foreign-born parents 7.4%
Child is native 6.6%
Child is foreign born 0.8%
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 93.8%
One or more foreign-born parents 6.2%
Child is native 4.5%
Child is foreign born 1.8%
Children in Low-Income Families* 100%
Only native parents 88.2%
One or more foreign-born parents 11.8%
Number
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 1,260,067
Only native parent(s) 1,207,520
One or more foreign-born parents 52,547
Child is native 41,103
Child is foreign born 11,444
Children under age 6 with 427,544
Only native parent(s) 409,444
One or more foreign-born parents 18,100
Child is native 15,166
Child is foreign born 2,934
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 832,523
Only native parent(s) 798,076
One or more foreign-born parents 34,447
Child is native 25,937
Child is foreign born 8,510
Children in Low-Income Families* 434,545
Only native parents 409,071
One or more foreign-born parents 25,474
%
Children with Foreign- and Native-Born Parents  
Children under age 18 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 95.8%
One or more foreign-born parents 4.2%
Child is native 3.3%
Child is foreign born 0.9%
Children under age 6 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 95.8%
One or more foreign-born parents 4.2%
Child is native 3.5%
Child is foreign born 0.7%
Children between ages 6 and 17 with 100%
Only native parent(s) 95.9%
One or more foreign-born parents 4.1%
Child is native 3.1%
Child is foreign born 1.0%
Children in Low-Income Families* 100%
Only native parents 94.1%
One or more foreign-born parents 5.9%

Sources: Migration Policy Institute tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and Decennial Census. Unless stated otherwise, 2021 data are from the one-year ACS file. For information about ACS definitions, click here. For ACS methodology, sampling error, and nonsampling error, click here. Estimates from 1990 and 2000 Decennial Census data as well as ACS microdata are from Steven Ruggles, Sarah Flood, Ronald Goeken, Megan Schouweiler and Matthew Sobek. IPUMS USA: Version 12.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2022. https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V12.0.

Definitions

  • The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.
  • The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.
  • The term "low-income families" refers to families with annual incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty threshold.

Data-related notes

  • The letter N indicates that an estimate could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.
  • Race and Hispanic origin: The Census Bureau made some improvements and changes in how respondents were asked about their race and Hispanic origin on the 2020 decennial Census form. The goal was to achieve a more accurate portrait of how U.S. residents self-identify. The same changes were implemented in the subsequent ACS as well. Note that the racial composition of the U.S. population in the 2021 ACS looks different from prior ACS years. For instance, the proportion reporting “two or more races” has increased, while the proportion of “white alone” decreased, reflecting both the growth of a more racially diverse population and the changes in questionnaire design. Race and Hispanic origin comparisons between the 2021 ACS and earlier ACS years or pre-2020 decennial Censuses should be made with caution. For more details, visit the Census Bureau’s Resource Library.
  • For “Median Age” and “Household Size”: Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2017-2021 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2021 ACS.
  • Region of birth: For 1990, 2000, and current ACS year, the total for the region of birth of the foreign born is different from the total foreign born. This is because the 1990 total excludes those who did not report a country of birth and those born at sea, while the 2000 census and the current ACS year totals exclude those born at sea.
  • Countries of birth: These are the largest countries of birth reported by the Census Bureau. Some countries are only listed as part of a larger geographic region. For example, those born in Somalia are included only among those born in Eastern Africa. Therefore, a few states may have larger populations of foreign-born persons born in countries not listed individually in census data. For each of the three years, countries of birth reflect geographic boundaries as of that year.
  • Children: The data here include children between ages 0 and 17 (regardless of their nativity) who reside with at least one parent. This means that the number of children shown here is smaller than the overall number of U.S. children under 18. Since 2013, the U.S. Census Bureau has included children of same-sex married couples in its count of children in families and subfamilies.