Wisconsin Experiences Slowed Population Growth Amid Declining International Migration
Wisconsin’s population growth has significantly slowed in 2025, largely due to a drop of more than 50% in international migration, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The census data indicates that natural population growth from births outpacing deaths has remained consistently low during the 2020s. Notably, in 2021 and 2022, the state experienced a period where deaths exceeded births, a phenomenon attributed to the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
This trend underscores the importance of both international and internal migration as primary contributors to population growth in Wisconsin.
From 2022 to 2024, around 18,000 individuals are estimated to have relocated to Wisconsin from overseas each year. However, the latest statistics reveal that the number of international immigrants fell sharply from 19,395 in 2024 to just 7,260 in 2025.
The overall effect of this decline was evident, with the state’s population growth decreasing from an estimated 26,818 individuals in 2024 to 15,619 in 2025. This trend has raised concerns among experts regarding the implications for the state’s demographic vitality.
David Egan Robertson, a demographer emeritus at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Applied Population Research Institute, attributes this sudden downturn in international migration to a shift in federal immigration policy. He noted that the three-year influx of migrants was largely motivated by humanitarian efforts, including the resettlement of Afghan refugees. Robertson suggested that the transition between the Biden and Trump administrations played a pivotal role in the immigration landscape.
The economic downturn in migration is not unique to Wisconsin; the Census Bureau reports a similar trend across all states, with declines in net overseas migration observed nationwide from 2024 to 2025. Mark Somerhauser, a policy researcher at the Wisconsin Policy Forum, emphasized that these changing demographics reflect a broader national narrative of slowing population growth and migration.
In Wisconsin’s most populous counties, these reduced international migration figures are further contributing to stagnating population growth. For instance, Milwaukee County’s population remained virtually unchanged, declining by just 107 residents from 2024 to 2025. Meanwhile, Dane County’s growth dropped considerably, from an increase of 7,026 people in 2024 to just 4,050 the following year.
Furthermore, the Census Bureau projects a drastic decline in the number of people moving to Milwaukee County from abroad, plummeting from 5,688 in 2024 to 1,973 in 2025. Dane County follows a similar trend, with international immigrants decreasing from 4,404 to 2,049.
Despite the decrease in international migration, internal migration—people relocating to Wisconsin from other states—has slightly increased, rising from 5,828 individuals in 2024 to 6,984 in the latest count. Somerhauser notes that this shift marks a significant change, reversing a trend of outward migration that Wisconsin experienced throughout the 2000s and 2010s.
While the uptick in internal migration is promising, Wisconsin’s relatively low birth rate and aging population continue to raise concerns about future growth. Experts fear that ongoing stagnation in population growth could have dire long-term impacts on the state’s economy, workforce, and educational institutions. Somerhauser reiterated that sustained flat growth may affect businesses, institutions, and service sectors across the state, particularly education systems, which could become increasingly strained.
