wisconsin state fact sheet
State Fact Sheet Map
As of January 21, 2004
POPULATION, INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT
Population
Variable
State
Metro *
Nonmetro *
Population
1980
4,705,642
3,175,928
1,529,714
1990
4,891,769
3,331,172
1,560,597
2000
5,363,675
3,640,308
1,723,367
2002 (latest)
5,441,196
3,701,183
1,740,013
For more information on Wisconsin population, see the County-Level Population Data or the Rural Population and Migration Briefing Room or contact John Cromartie, 202-694-5421.
Income
Variable
State
Metro *
Nonmetro *
Per-capita income (2000 dollars)
1999
28,026
30,294
23,230
2000
28,100
30,407
23,228
Percent change
0.3
0.4
-0.0
Earnings per job (2000 dollars)
1999
31,209
33,659
25,207
2000
30,807
33,279
24,756
Percent change
-1.3
-1.1
-1.8
Poverty rate (percent)
1979
8.7
8.0
10.0
1989
10.7
10.5
11.1
1995
8.9
9.0
8.7
Latest (1999)
8.7
8.9
8.2
For more information on Wisconsin poverty rates, see the County-Level Poverty Rates data page or the Rural Income, Poverty, and Welfare Briefing Room or contact Dean Jolliffe, 202-694-5430
Employment
Variable
State
Metro *
Nonmetro *
Total number of jobs
1999
3,388,235
2,406,224
982,011
2000
3,443,874
2,444,896
998,978
Unemployment rate (percent)
2000
3.5
3.3
4.1
2001
4.6
4.3
5.2
For more information on Wisconsin unemployment rates, see the County-Level Unemployment and Median Household Income data page or the Rural Labor and Education Briefing Room or contact Lorin Kusmin, 202-694-5429
Percent employment change
1998-1999
-1.8
-1.4
-2.7
1999-2000
1.0
0.9
1.4
2000-2001
0.8
0.7
1.0
Percent of 1997 employment in farm and farm-related jobs
Total
17.4
14.6
24.4
Production
3.2
1.4
7.7
Farm inputs
0.6
0.3
1.3
Processing & marketing
2.4
2.0
3.4
Wholesale & retail trade
9.9
9.7
10.5
See the complete Farm and Farm-Related Employment data for Wisconsin or contact Alex Majchrowicz, 202-694-5355.
* See the measures of rurality for Wisconsin: rural-urban continuum codes and urban influence codes
For more information on socioeconomic conditions see the Rural Emphasis Page,
or contact Tim Parker, 202-694-5435.
FARM CHARACTERISTICS
1992 and 1997 Census of Agriculture
Variable
1992
1997
Total land area (million acres)
34.76
34.76
Total farmland (million acres)
15.46
14.90
Percent of total land area
44.5
42.9
Cropland (million acres)
10.95
10.35
Percent of total farmland
70.8
69.5
Percent irrigated
3.0
3.3
Percent in pasture
9.9
9.3
Farmland in conservation and wetland
reserve program (million acres)
0.36
0.59
Percent of total farmland
2.3
4.0
Woodland (million acres)
2.89
2.85
Percent of total farmland
18.7
19.1
Percent in pasture
29.9
24.8
Pastureland (million acres)
0.78
0.71
Percent of total farmland
5.1
4.7
Other land (million acres)
0.84
0.99
Percent of total farmland
5.5
6.6
Average farm size (acres)
228
227
Farms by size (percent)
1 to 99 acres
32.0
35.6
100 to 499 acres
59.2
55.2
500 to 999 acres
7.1
7.0
1000 to 1,999 acres
1.5
1.7
2,000 or more acres
0.3
0.5
Farms by sales (percent)
Less than $50,000
57.0
62.5
$50,000 to $99,999
17.5
13.4
$100,000 to $499,999
24.2
21.8
More than $500,000
1.2
2.2
Tenure of farmers
Full owner (farms)
38,773
39,217
Percent of total
57.1
59.8
Part owner (farms)
23,362
21,921
Percent of total
34.4
33.4
Tenant owner (farms)
5,824
4,464
Percent of total
8.6
6.8
Farm organization
Individuals/family (farms)
60,610
59,249
Percent of total
89.2
90.3
Partnerships (farms)
6,930
5,746
Percent of total
10.2
8.8
Non-family corporations (farms)
190
219
Percent of total
0.3
0.3
Others (farms)
229
388
Percent of total
0.3
0.6
Average operator age (years)
51
52
Percent with farming as their occupation
68.0
59.5
For more information about the Census of Agriculture see the National Agricultural
Statistics Service's web page, or call 1-800-727-9540.
FARM FINANCIAL INDICATORS
Farm income and value added data
Variable
2001
2002
Number of farms
77,000
77,000
Thousands $
Final crop output
1,320,183
1,713,235
+ Final animal output
4,433,827
3,781,454
+ Services and forestry
1,015,107
879,573
= Final agricultural sector output
6,769,117
6,374,262
- Intermediate consumption outlays
3,547,011
3,429,257
+ Net government transactions
51,463
-23,837
= Gross value added
3,273,569
2,921,169
- Capital consumption
968,075
998,404
= Net value added
2,305,494
1,922,765
- Factor payments
1,295,789
1,282,637
Employee compensation (total hired labor)
621,485
640,585
Net rent received by nonoperator landlords
194,553
193,526
Real estate and nonreal estate interest
479,751
448,526
= Net farm income
1,009,705
640,128
Value-added and farm income tables are available for downloading from the ERS web page as Lotus Wk1 files. For more information contact Roger Strickland, 202-694-5592.
Farm balance sheet as of December 31
Variable
2001
2002
Thousands $
Farm assets
38,305,768
40,780,320
Real estate
27,696,210
30,187,532
Nonreal estate
10,609,558
10,592,787
Farm debt
6,288,468
6,531,705
Real estate
3,042,232
3,268,146
Nonreal estate
3,246,236
3,263,559
Equity
32,017,300
34,248,614
Ratios
Percent
Debt/equity
19.6
19.1
Debt/assets
16.4
16.0
Farm balance sheet tables are available for downloading from the ERS web page as Lotus Wk1 files. For more information contact Roger Strickland, 202-694-5592.
TOP COMMODITIES, EXPORTS, AND COUNTIES
Top 5 agriculture commodities, 2002
Commodity
Value of receipts
thousand $
Percent of state total
farm receipts
Percent of US value
1. Dairy products
2,662,650
50.1
13.0
2. Cattle and calves
656,389
12.3
1.7
3. Corn
565,059
10.6
3.2
4. Soybeans
212,891
4.0
1.6
5. Potatoes
199,535
3.8
6.6
All commodities
5,318,908
2.8
For more details about Wisconsin's top agriculture commodities, see Leading commodities for cash receipts, or contact Roger Strickland, 202-694-5592.
Top 5 agriculture exports, estimates, FY 2002
Commodity
Rank among
states
Value
million $
1. Vegetables and preparations
4
244.8
2. Dairy products
1
223.5
3. Feed grains and products
11
210.5
4. Live animals and meat
9
194.3
5. Soybeans and products
13
147.2
Overall
12
1,394.1
For more information on exports see State Export Data or the Agricultural Trade Briefing Room or contact Carol Whitton, 202-694-5287.
Top 5 counties in agricultural sales 1997
Counties
Percent of state's
total receipts
Million $
1. Dane
5.1
284.6
2. Grant
3.7
204.3
3. Marathon
3.7
204.3
4. Dodge
3.5
193.6
5. Barron
2.9
164.6
State total
5,579.9
For more information about the Census of Agriculture see the National Agricultural
Statistics Service's web page, or call 1-800-727-9540.
DATA SOURCES:
Local Area Unemployment Statistics, county data, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Regional Economic Information System, June 2002, Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
1990 and 2000 Census of Population, Bureau of the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Farm Income and Costs Briefing Room, Economic Research Service, USDA.
Foreign Agricultural Trade of the United States (FATUS), Economic Research Service, USDA.
Census of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA.
Prepared by:
Economic Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC.
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