Top 10 Wisconsin Cities With Largest Post-Pandemic Population Declines

Population Trends in Wisconsin: Growth and Decline

While Wisconsin’s overall population has increased since 2020, many municipalities are still experiencing post-pandemic population declines. According to data from the Wisconsin Department of Administration, these trends highlight both challenges and opportunities across the state.

Each January, the agency releases preliminary population estimates for the entire state, with final numbers typically released in October. Although the final figures for 2025 are not yet available, the preliminary data indicate that Wisconsin had approximately 6,033,500 residents as of January 2025 — a 140,000 increase or about a 2% rise compared to 2020.

For most of the roughly 1,800 towns, villages, and cities in Wisconsin, this means an increase in residents since the pandemic. However, at least 800 municipalities have seen population dips, ranging from a few to over 500 fewer people. Earlier projections by the Department of Administration suggest that most counties could face declining populations by 2050, potentially leading to a statewide loss of nearly 200,000 residents.

Which Wisconsin Municipality Saw the Steepest Population Drop?

The town of Jackson in Washington County experienced the largest population decline between 2020 and 2024, according to the Department of Administration’s final estimates. As of January 2024, the town saw a 12.6% drop, decreasing from 4,629 to 4,044 residents. Preliminary data for 2025 show the population falling further to 4,035, marking a 13% decrease since 2020.

Jackson is located about 30 miles outside Milwaukee and was among the areas affected by historic floods in August 2023. Town officials have not commented on the reasons behind the population drop. Meanwhile, the Village and Town of Bloomfield saw the largest population drop between 2020 and 2025 due to a boundary agreement where the village absorbed the town's population.

Top 10 Wisconsin Municipalities with the Largest Population Drops

Here are the top 10 Wisconsin municipalities with the steepest population drops between 2020 and 2024:

• Town of Jackson, Washington County: 12.6% drop from 4,629 to 4,044 residents
• Town of Reedsburg, Sauk County: 10.2% drop from 1,185 to 1,064 residents
• Village of La Valle, Sauk County: 10% drop from 388 to 349 residents
• Town of Greenbush, Sheboygan County: 9.6% drop from 2,481 to 2,244 residents
• Village of Friendship, Adams County: 7.4% drop from 648 to 600 residents
• Town of Lafayette, Monroe County: 7.4% drop from 447 to 414 residents
• Town of Birch, Lincoln County: 7% drop from 570 to 530 residents
• City of Elroy, Juneau County: 6.3% drop from 1,356 to 1,270 residents
• Town of Farmington, Waupaca County: 6.2% drop from 3,712 to 3,482 residents
• Town of Elderon, Marathon County: 5.8% drop from 644 to 607 residents

Five of these municipalities again made the top 10 in the preliminary 2025 estimates. New entries included the town of Scott and the villages of Ironton, Fox Point, and Downing.

La Valle, which saw one of the highest drops, may owe its population loss to a major flood in 2018. The flood damaged commercial and residential properties, and despite a $1 million FEMA grant, some properties were demolished. This led to stricter building regulations for future development.

Which Wisconsin Municipality Saw the Biggest Population Growth?

Despite the overall decline in some areas, most Wisconsin municipalities experienced growth between 2020 and 2024. The fastest-growing community was Lannon, a small village in Waukesha County. From 2020 to 2024, the population grew from 1,355 to 2,195 — a 62% increase. Village leaders attributed this growth to investments in new housing developments.

Top 10 Wisconsin Municipalities with the Largest Population Increases

Here are the 10 municipalities that saw the most population growth between 2020 and 2024:

• Village of Lannon, Waukesha County: 62% increase from 1,355 to 2,195 residents
• Town of Blackwell, Forest County: 39.5% increase from 152 to 212 residents
• Village of Cottage Grove, Dane County: 28% increase from 7,303 to 9,345 residents
• Village of Harrison, Calumet and Outagamie counties: 23.7% increase from 12,418 to 15,364 residents
• Town of Hallie, Chippewa County: 20.3% increase from 153 to 184 residents
• Village of Wrightstown, Brown and Outagamie counties: 20% increase from 3,179 to 3,815 residents
• City of Verona, Dane County: 17.5% increase from 13,926 to 16,357 residents
• Village of Roberts, St. Croix County: 16.9% increase from 1,919 to 2,243 residents
• City of Altoona, Eau Claire County: 16.1% increase from 8,293 to 9,627 residents
• Village of Windsor, Dane County: 15.3% increase from 8,754 to 10,089 residents

These trends reflect the complex demographic shifts occurring across Wisconsin, with some communities thriving while others struggle with declining populations.