MADISON, Wis. (WFRV) – Depending on where you live in Wisconsin, it might feel like more out-of-towners have moved in.
A new analysis from personal finance site SmartAsset reveals that Madison, Eau Claire, and Appleton are among the state’s fastest-growing cities, with Madison ranking 54th nationally in population growth.
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The analysis, based on recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau, studied over 600 cities across the country, measuring both one- and five-year changes in population.
Among these, five cities saw their populations grow by more than 10% between 2022 and 2023, but none of those cities are in Wisconsin. However, Madison led the state with a 2.71% population increase, bringing its total to 280,307 residents in 2023, up from 272,907 in 2022—a five-year growth rate of 8.63%, the highest in Wisconsin.
Wisconsin Cities with Population Growth Rates:
| Rank | City | One-Year Population Change | Population (2023) | Population (2022) | Five-Year Population Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Madison | 2.71% | 280,307 | 272,907 | 8.63% |
| 81 | Eau Claire | 2.02% | 70,469 | 69,073 | 3.24% |
| 155 | Appleton | 1.12% | 75,861 | 75,018 | 2.04% |
| 272 | Oshkosh | 0.38% | 66,184 | 65,934 | -0.83% |
| 306 | Racine | 0.20% | 76,608 | 76,455 | -1.07% |
| 351 | Waukesha | -0.02% | 70,452 | 70,465 | -2.89% |
| 415 | Kenosha | -0.28% | 98,210 | 98,490 | -1.94% |
| 426 | Green Bay | -0.34% | 105,734 | 106,096 | 0.81% |
| 427 | Milwaukee | -0.34% | 561,369 | 563,306 | -5.17% |