Wisconsin
The Badger State
Quick Stats
Map
Seal & Motto
"Forward"
Additional Information
A bold one-word motto expressing Wisconsin's progressive spirit and its drive toward a better future.
Adopted 1869.
Population Growth
Overview
Wisconsin, the 'Badger State,' is America's heartland in its most authentic form. A state that takes its dairy culture, Packers fandom, Friday fish fries, and summer supper clubs with the utmost seriousness, it also harbors a fierce progressive political tradition that gave the world the first worker's compensation law, the first direct primary, and the founding of the Republican Party — all before the Civil War.
Historical Significance
Wisconsin officially joined the Union on May 29, 1848, as the 30th state. Its history runs from the lead mining boom that earned early settlers the "badger" nickname (they lived in hillside burrows), through the founding of the Republican Party in a Ripon schoolhouse in 1854, to the LaFollette Progressive Era that pioneered direct democracy, through a proud tradition of labor organizing and the birthplace of Earth Day in 1970.
Top Cities & Hubs
Milwaukee
Population: ~580,000Wisconsin's largest city, a proud Great Lakes metropolis on the shores of Lake Michigan — the birthplace of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, the Miller brewing dynasty, and the Milwaukee Bucks, with a nationally celebrated summer festival scene anchored by Summerfest.
Madison
Population: ~270,000The state capital beautifully situated on an isthmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona, home to the flagship University of Wisconsin campus, a progressive political tradition, an acclaimed food scene, and consistently ranked among the most livable cities in America.
Green Bay
Population: ~107,000The smallest city in North America to host a major professional sports franchise — the storied Green Bay Packers, the only publicly owned major-league team in U.S. sports — a fact that makes its community ownership a source of unique civic pride.
Kenosha
Population: ~100,000A growing lakefront city strategically positioned between Chicago and Milwaukee, known for its beautifully revitalized harbor, extensive streetcar history, and major Snap-on and manufacturing industries.
Racine
Population: ~77,000A historic Lake Michigan city with a globally significant architectural heritage — Frank Lloyd Wright designed the Johnson Wax Complex here — and a long tradition of manufacturing innovation, particularly in waxes, polishes, and industrial equipment.
Key Landmarks & Economy
Did You Know?
- Wisconsin produces about 25% of all cheese made in the United States, with over 600 varieties of cheese made by 1,200+ licensed cheesemakers — more than any other state — earning residents the affectionate nickname "Cheeseheads."
- The Republican Party was founded in a small schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin on March 20, 1854, by anti-slavery activists who opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, making Wisconsin the official birthplace of the GOP.
- Wisconsin is home to more than 15,000 inland lakes — offering more miles of freshwater shoreline than the entire state of California — plus 840 miles of Great Lakes coastline on Lakes Michigan and Superior.