County Commons · Wisconsin
Wisconsin: state government and every county
The state's own money — what it collects and what it spends on — its official offices, how to vote, and a page for each of its 72 counties. Every number from official public records, with sources.
5,960,975 people (2024 Census estimate, +1.1% since 2020) · 72 counties
The state's money — Wisconsin state government, fiscal 2023
The state government took in $49.8 billion and spent $51.7 billion · $8,667 per resident. It owed $23.1 billion in debt at year's end.
Of every $100 it spends
Public welfare$31.39 · $16.2 billion
Education$30.78 · $15.9 billion
Other and unallocable$10.50 · $5.4 billion
Governmental administration$6.98 · $3.6 billion
Highways$6.68 · $3.4 billion
Hospitals$5.63 · $2.9 billion
Health$2.79 · $1.4 billion
Correction$2.57 · $1.3 billion
Natural resources$1.40 · $720.8 million
Interest on general debt$1.09 · $565 million
Police protection$0.11 · $57.8 million
Parks and recreation$0.09 · $44.1 million
✓ These 12 functions add to the state's general expenditure, $51.6 billion, exactly. “Public welfare” is mostly Medicaid. Money the state passes to counties, cities and school districts is counted in the function it pays for.
Where its money comes from
Taxes$23.7 billion
Individual income tax$9.2 billion
General sales tax$7.5 billion
Selective sales taxes (fuel, tobacco, alcohol and others)$2.9 billion
Corporate income tax$2.7 billion
License taxes (vehicles, businesses, hunting and others)$1.3 billion
Other taxes (severance, transfer and others)$118.4 million
Property tax (state share)$97.1 million
From other governments (mostly federal aid)$16 billion
Charges and fees (tuition, tolls, hospital charges)$5.7 billion
Other general revenue (interest, rents, settlements)$4.4 billion
Pension and insurance trust earnings and contributions$5.5 billion
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 Annual Survey of State Government Finances (State Totals), last revised Sept. 16, 2025. These are the state government's own books — counties, cities and school districts are separate.