Without more people moving to Wisconsin, the state’s working age population is expected to shrink by about 130,000 people within eight years.
That’s according to a recent report by Forward Analytics, the research arm of the Wisconsin Counties Association. The report found that Wisconsin struggles to attract and retain young people. Additionally, research shows that Wisconsin loses more college graduates than it retains.
The state lost at least 106,000 people younger than age 26 over the last decade, which could have long-term consequences for Wisconsin’s labor force, according to the report.
“Attracting and retaining these young people is critical for Wisconsin,” Forward Analytics Director Dale Knapp said in a statement. “Attracting and retaining them would not only grow the current workforce, it would also help long term as many of these young adults will soon be starting a family and raising the next generation of workers.”