Wisconsin economic reforms yield positive results

New research from the Badger Institute shows Wisconsin's market-oriented reforms since 2011—tax cuts, right-to-work laws, and Act 10—have boosted economic growth in border counties compared to Illinois and Minnesota.[1][2] Private sector output in Wisconsin's Illinois-border counties more than doubled since 2010, outpacing Illinois by 1.4 percentage points annually, while manufacturing growth led by 1.3 points.[2] The state has also attracted more working-age and higher-income taxpayers from neighbors lagging in economic freedom rankings.[1]

These changes marked a sharp pivot from Wisconsin's pre-2011 low rankings in economic freedom indices by groups like the Fraser and Cato Institutes, where it climbed to the second quintile.[1][13] Border county data reveals pre-reform growth matched Minnesota's and trailed Illinois, but post-2010 Wisconsin pulled ahead, especially against Illinois, with no signs of underperformance.[1][2] Statewide, output hit about $473 billion in 2025, per Wisconsin Department of Revenue estimates.[1]

For Milwaukee residents, this means stronger job growth and higher wages in a competitive Midwest, drawing talent and investment away from high-tax neighbors.[1][2] It underscores how policy shifts have made Wisconsin more business-friendly, benefiting urban economies like ours with diversified manufacturing and services.

Policymakers face pressure to build on these gains amid calls for reversals, with the Badger Institute urging continued freedom-focused reforms.[1][13]