Housing
Low inventory and high costs have left the dream of homeownership out of reach for many Wisconsinites. Here we present data and stories from the frontlines of Wisconsin’s housing crisis.
Research & Journalism
“There are communities that have decided they just don’t want to grow,” said Chad Lawler, who heads the Madison Area Builders Association.
Wisconsin will need to build 200,000 housing units by 2030 to accommodate all the people who want to live and work here. Sheboygan County is a microcosm of the problem — but on the forefront of a possible solution.
By the Numbers
The creation of new real estate lots in Wisconsin is down 74% from its high 20 years ago.
Despite a slight recent uptick, Wisconsin’s housing inventory in October of 2024 was 64% lower than its value during the same month in 2016.
Wisconsin has fluctuated within a narrow band between 64% and 74% homeownership rate over the past four decades.
