Wisconsin: Who Pays? 7th Edition
Wisconsin
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All figures and charts show 2024 tax law in Wisconsin, presented at 2023 income levels. Senior taxpayers are excluded for reasons detailed in the methodology. Our analysis includes nearly all (99.4 percent) state and local tax revenue collected in Wisconsin.
State and local tax shares of family income
| Top 20% | |||||||
| Income Group | Lowest 20% | Second 20% | Middle 20% | Fourth 20% | Next 15% | Next 4% | Top 1% |
| Income Range | Less than $29,400 | $29,400 to $54,400 | $54,400 to $92,300 | $92,300 to $140,500 | $140,500 to $261,000 | $261,000 to $609,700 | Over $609,700 |
| Average Income in Group | $17,100 | $40,800 | $71,400 | $116,400 | $177,800 | $367,100 | $1,291,800 |
| Sales & Excise Taxes | 6.1% | 4.4% | 3.5% | 2.9% | 2.3% | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| General Sales–Individuals | 3.1% | 2.6% | 2.2% | 1.8% | 1.5% | 0.9% | 0.4% |
| Other Sales & Excise–Ind | 2% | 1% | 0.6% | 0.4% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Sales & Excise–Business | 1% | 0.8% | 0.7% | 0.6% | 0.5% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Property Taxes | 4.7% | 3.8% | 3.6% | 3.1% | 2.7% | 2% | 1.1% |
| Home, Rent, Car–Individuals | 4.4% | 3.5% | 3.4% | 3% | 2.5% | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| Other Property Taxes | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 0.5% |
| Income Taxes | -0.1% | 1.9% | 2.7% | 3.7% | 3.9% | 3.8% | 4.7% |
| Personal Income Taxes | -0.1% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 3.6% | 3.9% | 3.8% | 4.6% |
| Corporate Income Taxes | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0.1% |
| Other Taxes | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% |
| TOTAL TAXES | 10.8% | 10.1% | 9.9% | 9.8% | 8.9% | 7.4% | 6.6% |
| Individual figures may not sum to totals due to rounding. | |||||||
ITEP Tax Inequality Index
ITEP’s Tax Inequality Index measures the effects of each state’s tax system on income inequality. According to this measure, Wisconsin has the 27th most regressive state and local tax system in the country. Income disparities are larger in Wisconsin after state and local taxes are collected than before. (See Appendix B for state-by-state rankings and the report methodology for additional detail.)
Tax features driving the data in Wisconsin
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Requires combined reporting for the corporate income tax but excludes profits booked overseas, including in tax haven countries
Refundable property tax “circuit breaker” credit (all ages, includes renters)
Refundable Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Graduated personal income tax structure
Sales tax base excludes groceries
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Provides a Manufacturing and Agriculture Credit that primarily benefits high-income individuals
Provides an income tax exclusion equal to 30 percent of capital gains income
Real estate transfer tax does not include higher rate on high-value sales
Does not levy a tax on estates or inheritances
No Child Tax Credit (CTC)
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