Demographic Voter Makeup: Wisconsin

*Editor’s note: This is part five in a series that will break down the demographic statistics of voters in all six of FPP’S designated swing states plus the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. Later Today Michigan

 

Wisconsin gained statehood in May 1848 and has voted democratic in each election since 1988, although the 2000 and 2004 races were extremely close. In the 2008 election Barack Obama won easily by a 56% to 42% margin over John McCain. The addition of Wisconsin congressman Paul Ryan to the ballot as a Vice Presidential candidate doesn’t necessarily swing Wisconsin’s 10 electoral votes into Mitt Romney’s column, but it does bring Wisconsin back into play this cycle. Ultimately Romney’s name sits atop the ticket not that of the native son so Romney will have to make his own case in the end. The recent recall attempt of Gov. Scott Walker means that both parties have an energized ground game and Election Day might ultimately come down to which camp can turnout its voters.

Population

Population: 5,686,986 (2010)
State rank: 20^th
Change since 2000 census: up 6.0%
Most populated cities
Milwaukee 594,833
Madison 233, 209
Green Bay 104,057
Kenosha 99,218
Household Income
Under $15K: 11.5%
$15K-$50K: 37.2%
$50K-$100K: 34.5%
$100K-$200K: 14.3%
Over $200K: 2.6%
Median Income: $51,257

Read more after the jump

Home Value
Under $100K: 17.4%
$100K-$300K: 66.8%
Over $300K: 15.7%
Median Value: $170,800
Education
H.S. grad: 89.4%
College grad: 25.6%
Grad degree: 8.5%
Military Veterans
% of Pop: 10.2%
Ethnicity
White: 83.3%
Black: 6.2%
Hispanic: 5.9%
Asian: 2.3%
Native Am.: 0.9%
Hawaiian: 0.0%
Age
Median age: 38.1 years
Over 65: 13.3%
Under 18: 23.4%
State Legislature
Senate: 17D 16R
House: 39D 58R I1
Work
Private: 81.9%
Government: 12.2%
Self-employed: 5.6%
Unemployment (Sept 2012): 7.3%

Registered Voters in 2010

No Party registration

Voter Turnout in 2010: 2,171,331

Turnout as % of voting age in 2010: 49.9%