Native American tribes—particularly the Menominee, Ojibwe (Chippewa) and Potawatomi, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services—settled Wisconsin’s land around 10,000 years ago. When you’re researching Wisconsin land for sale, you may find yourself tongue-tied at certain Wisconsin names but that’s only because of their Indigenous roots. Many locals adopt shortened terms, too, like “Tosa” for Wauwatosa.

Between the 1650s and the 1850s French fur traders were drawn to Wisconsin for access to the beaver, a close cousin of the badger and now Wisconsin’s moniker (the Badger State).

Then, during the mid- to late-1800s beer barons emigrated from Europe, settling mostly in Milwaukee and launching breweries that later became household names, such as Schlitz, Pabst and Miller.

In 1848 Wisconsin was admitted to the union, becoming the 30th state. Earlier than that, in 1836, it was known as the Wisconsin Territoryand encompassed what is now Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and a portion of North and South Dakota east of the Missouri River.

Don’t be scared about legendary tales regarding Wisconsin’s weather, like the Green Bay Packers’ 1967 NFL Championship Game, dubbed the Ice Bowl when temps plummeted to −15 °F. Yes, wind chill exists but once you invest in proper clothing it’s not horrific. Locals love to immerse themselves in winter weather. Autumn’s colorful foliage is the perfect time to take a spin down winding country roads or visit an apple orchard or pumpkin patch. Summer is what locals live for—when sunshine baths the land in a golden glow and communities’ social calendars spike with festivals, farmers’ markets and other outdoor events.

Wisconsin receives 34 inches of rainfall per year, on average, with June the rainiest and February the driest. Most of the snowfall occurs in January, February and March with higher amounts in the North. According to the National Weather Service, average seasonal snowfalls in Central and Northeast Wisconsin range from 40 to 50 inches while Vilas County receives as much as 100 to 125 inches. Wisconsin’s infamous “Lake Effect Snow” hammers communities along Lake Michigan with increased snowfall but also provides cool breezes to counteract summer’s humidity. 

Ninety-seven percent of the state’s land is rural. Buyers looking to get off the grid would be best to look for land for sale in Northern Wisconsin. Wisconsin ranks in the upper half of U.S. states, clocking in at #23 with 65,496 square miles. At 5,852,490 residents, it’s the 21st most populated state, according to the World Population Review, with the densest populations in Southeastern Wisconsin (Milwaukee, Kenosha, and Racine), followed by Dane County (where the capital city of Madison is) and the Fox Valley (at 75,000, Appleton is the largest).

Agriculture crops include cranberries and horseradish. Wisconsin is also a land of cheese. Just under half of the country’s artisan cheese is made here, by 1,200 licensed cheesemakers producing 600 varieties. Since 1995 cheesemakers have brought home more than 6,000 awards from the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. Many creameries are on their fourth generation and remain family-owned. (Source.)

The bulk of Wisconsin’s economy is split among agriculture, manufacturing and tourism, ranking among the top 25% for manufactured goods and farm income. Wisconsin’s economy grows at a rate of about 2% per year, making it the 21stlargest state economy, especially attractive for those interested in Wisconsin land for sale. (Source.)

Corporations headquartered in Wisconsin span manufacturing (Harley-Davidson, Kohler Co., Briggs & Stratton and Rockwell Automation) and retail (Kohl’s and Lands’ End), attracting employees interested in land for sale in Wisconsin. The University of Wisconsin, healthcare systems, and the state government are also large employers. Papermaking continues to drive the economy in the Fox Valley, where Kimberly-Clark was founded.

Wisconsin is a hiker’s and camper’s utopia with a nationally recognized state-parks system, boasting 68 parks that receive 20 million visitors per year. This includes the Ice Age Trail’s Kettle Moraine—so named for kettle-shaped formations in the land created during the Ice Age—that welcomes cross-country skiers, backpackers and hikers on its 1,200 miles of trail.

The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is Wisconsin’s lone national park but with so many amazing state parks, residents of the state don’t feel they’ve been slighted at all.