Foreclosures in Wisconsin increased in 2009 over the prior year. There was a total of 35,252 properties with foreclosure filings. That works out to a rate of one filing for every 73 households, which compares to the United States average of 45, and is about one and one third percent of the state's housing units.
Wisconsin is the 20th largest U.S. state by population, with 5,363,675 people (in 2008). Its 65,498 square miles make it the 23rd largest state by area. Median household income in 2008 was $52,094.
The largest employers in Wisconsin are in government, manufacturing, and healthcare industries. It is known for its agriculture—particularly its dairy industry, the nation's nation's second biggest—but Wisconsin also is a leading manufacturer of processed foods, beer, transportation equipment and heavy machinery. Almost 70 percent of the state's commerce occurs in cities, where the bulk of the population resides. Wisconsin's largest export is lumber—40 percent of the state is forested.
