Wisconsin Economy Publications

According to a new report by COWS and the Wisconsin Budget Project, the income disparity between Wisconsin’s richest and poorest families continues to widen. This analysis of Wisconsin Department of Revenue data finds that Wisconsin’s richest residents have experienced dramatic increases in inflation-adjusted income since the mid-1990s, while middle- and lower-income Wisconsinites saw their incomes stagnate or decrease.

Between 1996 and 2010, the bottom 40 percent of Wisconsin earners experienced an average decrease of $2,407 in their adjusted gross income, measured in 2012 dollars. The top fifth of income tax filers saw an increase in earnings of more than $17,000 over this period.

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The ninth edition of COWS’ biennial report, The State of Working Wisconsin 2012uses the best and most recent data available to refine our understanding of exactly how working people in Wisconsin are doing. This year’s Labor Day report finds too many workers in Wisconsin waiting for an economic recovery strong enough to produce jobs, higher family income, and a growing sense of security.

For the first time this year, COWS is also including an online supplement to the print version. The supplement provides more maps, more data, and interactive graphs on key economic and social indicators at the state and county level. The online supplement will be updated as new data becomes available and will provide access to figures and graphs on the Wisconsin economy as they come out.

Documents include Full Report, Executive Summary and a technical note that compares the CES and QCEW, two key sources of data on employment that have caused some recent controversy.

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This report details the discrepancy between Wisconsin’s current job numbers and those Wisconsin would have achieved had it mirrored national trends.

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This fact sheet from COWS and the Wisconsin Women’s Council, released in honor of National Pay Equity Day, shows that despite the growing importance of women’s contribution to the labor force and to household incomes, the gender wage gap stubbornly persists irrespective of age, race, or level of education. In 2010, Wisconsin women earned, on average, only 77.8 cents for every dollar earned by men.

The Wisconsin gap, while significant, is slightly smaller than in 2009 when women earned just 75 cents for each dollar earned by men. Nationally, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research has reported that the decline in the wage gap is mostly due to falling wages for men.

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Toward College Success for Working Adults provides a clearer picture of the educational trajectory of low-skill adults in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). The analysis presents statewide results from a pipeline data study on transition rates, enrollment, and diploma and degree completion for adults accessing a wide variety of basic skills and postsecondary courses and programs at WTCS. This knowledge can help colleges design programs and services that turn more workers into successful college graduates.

Documents include Full Report and Executive Summary.

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Developed by COWS for Regional Industry Skills Education (RISE), Key Middle-Skill Opportunities in Wisconsin provides a detailed look at projected job opportunities and wages in well-paying occupations that typically do not require a four-year college degree.

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Developed by COWS for Regional Industry Skills Education (RISE), Wisconsin RISE Target Population breaks down demographically those individuals who could use higher skills and better wages.

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The State of Working Wisconsin – Update 2011 provides data on the unemployed and underemployed in the state.

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This report summarizes some of the major changes included in the 2011-2013 Wisconsin budget affecting jobs, job quality, and economic development, along with a few other Governor Scott Walker initiatives.

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