| According to the 2004 U.S. Bureau of | | | | among the state's top ten employers. |
| Economic Analysis report, Wisconsin’s | | | | Health care is a growing sector of the |
| gross state product was $211.7 billion. | | | | economy with key players such as GE |
| The per capita personal income was | | | | Healthcare, Epic Systems, and |
| $32,157 in 2004. | | | | Tomotherapy. |
| The economy of Wisconsin is driven by | | | | Tourism is also a major industry in |
| manufacturing, agriculture, and health | | | | Wisconsin. Tourist destinations such as |
| care. Although manufacturing accounts | | | | the House on the Rock near Spring Green, |
| for a far greater part of the state's | | | | Circus World Museum in Baraboo, and the |
| income than farming, Wisconsin is often | | | | collection of attractions around |
| perceived as a farming state. Wisconsin | | | | Wisconsin Dells each draw thousands of |
| produces more dairy products than any | | | | visitors every year, and festivals such |
| other state in the United States except | | | | as Summerfest and the EAA Oshkosh |
| California, and it leads the nation in | | | | Airshow always attract large crowds. |
| cheese production. Although California | | | | Wisconsin collects personal income tax |
| has overtaken Wisconsin in the | | | | based on 4 income level brackets, which |
| production of milk and butter, Wisconsin | | | | range from 4.6% to 6.75%. The state |
| still produces more milk per capita than | | | | sales tax of 5%. Fifty-eight counties |
| any other state in the Union. In | | | | have an additional sales tax of 0.5%. |
| addition to dairying, Wisconsin ranks | | | | Retailers who make sales subject to |
| first in the production of corn for | | | | applicable county taxes must collect |
| silage, cranberries, ginseng, and snap | | | | 5.5% sales tax on their retail sales. |
| beans for processing. Wisconsin is also | | | | Sales of motor vehicles, boats, |
| a leading producer of oats, potatoes, | | | | snowmobiles, mobile homes 45 feet (13.7 |
| carrots, tart cherries, maple syrup, and | | | | m) or less in length, trailers, |
| sweet corn for processing. Wisconsin | | | | semi-trailers, all-terrain vehicles, and |
| produces more quality cheeses and cheese | | | | aircraft are subject to the county use |
| products in a single day than the rest | | | | tax rather than county sales tax. |
| of the world combined over a twenty year | | | | The most common property tax assessed on |
| period. | | | | Wisconsin residents is the real property |
| Given Wisconsin's strong agricultural | | | | tax, or their residential property tax. |
| tradition, it is not surprising that a | | | | Wisconsin does not impose a property tax |
| large part of the state's manufacturing | | | | on vehicles but does levy an annual |
| sector deals with food processing. Some | | | | registration fee. Property taxes are the |
| well known food brands produced in | | | | most important tax revenue source for |
| Wisconsin include Oscar Mayer, Tombstone | | | | Wisconsin's local governments, as well |
| and Jack's frozen pizza, and | | | | as major methods of funding school |
| Johnsonville Bratwursts. Kraft Foods | | | | districts, vocational technical |
| alone employs over five thousand people | | | | colleges, special purpose districts and |
| in the state. Milwaukee is a major | | | | tax incremental finance districts. |
| producer of beer and the home of Miller | | | | Equalized values are based on the full |
| Brewing Company's world headquarters, | | | | market value of all taxable property in |
| the nation's second largest brewer. | | | | the state, except for agricultural land. |
| In addition to food processing, | | | | In order to provide property tax relief |
| Wisconsin is home to several | | | | for farmers, the value of agricultural |
| transportation equipment and machinery | | | | land is determined by its value for |
| manufacturers. Major Wisconsin companies | | | | agricultural uses, rather than for its |
| in these categories include the Kohler | | | | possible development value. Equalized |
| Company, Rockwell Automation, Johnson | | | | values are used to distribute state aid |
| Controls, Briggs & Stratton, Miller | | | | payments to counties, municipalities, |
| Electric, Milwaukee Electric Tool | | | | and technical colleges. Assessments |
| Company, Oshkosh Truck, and | | | | prepared by local assessors are used to |
| Harley-Davidson. Wisconsin also ranks | | | | distribute the property tax burden |
| first nationwide in the production of | | | | within individual municipalities. |
| paper products; the lower Fox River from | | | | Wisconsin does not assess a tax on |
| Lake Winnebago to the Bay of Green Bay | | | | intangible personal property. Wisconsin |
| has twenty-four paper mills along its | | | | does not collect inheritance taxes. |
| 39-mile (63 km) stretch. The largest | | | | Wisconsin's estate tax is decoupled from |
| paper companies with operations in | | | | the federal estate tax laws; therefore |
| Wisconsin are Kimberly-Clark and | | | | the state imposes its own estate tax. |
| Georgia-Pacific, both of which rank | | | | |