Grant County is the largest county in the Southwest Wisconsin region. The Mississippi River carves the western boundary of the state while agricultural farms embody most of the land, but Grant County offers more than what meets the eye.

Grant County is entwined with a legacy of lead mining, agriculture, and education. Agricultural and food-based communities thrive in the county, leading it to rank first in the state in beef production, swine production, and dairy goat farms. The county is also the top producer of soybeans, corn, and eggs. In addition to its abundance of agriculture production opportunities, two post-secondary educational institutions inhabit the county: The University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Southwest Wisconsin Technical College. Local expertise is developed in a variety of fields, especially Engineering and Electro-Mechanical Technology, which allow engineering services to prosper in the region for organizations including the National Guard and AVISTA.

Grant Slide 1
Dine and tour the Potosi Brewery and National Brewery Museum
Winery
Savor the fruits of our labor at local wineries and vineyards
Fall Canoe
Paddle the waters of the Mississippi River
Grant Slide 3
Agriculture is hard work, but we show great pride for our dairy farms
Grant Slide 2
Open roads for ATV/UTV’s

Labor Force6

Total local Jobs

17,903

Resident Workers

23,726

Commutes Into

Commutes Into

6,892

Live And Work

Live And Work

11,011

Commutes Out Of

Commutes Out Of

12,715

Economic2

Median Household
Income

$49,077

Unemployment
Rate7

2.4%

Top Industries5

*If table appears to be cut off please swipe right.

Sector 2010 / 2019 Change in Jobs Avg. Annual Wage
Government 4,680 / 4,785 2% $39,691
Retail Trade 2,253 / 2,224 -1% $24,211
Health Care and Social Assistance 2,161 / 2,407 11% $37,829
Manufacturing 2,089 / 2,828 35% $47,906
Accommodation and Food Services 1,228 / 1,322 8% $11,417
Finance and Insurance 730 / 778 7% $53,514
Wholesale Trade 718 / 491 -32% $38,225
Other Services (except Public Administration) 696 / 595 -15% $23,645
Admin / Support / Waste Manag. / Remediation Services 655 / 583 -11% $29,621
Construction 635 / 752 18% $46,422

Population2

2010 Census3

51,208

Female

48.0%

Median Age

36.0

2017 Estimate1

51,999

Male

52.0%

Age 65+

8,446

2030/2040 Projections4

52,960/52,810

UW-P Students8

8,429

Under 18

10,307

Race & Ethnicity

96.6% White alone
1.4% Hispanic or Latino (of any race)
1.4% Black or African American alone
0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native alone

0.7% Asian alone
0.0% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone
0.3% Some other race alone
0.8% Two or more races

Population Age %

Top Employers

  • University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville
  • Nu-Pak, Inc., Boscobel
  • Southwest Health, Platteville
  • Rayovac, Fennimore
  • AVISTA Engineering Services, Inc., Platteville

Sources: 1. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division - Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2017 2. U.S. Census Bureau, 2012-2016 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 3. U.S. Census Bureau, Decennial Census 4. WI Department of Administration, Division of Intergovernmental Relations, Demographic Services Center (Dec. 2013) 5. Economic Modeling Specialists, Intl. 6. OnTheMap, U.S. Census Bureau, Center for Economic Studies 7. May 2018, Grant County, WI - USDOL BLS: https://data.bls.gov/map/ 8. University of Wisconsin Platteville Enrollment Report, Fall 2017

Grant County
Economic Development

Grant County <br/>Economic Development
Ron Brisbois

Executive Director
1800 Bronson Boulevard
Fennimore WI 53809
608-822-3501
gcedc@grantcounty.org