The Characteristics of Wisconsin Communities That Increased Household Size between 1990 and 2000

Donald Harrier, State of Wisconsin
David A. Egan-Robertson, State of Wisconsin

Declining household size has been observed in Wisconsin since the earliest days of statehood. The period between 1990 and 2000 was no different. Among its municipalities, household size decline was widespread, but not universal. Those communities gaining household size typically were smaller, had higher migration rates and higher birth rates than the state average. Spatially, the majority of these communities were located in western and northern parts of Wisconsin. Using GIS, this poster session will illustrate the 1990-2000 changes in detail. The geospatial relationships of communities with increasing household size will be contrasted with adjacent communities. Finally, with a view toward the future, it will also identify potential patterns that could affect the preparation of small area estimates and projections.