By the numbers
Racine County led the state in the rate of new construction in 2024, data published by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue show.
The state’s measure of net new construction reports the value of “new construction reduced by any demolition or destruction of buildings,” measuring the growth in a county’s property value that is attributable to construction. It serves as an indicator of economic development.
The most recent report, published in August, covers the calendar year 2024.
Racine County’s total property value grew by 4.83 percent from new building construction, the data show. In second place: Adams County, at 2.94 percent.
Rounding out the top five were Juneau, Calumet and Dane counties. Among the state’s 10 largest counties by population, the top five were Racine, Dane, Brown, Kenosha, and Outagamie counties.
Statewide, the average county saw net new construction of 1.65 percent. Ten counties had rates of 1 percent or lower, while seven counties had rates above 2 percent.
The figures can change greatly from year to year. The previous year’s figure for Racine County, for example, was 1.58 percent growth, slightly below the state as a whole.
An earlier version of this post used recently published figures for 2023 that were superseded by the state’s 2024 update last month.
