Wisconsin’s Manufacturing Decline | Fort Wayne News

Fort Wayne News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Jul 8, 2026 · 1m

Wisconsin’s job market is undergoing a seismic shift: manufacturing, once the backbone of the economy, has lost over 100,000 jobs since 2001, while health care and social assistance have surged to become the state’s top employers—adding 143,000 jobs in the same period. Though manufacturing still dominates in Indiana, Wisconsin’s decline mirrors a nationwide trend affecting 46 states. Social assistance jobs, paying around $30K, have grown faster than higher-paying hospital roles. Recent data shows Wisconsin lost 11,600 trade and 3,700 manufacturing jobs in just one year—with paper and printing…