Wisconsin Election Results: Swing State Where Home Prices Rose 57% in 5 Years Votes Red

Wisconsin’s election results are in, with the swing state voting for Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election, according to projections from the Associated Press decision team.

The state’s 10 Electoral College votes will go toward the Republican candidate in a closely contested race where housing policies were among the key issues debated by the campaigns. The call in Wisconsin puts Trump over the threshold needed to win, meaning he will return to the White House as the 47th president.

Campaigning in Wisconsin, Trump had tied rising housing costs to illegal immigration, casting blame on the border policies of the Biden administration.

“In many cases, we’ll be cutting your energy costs in half, and we’re going to be doing it very fast. I will also stop inflation by stopping the invasion, rapidly reducing housing costs,” he said at a June rally in Racine, WI.

In October, Vice President Kamala Harris held a campaign event in La Crosse, WI, where she touted her plans to spur more home construction and assist first-time homebuyers.

“We will bring down the cost of housing, because there was a time that generations of Americans could count on the American dream; but for far too many these days, it is just out of reach,” she said. “So, we will deal with the housing supply. And I will commit to creating a $25,000 down payment assistance so you can, for the first-time homebuyers, just get your foot in the door.”

For the latest election results, check the Wall Street Journal’s live election tracker.

Key stats on Wisconsin’s housing market

The homeownership rate in Wisconsin is 70% as of last year, above the national average of 66%, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

In the first nine months of 2024, the median listing price for homes in Wisconsin averaged $385,292—a 57% increase from the same period in 2019, according to Realtor.com® listing data. That compares with a national median listing price of $428,860 for 2024 through September, up 38% from five years ago.

On a square-foot basis, homes in the Badger State were typically listed for $207 in 2024, also up 57% from 2019. Nationally, the median list price per square foot rose 52% in the same period, to $228.

The average Wisconsin homeowner gained $25,000 in equity in the 12 months through June 2024, in line with the national average of $25,000, according to CoreLogic.

Among renters in Wisconsin, 39% are considered rent-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on rent. That compares with 50% of renters nationally who are considered rent-burdened.