(The Center Square) – Most business owners in Wisconsin say the state’s economy is okay, but they’re not going beyond that.
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state’s largest business group recently released its first Wisconsin Employer Survey for 2026, measuring the confidence Wisconsin business leaders have in the state’s economy.
“Seventy-three percent saying it was ‘moderate,’ versus 19% saying it was either ‘very strong’ or ‘strong’,” WMC said in a statement. “Just 8% rated the Wisconsin economy was ‘weak.’”
While that is not great, WMC said the view of Wisconsin’s economy is much better than the business owners’ view of the national economy.
“When asked to rate the current state of the U.S. economy, 60% said it was ‘moderate,’ while 18% said it was either ‘very strong’ or ‘strong,’ and 21% said it was ‘weak.’.”
But WMC said 70% of business owners said the country is headed in the right direction, compared to just 46% of owners who said Wisconsin is headed in the right direction.
“This survey reveals that we have something of a bipolar economy,” WMC President & CEO Kurt R. Bauer said. “We have some good news and some bad news, but hiring trends are a sign that the economy is strengthening.”
Perhaps the best news in the Employer Survey is that most business are making money.
“Ninety percent of respondents said they were profitable in the last 6 months of 2025, up from 86% in the summer. Ninety-six percent predict they will be profitable during the first half of 2026,” WMC added.
Still, business owners in the state are worried about health care costs, and labor availability.
“Sixty percent [of business owners] said they were having trouble finding workers, up from 52% six months ago, which was the lowest percentage in a decade,” the survey revealed. “For context, that metric peaked at 88% in the winter of 2022.”
“Overall, Wisconsin employers seem to be lukewarm,” Bauer said. “Although we see hints of optimism like increased hiring and a relatively good outlook for the U.S. economy, businesses are still frustrated with high healthcare costs and finding capable employees.”
