These Are The 10 Worst Places In Wisconsin To Get A Job

Top 10 Cities in Wisconsin with the Toughest Job Markets in 2026

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At Zippia, our goal is to navigate the country in search of the best and worst job markets.

In this article, we focus on the cities in Wisconsin that present the most significant challenges for job seekers in 2026, following our previous analysis of the best job markets in the state.

These cities are currently facing hurdles that hinder job growth and opportunities for advancement.

After analyzing data from the 100 largest cities in Wisconsin, we identified the ten cities where job seekers are likely to face the most difficulties:

Continue reading to discover our methodology.

For additional insights on Wisconsin’s job market, be sure to explore:

The 100 Highest Paying Jobs in Wisconsin
The 100 Highest Paying Jobs in Milwaukee
The 100 Largest Companies in Wisconsin

How We Identified Wisconsin’s Toughest Job Markets

To determine the cities facing the greatest challenges for job seekers in Wisconsin, we focused on urban areas with populations exceeding 5,000.

This approach allowed us to analyze data from 100 cities.

We ranked each city based on several criteria, with 1 being the most challenging in each category.

The final step involved calculating the average rank across all criteria, with the lowest overall score designating the “Worst City in Wisconsin to Find a Job.”

The criteria we evaluated included:

1. Merrill

Population: 9,638 Recent Job Growth: -0.72%
Future Job Growth: 30.90%

2. Manitowoc

Population: 33,646 Recent Job Growth: -0.62%
Future Job Growth: 31.40%

3. Wausau

Population: 39,158 Recent Job Growth: 0.32%
Future Job Growth: 32.90%

4. Racine

Population: 78,878 Recent Job Growth: 0.94%
Future Job Growth: 31.70%

5. Wisconsin Rapids

Population: 18,289 Recent Job Growth: -0.03%
Future Job Growth: 33.40%

6. Green Bay

Population: 104,226 Recent Job Growth: 0.66%
Future Job Growth: 33.70%

7. Chippewa Falls

Population: 13,673 Recent Job Growth: 0.33%
Future Job Growth: 34.40%

8. Marshfield

Population: 18,655 Recent Job Growth: -0.03%
Future Job Growth: 33.40%

9. Milwaukee

Population: 594,328 Recent Job Growth: 1.15%
Future Job Growth: 33.90%

10. Whitewater

Population: 14,385 Recent Job Growth: 0.27%
Future Job Growth: 34.60%

Conclusion: A Call for Growth

Our analysis highlights Merrill as the city facing the toughest job market in Wisconsin. While the state’s economy has shown signs of recovery and job opportunities have increased overall, these cities still struggle to keep pace.

It is crucial for local stakeholders to address these challenges to ensure that job seekers do not miss out on future opportunities.

Complete List of Wisconsin’s Toughest Job Markets

City	Rank	Population	Recent Job Growth	Future Job Growth
Merrill	1	9,638	-0.72%	30.90%
Manitowoc	2	33,646	-0.62%	31.40%
Wausau	3	39,158	0.32%	32.90%
Racine	4	78,878	0.94%	31.70%
Wisconsin Rapids	5	18,289	-0.03%	33.40%
Green Bay	6	104,226	0.66%	33.70%
Chippewa Falls	7	13,673	0.33%	34.40%
Marshfield	8	18,655	-0.03%	33.40%
Milwaukee	9	594,328	1.15%	33.90%
Whitewater	10	14,385	0.27%	34.60%

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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