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Did more than 92,000 income tax filers leave Wisconsin for other states in 2021?

By Jacob Alabab-Moser
YES

An estimated 92,146 income tax-filing individuals left Wisconsin in 2021 for other states. The conservative Institute for Reforming Government said "nearly 60%" of them moved to states with flat or no income taxes, arguing tax policy was a major factor.

But nearly the same amount — 91,559 — moved into Wisconsin from other states that same year, according to IRS domestic migration figures based on tax returns. And a Wisconsin Watch analysis of that data shows 52% of those moving into Wisconsin came from flat-tax or no-tax states.

Wisconsin's net population flow for 2021 was 0% — ranking 30th for in-migration, according to Tax Foundation.

The data do not necessarily capture total tax filer migration to and from Wisconsin, as some individuals did not have to file individual income tax returns using Form 1040.

Experts disagree about the relationship between interstate migration and state tax policy. 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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