Regions
Wisconsin’s main land regions are the Lake Superior Lowland, Northern Highland, Central Plain, Western Upland, and the Eastern Ridges and Lowlands.
Agriculture
Agriculture continues to be a top industry for the Badger state, generating $104.8 billion in revenues. There are approximately 64,100 farms in Wisconsin, covering 14.2 million acres. The average size farm comprises 222 acres. Agriculture makes a significant contribution to all 72 counties.
Wisconsin’s top commodities are dairy products (specifically milk), cattle/calves, and corn. The state also grows substantial quantities of soybeans, potatoes, and cranberries. Most of the cropland is found in the southern two-thirds of the state.
Wildlife
Wisconsin wildlife is abundant on both land and water. Popular wildlife include white-tailed deer, moose, wolves, black bear, red fox, badgers, and turkey. Diverse fishing opportunities across the state include largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, musky, and lake sturgeon.
Wisconsin is committed to conserving its land, waters, and wildlife habitats from the threats of climate change and contamination.
Major Rivers and Lakes
Wisconsin’s three longest rivers are the Mississippi River, Wisconsin River, and Rock River. Their main tributaries include the Chippewa River, St. Croix River, Pecatonica River, Kishwaukee River, and Green River.
Lake Superior, the largest lake in Wisconsin, is located on the northern edge of Wisconsin. The surface area of this lake is approximately 20.2 million acres (31,700 square miles). Other significant lakes include Lake Michigan and Lake Winnebago, which exceed 14.4 million surface area acres.
State and National Parks
Wisconsin has 66 state parks and 2 national parks.
National Parks:
- Apostle Islands National Lakeshore
- Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
| State Summary | |
| Nickname | The Badger State |
| Neighboring States | Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota |
| Regions | Lake Superior Lowland, Northern Highland, Central Plain, Western Upland, and Eastern Ridges and Lowlands. |
| State Flower | Blue Violet |
| State Bird | American Robin |
| Big Game | White-tailed deer, bear, and turkey |
| Small Game | Rabbit, squirrel, and waterfowl |
| Freshwater Fish | Largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, musky, and lake sturgeon |
| Saltwater Fish | N/A |
| Hunting Information | https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/Hunt |
| Total Acreage | 41.9 million acres |
| Total Public Land Acreage | 34.8 million acres |
| Average Annual Rainfall | 34 inchess |
| Farmland by Acreage | 14.2 million acres |
| Woodlands by Acreage | 16 million acres |
| Coastline | N/A |
| Conservation Program | https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/ |
| Primary Crops | Corn and Hay |
| Largest Lake | Lake Superior |
| Other Lakes | Lake Michigan, Lake Winnebago, and Lake Pepin |
| Major Rivers | Mississippi River, Wisconsin River, and Rock River |
| Other Tributaries | Chippewa River, St. Croix River, Pecatonica River, Kishwaukee River, and Green River |
Our Rural Real Estate Offices
Mossy Oak Properties Wisconsin began with the goal of becoming a trusted resource for folks looking to buy or sell rural land for sale in Wisconsin. Our land brokers and agents understand what people are looking for in rural property because we share the same lifestyle and love for the land as you do. We understand the importance of honor and integrity and that buying or selling land is an emotional and life-changing experience for consumers.
Only Mossy Oak Properties Wisconsin can provide the powerful combination of brand strength, local expertise, quality service, and national exposure. Whether you want to buy or sell rural real estate, a Mossy Oak Properties land specialist is a must-have on your team.
Find a Wisconsin land real estate agent.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of rural land are available in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a huge dairy farming tradition in the central and southwest counties that completely defines the farming culture of the state. Northern Wisconsin is heavily wooded with massive demand for timber hunting and lake cabin land from buyers coming out of Milwaukee and Chicago.
The Driftless Area in the southwest along the Mississippi River has deep river valleys offering amazing smallmouth bass fishing and incredible trophy whitetail deer hunting on private land. Growing cranberries in Wood Monroe and Jackson counties makes Wisconsin the absolute top cranberry producing state in the country. The Lake District in Vilas Oneida and Forest counties features highly expensive cabin lakefront dirt driven by a massive market of people wanting weekend getaways.
What are typical land prices across Wisconsin regions?
According to the 2025 USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service reports the average farm dirt in Wisconsin sits around $7,238 per acre. Because of this central Wisconsin farm dirt in Marathon Portage and Waupaca counties runs $4,500 to $8,000 per acre for great crop ground. Northern Wisconsin lake cabin lots in Vilas and Oneida counties sell for $500 to $3,000 per front foot depending on the water quality.
Northern Wisconsin wooded hunting dirt without lake access runs $1,500 to $3,500 per acre. Southwest Wisconsin hunting dirt in Vernon Crawford and Richland counties runs $2,500 to $6,000 per acre for great deer properties. Rural land sitting right outside Milwaukee and Chicago in Waukesha Washington and Ozaukee counties carries massive residential price tags. Lake cabin dirt in Wisconsin has absolutely skyrocketed in value because of wealthy buyers coming up from Chicago.
What property taxes should Wisconsin rural landowners expect?
According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources the Managed Forest Law program gives massive property tax breaks for wooded land enrolled in either open or closed status. Closed land means you can keep people out and you pay around $9.49 to $10.68 per acre every single year in exchange for a 25 or 50 year commitment.
Open land means you have to let the public hunt and hike on it but you only pay around $2.49 per acre. If you ever pull your land out of the program to build a housing development the state hits you with a massive withdrawal tax and penalty. For buyers looking for wooded hunting dirt getting into the closed program drastically drops the yearly holding costs and is a completely standard move among Wisconsin hunting land buyers.
