WIWisconsin rankings

Towns that borrow the most from their library in Wisconsin

Ranked by books, movies, e-books and other items the town’s public library lent in a year, per resident. 30 towns with 2,500+ residents.

IMLS Public Libraries Survey, fiscal year 2024

1 Whitefish Bay 24.8 per resident Whitefish Bay Public Library

2 Shorewood 22.9 per resident Shorewood Public Library

3 Monona 20.1 per resident Monona Public Library

#TownLoans per residentLibraryLoans a year

Whitefish Bay14,665 people 24.8 per resident Whitefish Bay Public Library 365,032

Shorewood13,627 people 22.9 per resident Shorewood Public Library 313,250

Monona8,527 people 20.1 per resident Monona Public Library 210,899

Wauwatosa48,529 people 17.6 per resident Wauwatosa Public Library 871,541

Elm Grove6,459 people 17.3 per resident Elm Grove Public Library 114,938

Brookfield41,273 people 14.4 per resident Brookfield Public Library 648,588

Hales Corners7,689 people 13.8 per resident Hales Corners Public Library 106,819

Greendale14,594 people 13.6 per resident Greendale Public Library 199,462

St. Francis9,004 people 12.8 per resident St. Francis Public Library 115,531

Cudahy17,853 people 11.9 per resident Cudahy Family Library 213,976

Waukesha71,233 people 11.4 per resident Waukesha Public Library 1,013,618

12 Muskego25,406 people 11.3 per resident Muskego Public Library 304,951

La Crosse51,356 people 11.2 per resident La Crosse Public Library 582,084

Menomonee Falls39,539 people 11.2 per resident Menomonee Falls Public Library 460,437

New Berlin40,270 people 10.9 per resident New Berlin Public Library 444,686

Madison278,001 people 10.3 per resident Madison Public Library 3,141,149

Franklin35,886 people 10.2 per resident Franklin Public Library 370,739

Fitchburg32,619 people 10.1 per resident Fitchburg Public Library 368,256

Menasha18,273 people 9.0 per resident Elisha D. Smith Public Library 204,495

20 RomeAdams County · 3,184 people 8.9 per resident Lester Public Library of Rome 28,358

Brown Deer12,564 people 8.7 per resident Brown Deer Public Library 112,451

Waupun11,174 people 7.9 per resident Waupun Public Library 110,131

Oshkosh66,729 people 7.7 per resident Oshkosh Public Library 632,866

Oak Creek37,325 people 7.7 per resident Oak Creek Public Library 298,884

Janesville66,030 people 7.1 per resident Hedberg Public Library 564,355

Greenfield37,345 people 7.0 per resident Greenfield Public Library 263,922

West Allis59,612 people 6.8 per resident West Allis Public Library 427,090

South Milwaukee20,442 people 6.8 per resident South Milwaukee Public Library 140,330

Whitewater15,807 people 5.0 per resident Irvin L. Young Memorial Library 85,168

Milwaukee566,973 people 2.8 per resident Milwaukee Public Library 1,602,290

How this ranking works

We rank every town by books, movies, e-books and other items the town’s public library lent in a year, per resident. The highest figure ranks #1. Each library reports its own yearly numbers to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (fiscal year 2024), and each town’s Library page shows how it compares with libraries of a similar size nationwide.

A town is ranked only when its library system serves that town alone, and the library’s own count of the people it serves is within 20% of the town’s population. Towns served by a county or regional system, or sharing a library with a neighbor, can’t be credited with the numbers, so they aren’t ranked. Libraries that didn’t respond to the survey aren’t ranked either. Vacation towns can rank high because summer residents and visitors use the library too.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Libraries: IMLS Public Libraries Survey. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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