Wisconsin Watch partners with Gigafact to produce fact briefs — bite-sized fact checks of trending claims. Read our methodology to learn how we check claims.
No.
Wisconsin Watch found no public data to support a claim that two-thirds of Wisconsinites say their personal finances are good and have improved.
The statement was made Jan. 25, 2024, by Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler.
The two latest Wisconsin surveys on the issue, from fall 2023, do not back Wikler’s claim.
In a Marquette Law School Poll of registered voters, 51% said they were just getting by (36%) or struggling (15%); 48% said they were living comfortably.
A University of Wisconsin-Madison Survey Center poll found 53% of residents said they weren’t certain they could find $400 in an emergency; 19% said they were better off financially than 12 months earlier.
Wikler’s staff cited two national polls.
In a December Harris Poll, 63% of Americans rated their financial situation good or very good. In an August Quinnipiac University Poll, 60% said their financial situation was good or excellent.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
The Todd Allbaugh Show: The Todd Allbaugh Show LIVE – Thursday, January 25th, 2024
Marquette University: Marquette Law School Poll survey of Wisconsin finds Biden leads Trump by 2 points, trails DeSantis and Haley
La Follette School of Public Affairs: Survey finds many Wisconsin residents struggle with personal finances, inflation
Google Docs: Wisconsin Survey Center email 2/1/24
Axios: Americans are actually pretty happy with their finances
Quinnipiac University: Majority Of Americans Say Trump Should Be Prosecuted On Federal Criminal Charges Linked To 2020 Election, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Desantis Slips, Trump Widens Lead In Gop Primary
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
