The Driftless Region, including Crawford County and the Prairie du Chien area, are part of the greater southwestern Wisconsin region and northeastern Iowa and home to a diverse, highly skilled and educated workforce. Area businesses take advantage of a labor pool of more than 100,000 workers supplemented by 41,000 graduates from our region’s colleges and universities each year.
Prosperity Southwest has put together key facts and industry statistics for a better understanding of Crawford county labor and industries:
Broadband
Broadband is important for the workforce and community. We are continuing to give access to high-speed internet to all. Interested in testing your current internet speed? Below is a link to a tool that will show you your current internet speed while collecting necessary data for the Southwest Wisconsin Region to pursue better broadband infrastructure in the areas identified as underserved.
Click here to test your internet speed!
Manufacturing/Retail
Manufacturing/Retail is the leading industry providing employment in Crawford County with metal workers, plastic workers, and other production workers accounting for the largest percentage of manufacturing occupations.
Economic development and financial incentives are available for new businesses and companies looking to expand or relocate to the Driftless Region. The area has a modern industrial parks with a complete infrastructure and a large number of support services.
Agriculture
Family-owned farms, food processors and agriculture-related businesses generate thousands of jobs
and millions of dollars of economic activity for Crawford County, while contributing to local income
and tax revenues.
Based on a study by UW-Extension, Agricultural diversity is important in Lafayette County.
Business Resources
Economic development has seen significant changes in Crawford County through the years. Today, manufacturing, retail and agriculture lead the county’s economic profile. Tourism also contributes significantly to the county’s economy.
In June 2018, Prosperity Southwest Wisconsin (PSW) partnered with Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and its county partners to undertake a study of the region’s housing and workforce. The purpose of the study is to guide the near-term policies for communities, counties, and the region in order to address the existing and near future housing issues in southwest Wisconsin. A secondary purpose is to provide a comprehensive summary of demographic, housing, and workforce data to assist in the decision-making of local elected officials and investors. To achieve these ends, this study examines existing housing in the region, how appropriate that housing is to current and
future residents, and what can be done to address the current issues within the next 10 years.
Diverse Business Assistance Grant Program
The purpose of the Diverse Business Assistance Program is to provide funding to assist chambers and non-profit organizations providing assistance to small businesses owned by individuals who have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The State intends to award up to $73,470,757.65 in grants through this Program. Funding for this assistance is provided to Wisconsin by the Federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
For more information regarding the Diverse Business Assistance Program, please visit https://doa.wi.gov/pages/DiverseBusinessAssistance.aspx