Wisconsin vs Minnesota: Whose Tap Water Is Harder?
Water Hardness in Wisconsin (140 PPM) vs Minnesota (175 PPM) — a 22% gap between neighbors, explained with July 2026 data.
Wisconsin and Minnesota share a border, but for water hardness they don't share much else: Wisconsin averages 140 PPM (rank #33 of 51) and Minnesota averages 175 PPM (rank #36) as of July 2026 — a 22% gap between neighbors.
| Wisconsin | Minnesota | U.S. benchmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average hardness | 140 PPM | 175 PPM | 120 PPM |
Wisconsin in context
Wisconsin averages 140 PPM — "hard" on the USGS scale and 17% harder than the national average of 120 PPM (rank #33 of 51, 1 = softest). Expect visible scale and spotting; a softener starts paying for itself in appliance life at this level.
Minnesota in context
Minnesota averages 175 PPM — "hard" on the USGS scale and 46% harder than the national average of 120 PPM (rank #36 of 51, 1 = softest). Expect visible scale and spotting; a softener starts paying for itself in appliance life at this level.
Full local breakdowns: Wisconsin · Minnesota · all states ranked.
State averages hide huge local swings. A certified home water test kit tells you your exact hardness and what's dissolved in your water — before you spend a dollar on treatment.
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