6 planting zones in Wisconsin on Map

Wisconsin has 6 USDA planting zones — 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, and 6a, per the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Annual minimum winter temperatures range from -35°F to -5°F across the state, with the coldest zones in the far north and the warmest 6a strip along Lake Michigan near Racine, Kenosha, and Milwaukee. These same USDA zones are also called growing zones, hardiness zones, gardening zones, and climate zones.

Each Wisconsin plant zone is defined by the coldest average winter temperature a location records. Madison and La Crosse sit on the 5a/5b boundary, Green Bay and Appleton fall in 5b, northern cities like Hayward and Park Falls are in 4a, and the single city in Zone 3b is Wascott.

Find your Wisconsin plant zone below using the ZIP code search or the interactive Wisconsin planting zone map. For a full lookup by town or county, see USDA hardiness zones for Wisconsin cities, towns, and counties.

Search Wisconsin Planting Zones by ZipCode

Planting Zones Wisconsin Map

Select or type your Wisconsin city name in the selection box below. Use the top-right corner button in the map view to toggle map layers.

What are the 6 planting zones in Wisconsin?

1. Zone 3b

Zone 3b, represented by the darkest purple on the map above, is the coldest planting zone in Wisconsin. With average annual minimum temperatures ranging from -35°F to -30°F (-37.2°C to -34.4°C), this zone covers a tiny portion of the state’s northernmost area. The only city listed for this zone is Wascott.

2. Zone 4a

Shown in a slightly lighter shade of purple on our map, Zone 4a covers much of northern Wisconsin. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -30°F and -25°F (-34.4°C to -31.7°C). Cities in this zone include Hayward, Minocqua, and Park Falls.

3. Zone 4b

Zone 4b, shown in dark blue on our map, covers a significant portion of central and north-central Wisconsin. With average annual minimum temperatures from -25°F to -20°F (-31.7°C to -28.9°C), this zone represents a transition between the colder north and the milder south. Cities in this zone include Eau Claire, Wausau, and Stevens Point.

4. Zone 5a

Represented by a dark green on our map above, Zone 5a covers much of central and southern Wisconsin. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -20°F and -15°F (-28.9°C to -26.1°C). The main cities in this zone are Madison, La Crosse, and Portage.

5. Zone 5b

Zone 5b, shown in light green on the map, covers most of southern Wisconsin and extends along the Lake Michigan shoreline. With average annual minimum temperatures from -15°F to -10°F (-26.1°C to -23.3°C), major cities in this zone include Madison, Green Bay, Appleton, Kenosha, and Racine. The moderating effect of Lake Michigan influences the climate in the eastern part of this zone.

6. Zone 6a

The warmest zone in Wisconsin, 6a, is shown in yellow on our map and is primarily found along the Lake Michigan coast in the southeastern part of the state. This zone experiences average annual minimum temperatures between -10°F and -5°F (-23.3°C to -20.6°C). It covers a narrow strip that includes cities like Racine, Kenosha, and parts of Milwaukee.

Planting Zones in Wisconsin with Cities

USDA hardiness zones for Wisconsin cities, towns, and counties. Data Source: 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Planting Zones in Wisconsin	Temp Range (°F)	Cities
5b	-15 to -10	Adell, Algoma, Appleton, Avalon, Baileys Harbor, Bassett, Belgium, Beloit, Benet Lake, Big Bend, Brillion, Bristol, Brookfield, Brooklyn, Brussels, Burlington, Butler, Butte Des Morts, Caledonia, Cambridge, Camp Lake, Cascade, Casco, Cedar Grove, Cedarburg, Chilton, Cleveland, Clinton, Collins, Combined Locks, Cottage Grove, Darien, De Pere, Deerfield, Delafield, Delavan, Denmark, Dousman, Eagle, East Troy, Edgerton, Egg Harbor, Elkhart Lake, Elkhorn, Ellison Bay, Elm Grove, Ephraim, Evansville, Fish Creek, Fond Du Lac, Fontana, Footville, Forest Junction, Forestville, Fort Atkinson, Francis Creek, Franklin, Franksville, Fredonia, Freedom, Genesee Depot, Genoa City, Germantown, Glenbeulah, Green Bay, Greenbush, Greendale, Greenleaf, Greenville, Hales Corners, Hanover, Hartland, Helenville, Hilbert, Hingham, Honey Creek, Jackson, Janesville, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Kansasville, Kaukauna, Kellnersville, Kenosha, Kewaskum, Kewaunee, Kiel, Kimberly, Kohler, La Pointe, Lake Geneva, Lake Mills, Lannon, Larsen, Little Chute, Little Suamico, Lowell, Luxemburg, Lyons, Madison, Malone, Manitowoc, Maplewood, Maribel, Marinette, Marshall, Mc Farland, Menasha, Menomonee Falls, Mequon, Merton, Milton, Milwaukee, Mishicot, Mount Calvary, Mukwonago, Muskego, Nashotah, Neenah, New Berlin, New Franken, New Holstein, New Munster, Newburg, Newton, North Lake, North Prairie, Oconomowoc, Okauchee, Omro, Oneida, Oostburg, Orfordville, Oshkosh, Palmyra, Pell Lake, Pewaukee, Pleasant Prairie, Plymouth, Port Washington, Powers Lake, Racine, Random Lake, Reedsville, Reeseville, Richfield, Rochester, Saint Cloud, Saint Nazianz, Salem, Saukville, Sharon, Sheboygan, Sheboygan Falls, Sherwood, Silver Lake, Sister Bay, Somers, Springfield, Stockbridge, Stoughton, Sturgeon Bay, Sturtevant, Suamico, Sullivan, Sussex, Tisch Mills, Trevor, Twin Lakes, Two Rivers, Union Grove, Valders, Van Dyne, Waldo, Wales, Walworth, Waterford, Waterloo, Watertown, Waukesha, West Bend, Whitelaw, Whitewater, Williams Bay, Wilmot, Winnebago, Winneconne, Woodworth, Wrightstown, Zenda
5a	-20 to -15	Abrams, Albany, Allenton, Amherst, Amherst Junction, Arena, Argyle, Arlington, Ashippun, Ashland, Avoca, Bagley, Baraboo, Barneveld, Bayfield, Bear Creek, Beaver Dam, Beetown, Belleville, Belmont, Benton, Berlin, Big Falls, Black Creek, Black Earth, Blanchardville, Bloomington, Blue Mounds, Blue River, Bonduel, Boscobel, Brandon, Briggsville, Brodhead, Brownsville, Browntown, Burnett, Cambria, Campbellsport, Caroline, Cashton, Cassville, Cazenovia, Cecil, Chaseburg, Clintonville, Clyman, Cobb, Coleman, Colgate, Columbus, Coon Valley, Cross Plains, Cuba City, Dale, Dalton, Dane, Darlington, De Forest, De Soto, Dickeyville, Dodgeville, Doylestown, Eastman, Eden, Edmund, Eldorado, Elroy, Embarrass, Endeavor, Fairwater, Fall River, Fennimore, Ferryville, Fox Lake, Fremont, Friesland, Gays Mills, Genoa, Gillett, Glen Haven, Gratiot, Green Lake, Gresham, Hartford, Hazel Green, Highland, Hillpoint, Hollandale, Holmen, Horicon, Hortonville, Hubertus, Hustisford, Iola, Iron Ridge, Ixonia, Juda, Juneau, Kendall, Keshena, Kieler, King, Kingston, Krakow, La Crosse, La Valle, Lake Delton, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lena, Leopolis, Lime Ridge, Linden, Livingston, Lodi, Loganville, Lomira, Lone Rock, Lyndon Station, Madison, Manawa, Marion, Markesan, Mauston, Mayville, Mazomanie, Merrimac, Middleton, Mineral Point, Monroe, Montello, Montfort, Monticello, Morrisonville, Mosinee, Mount Hope, Mount Horeb, Mount Sterling, Muscoda, Nelsonville, Neosho, Neshkoro, New Glarus, New London, Nichols, North Freedom, Norwalk, Oakfield, Oconto, Oconto Falls, Odanah, Ogdensburg, Onalaska, Oregon, Oxford, Packwaukee, Pardeeville, Patch Grove, Peshtigo, Pickett, Pine River, Plain, Platteville, Port Wing, Portage, Porterfield, Potosi, Pound, Poy Sippi, Poynette, Prairie Du Chien, Prairie Du Sac, Princeton, Pulaski, Randolph, Readfield, Readstown, Redgranite, Reedsburg, Rewey, Richland Center, Ridgeway, Rio, Ripon, Rock Springs, Rockland, Rosendale, Rothschild, Rubicon, Sauk City, Saxeville, Scandinavia, Seneca, Seymour, Shawano, Shiocton, Shullsburg, Sinsinawa, Slinger, Sobieski, Soldiers Grove, South Wayne, Spring Green, Steuben, Stevens Point, Stitzer, Stoddard, Sun Prairie, Suring, Theresa, Tigerton, Tilleda, Trempealeau, Verona, Viola, Viroqua, Watertown, Waukau, Waunakee, Waupaca, Waupun, Wausau, Wautoma, Wauzeka, West Salem, Westby, Westfield, Weyauwega, Wild Rose, Wilton, Windsor, Wisconsin Dells, Wonewoc, Woodford, Woodland, Woodman, Wyocena
6a	-10 to -5	Cudahy, Grafton, Kenosha, Milwaukee, Oak Creek, Racine, Sheboygan, South Milwaukee, Thiensville, Washington Island
4b	-25 to -20	Abbotsford, Adams, Alma, Alma Center, Almena, Almond, Altoona, Amberg, Amery, Aniwa, Antigo, Arcadia, Argonne, Arkansaw, Arkdale, Armstrong Creek, Arpin, Athelstane, Athens, Auburndale, Augusta, Babcock, Baldwin, Balsam Lake, Bancroft, Bangor, Barron, Barronett, Bay City, Beldenville, Benoit, Birnamwood, Black River Falls, Blair, Blenker, Bloomer, Bowler, Boyceville, Boyd, Brokaw, Bruce, Bryant, Cadott, Cameron, Camp Douglas, Cataract, Centuria, Chetek, Chili, Chippewa Falls, Clayton, Clear Lake, Cochrane, Colby, Colfax, Coloma, Comstock, Conover, Conrath, Cornell, Cornucopia, Crandon, Crivitz, Cumberland, Curtiss, Custer, Dallas, Deer Park, Deerbrook, Dodge, Dorchester, Downing, Downsville, Dresser, Dunbar, Durand, Eagle River, Eau Claire, Eau Galle, Edgar, Eland, Elcho, Elderon, Eleva, Elk Mound, Ellsworth, Elmwood, Elton, Ettrick, Fairchild, Fall Creek, Fence, Florence, Fountain City, Frederic, Friendship, Galesville, Gile, Gilmanton, Gleason, Glenwood City, Goodman, Grand Marsh, Grand View, Granton, Greenwood, Hager City, Hammond, Hancock, Hatley, Herbster, Hewitt, High Bridge, Hillsboro, Hixton, Holcombe, Houlton, Hudson, Humbird, Hustler, Independence, Irma, Jim Falls, Junction City, Knapp, La Farge, Lakewood, Laona, Long Lake, Loyal, Luck, Maiden Rock, Maple, Marathon, Marengo, Marshfield, Mason, Mattoon, Mc Naughton, Melrose, Menomonie, Merrill, Merrillan, Milladore, Millston, Milltown, Mindoro, Mondovi, Mountain, Necedah, Neillsville, Nekoosa, Nelson, Neopit, New Auburn, New Lisbon, New Richmond, Niagara, Oakdale, Ontario, Osceola, Osseo, Owen, Pearson, Pelican Lake, Pembine, Pepin, Phelps, Phlox, Pickerel, Pigeon Falls, Pittsville, Plainfield, Plover, Plum City, Poplar, Port Edwards, Prairie Farm, Prescott, Rhinelander, Rice Lake, Ridgeland, Ringle, River Falls, Roberts, Rock Falls, Rosholt, Rudolph, Saxon, Sayner, Schofield, Sextonville, Siren, Somerset, South Range, Sparta, Spencer, Spring Valley, Stanley, Star Lake, Star Prairie, Stetsonville, Stevens Point, Stockholm, Stratford, Strum, Summit Lake, Superior, Taylor, Thorp, Three Lakes, Tomah, Townsend, Tunnel City, Turtle Lake, Union Center, Unity, Vesper, Wabeno, Warrens, Washburn, Wausau, Wausaukee, Wheeler, White Lake, Whitehall, Willard, Wilson, Wisconsin Rapids, Wittenberg, Woodruff, Woodville
4a	-30 to -25	Birchwood, Boulder Junction, Brantwood, Brule, Butternut, Cable, Catawba, Clam Lake, Couderay, Cushing, Danbury, Drummond, Exeland, Fifield, Foxboro, Gilman, Glen Flora, Glidden, Gordon, Grantsburg, Harshaw, Haugen, Hawkins, Hawthorne, Hayward, Hazelhurst, Heafford Junction, Hertel, Hurley, Iron Belt, Iron River, Kennan, Lac Du Flambeau, Ladysmith, Lake Nebagamon, Lake Tomahawk, Land O Lakes, Lublin, Manitowish Waters, Medford, Mellen, Mercer, Mikana, Minocqua, Minong, Montreal, Ogema, Ojibwa, Park Falls, Phillips, Prentice, Presque Isle, Radisson, Rib Lake, Saint Croix Falls, Saint Germain, Sarona, Sheldon, Shell Lake, Solon Springs, Spooner, Springbrook, Stone Lake, Tomahawk, Tony, Trego, Tripoli, Upson, Webster, Westboro, Weyerhaeuser, Winter, Withee
3b	-35 to -30	Wascott

Factors considered in creating Wisconsin’s new planting zones Map?

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map for Wisconsin includes 30-year averages of annual minimum winter temperatures, elevation changes, topography, proximity to bodies of water (particularly Lake Michigan), and urban heat island effects. The new map utilizes data from 13,412 stations nationwide. All this allows for more precise zone delineation.