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Median household income fell by a significant margin in two-thirds of Wisconsin counties from 2009 to 2014, according to figures released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

In Milwaukee County, the median income fell by 10.3% to $43,385. Waukesha County, which had the highest median income in the state at $76,319, saw a 7.1% drop. Washington (-5.2%), Ozaukee (-7.7%) and Racine (-7.9%) counties all experienced declining incomes, as well.

The trend mirrors the nation, which saw median income decline by 7.5% to $53,482, after adjusting for inflation.

"We've taken a definite step downward," said Tim Smeeding, professor of public affairs and economics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Things don't look good."

The falling income figures show the gutting effect the recession had on the state's manufacturing sector, Smeeding said. Jobs in which a person without a college education could earn a middle-class wage disappeared only to be replaced by mostly low-wage positions.

"The people who got hurt were the people who could walk out of high school and earn a middle-class living," he said. "Now, all that's disappeared."

The sagging incomes show a middle class that is struggling, said Smeeding, who authors the annual Wisconsin Poverty Report and is among the world's top poverty scholars.

The rural areas of the state saw some of the steepest declines in income, according to comparisons of the 2005-2009 and 2010-2014 American Community Survey figures. The survey is a rolling collection of household and demographic statistics from 3.5 million addresses.

Vilas County saw the most significant decline, falling by 13.3% to $40,501.

In all, median household income fell by at least 10% in 10 counties. It increased in two: Adams ($45,366) and Florence ($49,703). Incomes remained relatively unchanged in 23 counties.

The figures are discouraging, but not surprising, said Brian Jacobsen, chief portfolio strategist with Wells Fargo Funds Management.

"It's been such a weak economic recovery," he said. "Up to this point, it seemed like median incomes were at best keeping up with inflation."

Falling incomes translate into increased poverty down the line. In Milwaukee County, the percentage of people living in poverty increased by 3.9 points to 21.9%. More than half of the counties in the state saw increases in the portions of people living in poverty.

Florence County, on the border with Michigan, was the only county to see a decline in poverty levels, going from 16.1% to 10.4%. Poverty levels remained unchanged in about half of counties.

In about a dozen counties, people also reported spending a greater portion of their median household income on rent. In Milwaukee County, for example, renters spent 32.6% of their income on rent in 2014, a 2.1 percentage point increase from 2009.

Still, people in most Wisconsin counties used less of their income on rent than the national average of 31.3%. Renters in only three counties — Oneida, Milwaukee and Kenosha — reported spending a greater portion.

Jacobsen, who also teaches financial planning at Wisconsin Lutheran College, said it was a small bright spot to see people spending a smaller portion of their income than the national average on rent.

"I think that's kind of light beer in terms of solace here," he said.