Vaccination Rates Among Wisconsin Toddlers Show Decline in 2025
Recent data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services highlights that in 2025, nearly 30% of two-year-olds in Wisconsin had not completed their recommended vaccinations.
The statistics reveal that only 66.9% of children at 24 months had finished their childhood vaccination series last year, marking a decline of about 2 percentage points compared to 2024. This drop represents approximately 1,200 fewer children being fully vaccinated, according to Stephanie Schauer, the manager of the Wisconsin Immunization Program at DHS.
“That means we’ve got fewer kids protected. We’ve got larger gaps in our community immunity,” Schauer announced during a press call. “Behind these numbers are children — it’s families, it’s our community.”
For the four years preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, the completion rate for childhood vaccine series among two-year-olds was stable at around 69%. Before the pandemic, the rate was even higher at 72.1%.
Schauer mentioned the challenges in pinpointing the exact reasons for the recent decline. “We know that getting kids in to the doctor’s on time … can be hard with busy schedules,” she noted. “We understand that there’s a lot of misinformation and disinformation out there, that maybe people are questioning vaccines or they may be delaying or spreading vaccines out.”
She emphasized that some vaccines require multiple doses over time, which can contribute to delays in completing the series. To counteract these issues, DHS continues to ensure that children who are uninsured or underinsured have access to necessary vaccinations through Wisconsin’s Vaccines for Children program.
Alarmingly, the percentage of two-year-olds receiving at least one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine fell below 80% in 2025. State data indicates a gradual decline in MMR vaccination rates over the past decade.
Measles outbreaks have occurred in Wisconsin and other states over the last year, exacerbated by low vaccination rates. Schauer stressed the importance of increasing vaccination coverage to prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease. She expressed hope that recent outbreaks would raise awareness about the necessity of vaccinations, especially with upcoming spring break travel.
“We really need to be closer (to) 95 percent of a community protected so that we don’t have an outbreak if measles is introduced,” she said.
In other age groups, 2025 saw a slight increase in meningitis vaccinations among adolescents. However, there were small declines in the rates of teens receiving vaccinations for human papillomavirus (HPV) and tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap).
