Wisconsin is commonly said to have about 15,000 lakes, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR)

. This figure includes all lakes that are 2.2 acres or larger in size

. However, there is some nuance:

• The number 15,000 refers to all documented lakes, ponds, and reservoirs of a certain minimum size (2.2 acres or more)

• About 6,000 of these lakes are named

• If Wisconsin used the same size threshold as Minnesota (10 acres or more), its lake count would be closer to 5,300

• The figure of 15,000 lakes is widely cited by the Wisconsin DNR and other sources, though some analyses suggest that the official count of named lakes, ponds, and reservoirs is approximately 6,000 based on hydrographic data

In summary, Wisconsin has roughly 15,000 lakes when counting all water bodies above 2.2 acres, with about 6,000 named lakes. This is the standard figure used by the state and most references.