Business phone system for electrical contractors in Wisconsin
1,459 electrical contractors operated in Wisconsin in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 1,459CBP 2023
- Employees
- 17,594mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 24.5U.S. 24.5
- State rank
- 18th of 51by count
The electrical contractor industry in Wisconsin
County Business Patterns counts 1,459 establishments in Wisconsin classified as Electrical Contractors and Other Wiring Installation Contractors (NAICS 238210) for 2023. They employed 17,594 people in mid-March and reported $1.4 billion in annual payroll. That is the 18th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Electrical contractors make up 1.0% of the 144,774 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Wisconsin has 24.5 electrical contractors, in line with the national rate of 24.5. The average establishment has 12.1 employees against 12.2 nationally. Payroll per employee is $77,543, in line with the U.S. figure of $76,545.
| Measure | Wisconsin | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 1,459 | 83,342 |
| Mid-March employees | 17,594 | 1,015,983 |
| Annual payroll | $1,364,293,000 | $77,768,461,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 12.1 | 12.2 |
| Payroll per employee | $77,543 | $76,545 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 24.5 | 24.5 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Wisconsin's largest markets for electrical contractors
Census published electrical contractor counts for 29 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Wisconsin. The largest is Minneapolis, MN-WI, with 795 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 80% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis, MN-WI | 795 | 12,186 | 21.2 |
| Milwaukee, WI | 328 | 5,555 | 20.8 |
| Madison, WI | 186 | 2,446 | 26.3 |
| Appleton, WI | 89 | 1,435 | 35.7 |
| Green Bay, WI | 69 | 1,133 | 20.6 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 60 | 559 | 21.3 |
| Janesville, WI | 48 | 476 | 29.0 |
| Eau Claire, WI | 47 | 626 | 26.7 |
| Oshkosh, WI | 45 | — | 26.0 |
| La Crosse, WI-MN | 41 | 380 | 24.0 |
| Racine, WI | 35 | 340 | 17.6 |
| Wausau, WI | 35 | 444 | 25.2 |
| Sheboygan, WI | 33 | 390 | 27.9 |
| Whitewater, WI | 28 | 286 | 26.4 |
| Baraboo, WI | 27 | 116 | 40.6 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | 23 | 154 | 22.1 |
| Kenosha, WI | 22 | 143 | 13.0 |
| Beaver Dam, WI | 22 | 216 | 24.8 |
| Watertown, WI | 21 | 131 | 24.3 |
| Wisconsin Rapids, WI | 21 | 249 | 28.4 |
| Manitowoc, WI | 18 | 119 | 22.1 |
| Rice Lake, WI | 18 | 138 | 38.5 |
| Marinette, WI-MI | 14 | — | 21.4 |
| Sparta, WI | 13 | — | 28.0 |
| Menomonie, WI | 13 | 43 | 28.2 |
Top 25 of 29 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.
Team sizes at electrical contractors in Wisconsin
59.1% of Wisconsin's electrical contractors with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 58.6% nationally. 77.5% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 861 | 59.1% | 58.6% |
| 5–9 employees | 268 | 18.4% | 18.3% |
| 10–19 employees | 157 | 10.8% | 11.2% |
| 20–49 employees | 109 | 7.5% | 7.6% |
| 50 or more employees | 62 | 4.3% | 4.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
What electrical contractors in Wisconsin use the phone for
Electricians get service calls about outages and breakers alongside larger installation projects. Being reachable while on a job site keeps both kinds of work flowing.
Typical inbound and outbound calls for electrical contractors in Wisconsin:
- The contractor calls an inspector to book an inspection.
- A customer calls about installing an EV charger.
- A homeowner calls because half the house lost power.
When nobody can pick up
Power problems after hours can be urgent, so capturing and flagging them helps.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Callata vs. per-seat pricing for electrical contractors in Wisconsin
Electrical contractors in Wisconsin average 12.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 12-person team. Priced per seat, 12 users would run $360.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $299.40 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 12 people cost $239.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,452. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $239.00 | $2,868.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $228.00 | $2,736.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $276.00 | $3,312.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $299.40 | $3,592.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $324.00 | $3,888.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $360.00 | $4,320.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has 8 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your customers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 608 | 785 | Central | 1955 | 353 |
| 715 | 785 | Central | 1947 | 534 |
| 920 | 785 | Central | 1997 | 274 |
| 262 | 634 | Central | 1999 | none |
| 414 | 552 | Central | 1947 | none |
| 534 | 98 | Central | 2010 | 715 |
| 274 | 29 | Central | 2023 | 920 |
| 353 | 13 | Central | 2023 | 608 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for electrical contractors in Wisconsin
Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.
If you already have a number in Wisconsin, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many electrical contractors are in Wisconsin?
1,459 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 17,594 people in mid-March.
Which Wisconsin metro area has the most electrical contractors?
Minneapolis, MN-WI, with 795 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 12-person electrical contractor?
$360.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $299.40 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $239.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Wisconsin number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.