The 6th district has a long history of farming livestock in rural areas,[3] and is a major producer of both milk and grains.

The 6th district's Republican lean extends to presidential races; since 1952, only three Democrats have carried it: Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, Bill Clinton in 1996, and Barack Obama in 2008, all three of whom swept the state of Wisconsin in landslides.

The reapportionment of Congressional districts following the federal census of 1860 gave Wisconsin three additional members in the House of Representatives.

The 6th District originally included the counties of Adams, Ashland, Bad Ax (Vernon), Buffalo, Burnett, Dallas (Barron), Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, La Pointe, Marathon, Monroe, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Portage, St. Croix, Trempealeau, and Wood.

It included the counties of Brown, Calumet, Door, Green Lake, Kewaunee, Outagamie, Waupaca, Waushara and Winnebago.

The federal census of 1880 showed further population growth in Wisconsin and the state gained a 9th Congressional seat.

The 6th District shifted eastward to a configuration that closely resembled that of today's linear east to west shape with a population of 187,001.

The state's population reached 2,069,042 according to the 1900 federal census and Wisconsin gained an additional seat in the House of Representatives.

The 6th District shifted southward and included the counties of Dodge, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan and Washington.

The district included the counties of Calument, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Manitowoc, Marquette, and Winnebago.

The 6th District now included Calumet, Fond du Lac, Ozaukee, Sheboygan, Washington, and Winnebago counties.

It now included all or portions of Adams, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Juneau, Manitowoc, Marquette, Monroe, Sheboygan, Waushara, and Winnebago counties.

In addition, the counties of Calumet, Green Lake, Manitowoc, Marquette, Waushara and Winnebago were included in their entirety.

The 1990 census saw Wisconsin retain its nine seats in the House of Representatives and created only minor changes to the 6th District.

All or portions of Adams, Brown, Calumet, Fond du Lac, Green Lake, Juneau, Manitowoc, Marquette, Monroe, Outagamie, Sheboygan, Waupaca, Waushara, and Winnebago counties were part of the Sixth.