Trempealeau and La Crosse counties led the state in property value gains for 2012 in an otherwise dismal year that saw declines in all but eight Wisconsin counties.

Property values statewide dropped 3.2 percent from 2011, with all categories down except manufacturing and personal property, according to Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance, citing state Department of Revenue figures.

The Tomah Journal reports among the state's 72 counties, only Trempealeau and La Crosse - up 1.6 and 1.2 percent, respectively - had values increase by more than 1 percent this year.

A Trempealeau County official credited the Preferred Sands mining operation in Blair, pointing to a whopping 38 percent jump in town of Preston values primarily spurred by adding $18.1 million in manufacturing property. The town had no manufacturing on its tax rolls before this year.