Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 1,566,361 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area

What is the median household income in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area?: The median household income in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area is $76,404 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area is 8.5% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area?: $283,800 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area is $1,105 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 38.8% of adults in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

1,566,361

Median Income

$76,404

Median Home Value

$283,800

Poverty Rate

8.5%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

3.8%

Median Age

38.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$14,015 (+22.5%) Home Value: +$69,900 (+32.7%) Poverty Rate: -0.7 pp (-7.6%) Bachelor's+: +3.2 pp (+9%) Unemployment: -0.5 pp (-11.6%)

Demographics

Total Population 1,566,361

Median Age 38.0

Female 51.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 11.8% White (non-Hisp.) 64.4% Black 16.1% Asian 4.0% Two or More 8.3% Other 3.8%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Indian

1.0%

Chinese

0.5%

Filipino

0.3%

Korean

0.2%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

7.7%

Puerto Rican

2.6%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $76,404 ±$715

Per Capita Income $108,118

Median Family Income $101,862

Poverty Rate 8.5%

Child Poverty Rate 13.6%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 13.9%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 24.0%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.8%

$10–15k

3.7%

$15–25k

6.5%

$25–35k

7.4%

$35–50k

10.4%

$50–75k

16.3%

$75–100k

13.1%

$100–150k

17.8%

$150–200k

9.2%

$200k+

10.8%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 695,586

Owner-Occupied 60.4%

Renter-Occupied 39.6%

Vacancy Rate 6.5%

Median Home Value $283,800

Median Gross Rent $1,105

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 16.9%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 38.9%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

3.0%

$50–100k

4.4%

$100–200k

7.3%

$200–300k

27.2%

$300–500k

30.7%

$500k–$1M

13.0%

$1M+

2.1%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

6.0%

$500–1k

33.5%

$1–1.5k

39.6%

$1.5–2k

14.3%

$2–2.5k

3.8%

$2.5–3.5k

1.5%

$3.5k+

1.3%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

8.9%

1 vehicle

37.1%

2 vehicles

38.1%

16.0%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

54.6%

Single-fam. att.

5.3%

2–4 units

11.4%

5–19 units

5.9%

20+ units

13.4%

Mobile home

0.6%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

20.7%

1940–1969

7.0%

1970–1999

13.1%

2000–2009

8.2%

2010+

5.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 92.7%

Bachelor's or Higher 38.8%

Graduate Degree 13.5%

Some College / Associate 19.3%

Less Than High School 2.7%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 65.9%

Unemployment Rate 3.8%

Work from Home 13.5%

Self-Employed 4.1%

Government Workers 10.7%

Private For-Profit 85.1%

Industry

Edu/Health

24.7%

Manufacturing

16.9%

Prof. Services

11.3%

Retail

10.6%

Arts/Entmt.

7.6%

Finance

7.2%

Construction

5.2%

Transportation

4.7%

Public Admin

3.0%

Wholesale

2.5%

Information

1.5%

Agriculture

0.7%

Occupation

Management

43.7%

Sales

19.5%

Food Prep

15.3%

Production

15.1%

Construction

6.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 22.8 min

Drove Alone 73.8%

Carpool 7.1%

Public Transit 2.2%

Work from Home 13.5%

Walked 2.2%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 650,084

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 42.9%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 16.1%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.9%

5–9

6.2%

10–14

6.6%

15–19

6.5%

20–24

6.1%

25–34

13.7%

35–44

13.1%

45–54

11.9%

55–64

6.7%

65–74

6.5%

75–84

10.0%

85+

4.5%

Under 18: 22.8% Working age (18–64): 77.2% 65 and over: 16.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 7.6%

Naturalized Citizen 48.2%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 4.6%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

40.5%

Asia

35.5%

Europe

14.9%

Africa

7.3%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 5.1%

With a Disability 11.3%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 94.6%

Uninsured 5.4%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 89.7%

Has a Computer 94.4%

Same House 1 Year Ago 88.3%

Moved from Abroad 0.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023