City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Milwaukee, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Milwaukee - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

569,756
Residents
$51,888
Median income
$172,000
Median home
$1,338
Median rent (state)

Milwaukee - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Milwaukee places in the 23rd percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

23rd
percentile, household income
34th
percentile, home value
49th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Milwaukee, WI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 569,756 residents in Milwaukee, a mid-sized U.S. city within Wisconsin. Milwaukee households earn a median of $51,888 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 18.6%. Typical homes in Milwaukee are valued around $172,000, and the median resident age is 32.2 years. 26.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 60.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 236 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 22% from five years earlier. Milwaukee's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4131.6 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Wisconsin scores 94.1 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,338 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Wisconsin's average monthly utility costs around $225 (state average). Workers in Milwaukee report an average commute of 19.9 minutes, with 67.8% driving alone and 11.2% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 98.4 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

569,756 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$51,888 /yr

Poverty 18.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Milwaukee compare to other US cities?

Milwaukee measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 23% higher than other cities
Home value 34% pricier than other cities
Median rent 49% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Wisconsin alone, Milwaukee ranks #200 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Milwaukee's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Wisconsin, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

23rdIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

23rd percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Milwaukee's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Milwaukee's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Milwaukee's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Milwaukee's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$172,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 66% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Milwaukee $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Milwaukee, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Milwaukee, WI median $51,888/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Milwaukee, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Milwaukee, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 18.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.2%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
569,756
Median Income
$51,888
Median Home Value
$172,000
Median Age
32.2
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Labor force participation
60.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4131.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1430.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2700.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
181
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
560,000 residents565,000 residents570,000 residents575,000 residents580,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 577,151 residents 562,407 residents ▼ -2.6%
Milwaukee's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
236
housing units authorized
Single-Family
72
detached homes
Multifamily
164
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 193
2020 112
2021 204
2022 176
2023 97
2024 236

Permit volume increased 22% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.9 minutes
Drive Alone
67.8%
Carpool
10.0%
Public Transit
5.4%
Walk
4.0%
Work from Home
11.2%
Other
1.6%

Based on 259,913 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Milwaukee sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,338/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Madison
275,568 people
Green Bay
106,585 people
Kenosha
99,147 people
Racine
77,155 people
Appleton
74,873 people
Waukesha
70,779 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Milwaukee's 569,756 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Albuquerque, NM
562,488 people
Baltimore, MD
577,193 people
Fresno, CA
543,615 people
Tucson, AZ
543,348 people
Sacramento, CA
524,802 people
Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance), KY
627,210 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Milwaukee's $51,888 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Jamestown, CA
$51,886 median income
Holyoke, MA
$51,892 median income
Oroville, CA
$51,893 median income
Poplar-Cotton Center, CA
$51,893 median income
DeFuniak Springs, FL
$51,883 median income
Struthers, OH
$51,894 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Milwaukee, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Milwaukee, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 36.5% 38.6% 6.9% 12.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.7% White 36.5% Black or African American 38.6% Asian 4.8% American Indian 0.7% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 6.9% Two or more races 12.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Milwaukee compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Milwaukee (this city) 569,756 $51,888
Madison 275,568 $76,983
Green Bay 106,585 $62,546
Kenosha 99,147 $68,532
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Milwaukee, WI?

What is the population of Milwaukee, WI? +

Milwaukee, WI counts 569,756 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Milwaukee, WI? +

Median annual household income in Milwaukee runs $51,888, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Milwaukee? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Milwaukee; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Milwaukee, WI safe? +

Milwaukee has a total crime rate of 4131.6 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Milwaukee, WI? +

Homes in Milwaukee carry a median value of $172,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.