City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

South Milwaukee, WI

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

20,547
Residents
$70,146
Median income
$216,400
Median home
$1,338
Median rent (state)

South Milwaukee - the verdict

South Milwaukee ranks in the 50th percentile for household income and the 47th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

50th
percentile, household income
47th
percentile, home value
49th
percentile, median rent
47th
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: South Milwaukee, WI

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 20,547 residents in South Milwaukee, a small city within Wisconsin. South Milwaukee households earn a median of $70,146 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.6%. Typical homes in South Milwaukee are valued around $216,400, and the median resident age is 40.9 years. 27.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 7 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 250% from five years earlier. South Milwaukee reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1457.0 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not 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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,338 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Wisconsin, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in South Milwaukee report an average commute of 22.1 minutes, with 78.2% driving alone and 11.4% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 98.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

20,547 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$70,146 /yr

Poverty 9.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does South Milwaukee compare to other US cities?

Where South Milwaukee sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 50% higher than other cities
Home value 47% pricier than other cities
Median rent 49% pricier than other cities
Safety 47% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Wisconsin and the picture shifts: South Milwaukee ranks #146 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

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 South 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.

50thIncome percentile
47thSafety percentile

50th percentile nationally for median household income · 47th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

South Milwaukee's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

South 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 50 Avg. percentile National median
South 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 South Milwaukee's home value compares nationally

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

$216,400 Among the most affordable more affordable than 53% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. South 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 - South Milwaukee, WI South Milwaukee, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not South 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 South Milwaukee, WI median $70,146/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%
South 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 South Milwaukee, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.9%

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

Population
20,547
Median Income
$70,146
Median Home Value
$216,400
Median Age
40.9
Poverty Rate
9.6%
Labor force participation
61.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1457.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
158.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1298.4
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
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,000 residents20,200 residents20,400 residents20,600 residents20,800 residents21,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,773 residents 20,191 residents ▼ -2.8%
South Milwaukee's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
7
housing units authorized
Single-Family
7
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 2
2020 3
2021 3
2022 0
2023 2
2024 7

Permit volume increased 250% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.1 minutes
Drive Alone
78.2%
Carpool
6.4%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
1.0%
Work from Home
11.4%
Other
2.0%

Based on 10,070 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 South 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

Howard
20,261 people
Germantown
20,940 people
Pleasant Prairie
21,515 people
Fox Crossing
18,960 people
Onalaska
18,909 people
Middleton
22,235 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to South Milwaukee's 20,547 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Merrifield, VA
20,549 people
Piqua, OH
20,533 people
Eastchester, NY
20,519 people
Altoona, IA
20,592 people
North Bay Shore, NY
20,501 people
Arlington, WA
20,599 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to South Milwaukee's $70,146 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ventress, LA
$70,144 median income
Nixon, NV
$70,148 median income
Glendale, AZ
$70,139 median income
Cushing, IA
$70,139 median income
Knoxville, IA
$70,136 median income
Britton, SD
$70,156 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - South 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 South Milwaukee, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 84.5% 8.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 13.1% White 84.5% Black or African American 2.4% Asian 0.4% American Indian 1.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.6% Two or more races 8.8% 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 South 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
South Milwaukee (this city) 20,547 $70,146
Howard 20,261 $84,896
Germantown 20,940 $104,337
Pleasant Prairie 21,515 $103,903
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about South Milwaukee, WI?

What is the population of South Milwaukee, WI? +

20,547 people live in South Milwaukee, WI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in South Milwaukee runs $70,146, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in South Milwaukee? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for South 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 South Milwaukee, WI safe? +

South Milwaukee has a total crime rate of 1457.0 per 100,000 residents, which is below 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 South Milwaukee, WI? +

South Milwaukee's median home value sits at $216,400, 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.