Village · Wisconsin
Wales, Wisconsin
Wales, village, in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. Wales had 2,885 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 0.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,862 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,902 (±27). GEOID 5583175.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,885
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,862 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,902 ±27
Median household income
$109,024
±$9,813 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$399,400
±$35,733 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$1,322
±$296 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Wales and what county is it in?
Wales is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin. It covers 3.2 square miles of land, 887 residents per square mile in 2020.
Wales is in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Wales, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,885 people lived in Wales on July 1, 2025, up 0.9% since 2020, in line with Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 2,862 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,902 (±27).
| Measure | Wales | Waukesha County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,902 ±27 | 411,762 | +321 |
| Households | 989 ±132 | 168,658 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.93 ±0.39 | 2.42 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,039 ±131 | 175,591 | no clear change |
Wales's population since 2000
From 2,523 in 2000 to 2,885 in 2025: up 14.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Wales as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Wales?
The median resident of Wales is 42.1 years old; 20.9% are under 18 and 18.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 92.6%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 3.5%.
| Measure | Wales | Waukesha County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.1 ±6.0 | 43.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 20.9% ±4.1 pts | 21.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.6% ±5.6 pts | 20.5% | – |
| Male | 55.1% ±4.1 pts | 49.6% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.2% ±1.6 pts | 5.7% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 92.6% ±3.3 pts | 85.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.5% ±2.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±1.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.7% ±1.8 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 2.9% ±1.7 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.1% ±4.6 pts | 5.5% | – |
| With a disability | 6.5% ±2.0 pts | 9.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.7% ±1.8 pts | 3.1% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 99.4% ±0.7 pts | 97.2% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 50.6% ±6.9 pts | 48.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 14.2% ±4.1 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.6% ±3.0 pts | 90.7% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.8% ±1.7 pts | 1.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Wales earn?
Half of Wales's 989 households earn less than $109,024 a year (±$9,813), against $106,076 in Waukesha County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $120,762 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Wales | Waukesha County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,024 ±$9,813 | $106,076 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $147,494 ±$20,555 | $137,605 | – |
| Per capita income | $51,100 ±$8,759 | $58,126 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 4.3% ±3.7 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 2.0% ±2.3 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 1.8% ±1.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.8% ±1.2 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 97.6% ±2.0 pts | 94.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Wales?
Owners occupy 84.8% of Wales's occupied homes and renters 15.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $399,400 by its owner (±$35,733). The median renter pays $1,322 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Wales | Waukesha County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $399,400 ±$35,733 | $398,200 | +$39,053 |
| Median gross rent | $1,322 ±$296 | $1,356 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.3% ±14.8 pts | 35.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,931 ±$198 | $2,144 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 84.8% ±6.7 pts | 76.0% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 15.2% ±6.7 pts | 24.0% | – |
| Housing units | 1,039 ±131 | 175,591 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 1.4% ±2.3 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 9.1% ±11.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 85.8% ±4.3 pts | 69.0% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±2.1 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.7% ±1.4 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.8% ±3.8 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 11.8% ±9.5 pts | 7.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.2% ±1.5 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Wales building?
Builders took permits for 0 new housing units in Wales in 2025 (0 in single-family houses), 0.0 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Wales work and get to work?
73.0% of Wales's workers drive alone and 19.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 23.3 minutes.
| Measure | Wales | Waukesha County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 64.1% ±8.4 pts | 66.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% ±3.1 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 73.0% ±6.3 pts | 76.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.0% ±2.7 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.9% ±1.0 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Walked | 0.7% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Worked from home | 19.2% ±5.6 pts | 16.8% | +10.7 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 23.3 min ±2.2 | 22.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Wales?
No census tract lies mostly in Wales; 3 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2038.05Waukesha County | 4,796 | $134,083 |
| Tract 2040.04Waukesha County | 4,123 | $109,383 |
| Tract 2037.02Waukesha County | 5,481 | $136,023 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Wales) · Census block assignment files
How does Wales compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Wales is the 6,459th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 220th-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Wales ranks 138th of 914 places in Wisconsin with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 220th | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 411th | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 241st | 914 |
| Median household income | 138th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 208th | 911 |
| Median home value | 112th | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 122nd | 825 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 55th | 914 |
| Median age | 572nd | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 489th | 914 |
| Work from home | 90th | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 490th | 914 |
Wales's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Wales with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Wales?
23 of the 57 figures for Wales on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Wales are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Wales.