53227 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
53172
53227
Opportunity
57 · Top 45%
vs63 · Top 32%
Growth
37 · Bottom 28%
vs46 · Bottom 43%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 15%
vs99 · Top 11%
Schools
28 · Bottom 21%
vs25 · Bottom 16%
Access
64 · Bottom 8%
vs62 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
56 · Bottom 44%
vs66 · Top 38%
Measured values
| Metric | 53172 | 53227 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,442 | 22,885 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $73,427 | $73,321 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $36,937 | $44,162 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,236/sq mi | 4,472/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $235,700 | $225,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,014 | $1,051 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.8% | 50.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 29.9% | 28.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 10.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 4 | 266 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 33.3% | -6.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.6" | 34.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 65 mi | 66 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 21.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.2 | 39.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 6 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.85 | 14.17 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 21.3% | 14.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 22.8% | 26.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 51.4% | 62.1% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Full profiles: 53172 — South Milwaukee, WI · 53227 — West Allis, WI · How this is calculated: methodology