53209 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
53204
53209
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 16%
vs42 · Bottom 24%
Growth
14 · Bottom 4%
vs14 · Bottom 4%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs80 · Top 50%
Schools
13 · Bottom 4%
vs17 · Bottom 7%
Access
59 · Bottom 6%
vs63 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 17%
vs34 · Bottom 12%
Measured values
| Metric | 53204 | 53209 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 39,996 | 45,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $45,934 | $48,486 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $22,500 | $29,409 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 12,402/sq mi | 4,149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $124,300 | $166,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,004 | $988 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 26.2% | 43.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.3% | 28.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 32.2% | 23.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 70 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -71.5% | -71.5% | 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 | 72 mi | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 29.8 | 36.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.78 | 18.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 8.0% | 21.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 10.7% | 22.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 84.5% | 71.9% | 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: 53204 — Milwaukee, WI · 53209 — Milwaukee, WI · How this is calculated: methodology