Franklin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Franklin
Waukesha
Opportunity
81 · Top 6%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
40 · Bottom 31%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs96 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
79 · Top 15%
vs55 · Top 45%
Access
65 · Bottom 9%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
68 · Top 34%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Franklin | Waukesha | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 35,886 | 71,233 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,894 | $83,837 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,190 | $44,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,038/sq mi | 2,791/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $364,200 | $315,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,458 | $1,219 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 77.3% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 41.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.7% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 55 | 114 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.5 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.7% | 72.7% | 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 | 63 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.0 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.25 | 13.49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.9% | 41.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 48.8% | 37.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 22.0% | 39.3% | 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: Franklin, WI · Waukesha, WI · How this is calculated: methodology