Grafton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Grafton
Waukesha
Opportunity
77 · Top 11%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
59 · Top 33%
vs51 · Top 48%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs96 · Top 3%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 26%
vs91 · Top 29%
Schools
85 · Top 8%
vs55 · Top 45%
Access
70 · Bottom 13%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
80 · Top 7%
vs72 · Top 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Grafton | Waukesha | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 12,445 | 71,233 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $89,861 | $83,837 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $47,360 | $44,943 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,335/sq mi | 2,791/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $328,800 | $315,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,310 | $1,219 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.3% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 47.2% | 41.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 9.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 107 | 114 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.6 | 1.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -63.2% | 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 | 55 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.2 min | 22.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 41.5 | 36.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 27 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.66 | 13.49 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 66.4% | 41.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 54.8% | 37.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 15.6% | 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: Grafton, WI · Waukesha, WI · How this is calculated: methodology