Kenosha receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Kenosha
Sheboygan
Opportunity
81 · Top 7%
vs72 · Top 20%
Growth
58 · Top 38%
vs61 · Top 32%
Climate
60 · Bottom 28%
vs53 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
99 · Top 1%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 41%
vs98 · Top 37%
Access
76 · Top 50%
vs76 · Top 50%
Economic stability
85 · Top 8%
vs88 · Top 6%
Measured values
| Metric | Kenosha | Sheboygan | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 168,438 | 117,991 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,239 | $73,094 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $42,757 | $40,078 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 620/sq mi | 231/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $265,500 | $232,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,219 | $934 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.7% | 71.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.2% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.2% | 27.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 583 | 499 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 4.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 8.6% | 93.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 16°F | 12°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 31.9" | 29.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 42 mi | 44 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.7 min | 19.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.4 | 41.7 | 2024 ACS 5-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: Kenosha, WI Metro Area · Sheboygan, WI Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology