Mequon receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mequon
Milwaukee
Opportunity
80 · Top 8%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
53 · Top 45%
vs16 · Bottom 5%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
97 · Top 2%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 21%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
88 · Top 5%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs61 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
66 · Top 37%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Mequon | Milwaukee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 25,270 | 566,973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $144,051 | $54,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $81,362 | $30,994 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 546/sq mi | 5,895/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $501,600 | $184,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,157 | $1,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 86.0% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.6% | 27.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.2% | 22.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 82 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 41.4% | -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 | 60 mi | 69 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.7 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.7 | 32.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 184 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.74 | 16.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.5% | 16.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 58.4% | 20.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 11.5% | 75.8% | 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: Mequon, WI · Milwaukee, WI · How this is calculated: methodology