Oconomowoc receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Oconomowoc
Milwaukee
Opportunity
78 · Top 9%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
69 · Top 18%
vs16 · Bottom 5%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
93 · Top 8%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
92 · Top 27%
vs83 · Top 46%
Access
78 · Bottom 20%
vs61 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Oconomowoc | Milwaukee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,080 | 566,973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $106,425 | $54,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $53,735 | $30,994 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,614/sq mi | 5,895/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $394,500 | $184,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,301 | $1,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.1% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.4% | 27.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.7% | 22.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 175 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.2 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -2.2% | -71.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 36.8" | 34.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 43 mi | 69 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.8 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 42.6 | 32.4 | 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.
Your best match
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Oconomowoc
77
Your Score
78
Area Score
Milwaukee
52
Your Score
54
Area Score
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Full profiles: Oconomowoc, WI · Milwaukee, WI · How this is calculated: methodology