Franklin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waukesha
Franklin
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 3%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 19%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs79 · Top 15%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Waukesha | Franklin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,233 | 35,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,837 | $106,894 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,943 | $52,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,791/sq mi | 1,038/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,500 | $364,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,219 | $1,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.8% | 77.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 44.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 114 | 55 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.7% | -26.7% | 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 | 56 mi | 63 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 43.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.49 | 15.25 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.7% | 57.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.2% | 48.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.3% | 22.0% | 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: Waukesha, WI · Franklin, WI · How this is calculated: methodology