Waukesha receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Waukesha
Milwaukee
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs45 · Bottom 26%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs16 · Bottom 5%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 3%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs12 · Bottom 3%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs61 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs42 · Bottom 20%
Measured values
| Metric | Waukesha | Milwaukee | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,233 | 566,973 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,837 | $54,234 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,943 | $30,994 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,791/sq mi | 5,895/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,500 | $184,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,219 | $1,059 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.8% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 27.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 22.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 114 | 70 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 0.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.7% | -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 | 56 mi | 69 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 24.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 32.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 184 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.49 | 16.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.7% | 16.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.2% | 20.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.3% | 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: Waukesha, WI · Milwaukee, WI · How this is calculated: methodology