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
West Allis
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs63 · Top 36%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 3%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs100 · Top 9%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs18 · Bottom 9%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs62 · Bottom 8%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs60 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Waukesha | West Allis | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,233 | 59,612 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,837 | $67,611 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,943 | $39,741 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,791/sq mi | 5,238/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,500 | $203,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,219 | $1,007 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.8% | 55.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 29.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 11.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 114 | 266 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 4.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.7% | -6.3% | 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 | 67 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 22.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 39.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.49 | 14.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.7% | 15.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.2% | 23.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.3% | 65.9% | 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.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Waukesha
71
Your Score
73
Area Score
West Allis
64
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Waukesha, WI · West Allis, WI · How this is calculated: methodology