Waukesha and West Bend receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Waukesha
West Bend
Opportunity
74 · Top 15%
vs71 · Top 21%
Growth
51 · Top 48%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 3%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 29%
vs94 · Top 23%
Schools
55 · Top 45%
vs68 · Top 30%
Access
69 · Bottom 11%
vs77 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
72 · Top 25%
vs70 · Top 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Waukesha | West Bend | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,233 | 32,030 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,837 | $74,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $44,943 | $40,295 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,791/sq mi | 2,058/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $315,500 | $263,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,219 | $1,076 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.8% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.1% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.3% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 28.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.8% | 8.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 114 | 30 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.6 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 72.7% | 11.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 34.6" | 35.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 56 mi | 43 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 27.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.7 | 41.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 27 | 11 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.49 | 15.24 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 41.7% | 53.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 37.2% | 41.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 39.3% | 31.5% | 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 · West Bend, WI · How this is calculated: methodology