Franklin receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Whitefish Bay
Franklin
Opportunity
69 · Top 24%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
26 · Bottom 13%
vs40 · Bottom 31%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs61 · Bottom 18%
Physical resilience
98 · Top 1%
vs98 · Top 1%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs95 · Top 19%
Access
62 · Bottom 8%
vs65 · Bottom 9%
Economic stability
82 · Top 4%
vs68 · Top 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Whitefish Bay | Franklin | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,665 | 35,886 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $157,109 | $106,894 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $78,966 | $52,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 6,934/sq mi | 1,038/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $533,800 | $364,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,335 | $1,458 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.1% | 77.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 3.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.9% | 44.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% | 6.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 55 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.2 | 1.5 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 0.0% | -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 | 69 mi | 63 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.8 min | 24.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.5 | 43.0 | 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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Whitefish Bay
71
Your Score
71
Area Score
Franklin
73
Your Score
76
Area Score
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Full profiles: Whitefish Bay, WI · Franklin, WI · How this is calculated: methodology