AreaProfile

Wisconsin Area Profiles

2 published city profiles across Wisconsin, each built from the same authoritative sources and compared on the same terms.

Statewide signals

OpportunityTop 14% of 51 states68
GrowthTop 30% of 51 states61
Housing affordabilityTop 30% of 51 states95
Climate40th of 51 states54
Physical resilienceTop 2% of 51 states91
Access34th of 51 states65
Economic stabilityTop 32% of 51 states63

Cities

CityPopulationOpportunityGrowthArea Score
Milwaukee566,973491261
Madison278,001807378

Strongest opportunity

  1. Madison 80
  2. Milwaukee 49

Fastest development

  1. Madison 73
  2. Milwaukee 12

Statewide physical risk

HailModerate
TornadoModerate
LightningModerate

Low or minimal exposure: cold wave, inland flooding, heat wave, strong wind, winter weather, ice storm, landslide, earthquake, wildfire, drought, hurricane, coastal flooding.

Population-weighted across every county in Wisconsin, derived from the FEMA National Risk Index. Exposure varies substantially within a state — check the individual city and ZIP profiles.

Statewide data

MetricValueCompared with peersSource period
Average household size ±0.012.33Bottom 8%2024 ACS 5-Year
Households ±5,7872,479,480Top 35%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median age ±0.140.2Top 29%2024 ACS 5-Year
Population5,914,872Top 37%2024 ACS 5-Year
Population density109/sq miBottom 49%2024 ACS 5-Year
Home price to income3.44Bottom 33%2024 ACS 5-Year
Homeownership rate67.8%Top 43%2024 ACS 5-Year
Housing units ±1,5332,778,572Top 35%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median gross rent ±$4$1,087Bottom 37%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median home value ±$1,051$266,500Bottom 41%2024 ACS 5-Year
Rent as a share of income16.8%Bottom 10%2024 ACS 5-Year
Vacancy rate10.8%Top 43%2024 ACS 5-Year
Median household income ±$455$77,485Top 49%2024 ACS 5-Year
Per capita income ±$237$43,373Top 43%2024 ACS 5-Year
Poverty rate10.6%Bottom 29%2024 ACS 5-Year
Average commute23.7 minBottom 18%2024 ACS 5-Year
Bachelor's degree or higher33.4%Bottom 45%2024 ACS 5-Year
Employment3,083,633Top 36%July 2026
Employment change (3 years)0.3%Top 42%July 2026
Employment change (year over year)1.3%Top 10%July 2026
Labor force3,191,895Top 40%July 2026
Labor force participation65.3%Top 31%2024 ACS 5-Year
Unemployment change (year over year)0.1%Top 22%July 2026
Unemployment rate3.4%Bottom 20%July 2026