Mac Tonight Animatronic, 2006
Greenfield’s story
187 years in pictures
Census counts: 17,636 in 1960, 37,803 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 5 maps from 1891 on.
- 1839Greenfield is settled
Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
37,159
2025 Census estimate · −1.7% since 2020
Typical home
$327K
+6.5% in a year
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
42.0
years
Jobs based here
13,323
A commuter town
TownGrade
B−
#258 of 357 in WI
Is Greenfield a good place to live?
Greenfield grades B− overall, ranked 258th of 357 in Wisconsin, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. The median household earns $70K and residents are healthier than 76% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. On the other side, the typical home is worth about $327K, 4.2 years of the Milwaukee metro’s $78K median household income. The biggest park or preserve is Root River Parkway, at 321 acres. Only 10 of the 182 Wisconsin towns we compare have a higher level of property crime than Greenfield. Greenfield is more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns.
What makes Greenfield stand out
Where Greenfield beats most towns.
Natural hazardsA
Very low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
9 better23 too close to call0 worse
| Widest gap | Greenfield | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.6% | 5.5% |
HealthA−
Beats WI on 9 of 32 CDC measures, trails it on none
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
WalkabilityB+
More walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
1.4% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Greenfield for work
Where Greenfield’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
13,323jobs based in Greenfield
5%of working residents work in town
7 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Greenfield grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Greenfield is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 9% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listAOpen →Jobs & income13,323 jobs based hereA−Open →HealthWest Allis Memorial Hospital 3 miles awayA−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 12.5 of 20; 6.6% of households have no carB+Open →SafetyCOpen →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors5 miles of trails; 3% conserved landB+Open →History10 notable people born hereC+Open →Civic life3.4 library visits per resident; 1.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsCOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
ClimateCold winters, 82° summer afternoons, 40″ of snow–Open →Housing market35 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.0–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 43 attractions →Fiserv Forum and 29 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Greenfield. Close and well known come first.
7 mi Stadium & arenaFiserv Forum
8 mi MuseumMilwaukee Art Museum350K visitors a year
7 mi Stadium & arenaUW–Milwaukee Panther Arena
7 mi MuseumHarley-Davidson Museum300K visitors a year
7 mi MuseumNature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin
5 mi Zoo & aquariumMilwaukee County ZooSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Fiserv Forum: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Milwaukee Art Museum: Michael Hicks (Mulad), CC BY 2.0 · UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena: Shadowlink1014, Public domain · Harley-Davidson Museum: Dori, CC BY-SA 3.0 us · Nature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin: The original uploader was Sulfur at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Milwaukee County Zoo: Awkwafaba, CC BY-SA 3.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Greenfield: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Greenfield, and how to reach them.
PowerWe Energies20.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterGreendale WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
SchoolsGreenfield School DistrictWhitnall School District2 districts serve Greenfield; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCity of Greenfield ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP codes53220, 53228, 53221, 5321953220 40% · 53228 31% · 53221 26% · 53219 2%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Greenfield.
Greenfield is healthier than towns with similar incomes, is safe by national standards but not by Wisconsin’s and gets more snow than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin.
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A
Natural hazards: very low risk in Greenfield, mostly cold waves
Flood insurance has paid out on 7 claims in Greenfield since 1981. On expected storm and flood damage, Greenfield sits below 91% of U.S. communities. Federal aid has come to Greenfield households in 8 declared disasters; the latest was in 2026. FEMA puts 54% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to cold waves, and 24% to inland flooding.
9risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes
7
paid flood claims since 1981
8
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SchoolsB−
On state tests, Greenfield’s schools beat 51% of Wisconsin districts
The public schools here belong to the Greenfield School District. Two of the 11 schools are below, and why each made the list. The 4 public schools in Greenfield teach 1,536 students between them.
51%of WI districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfield MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 704 | C |
| Greenfield HighLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,140 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation
OutdoorsB+
In Greenfield, 2.9% of the land is conserved
5.2 miles of trail wind through 15 parks and preserves. The trail density for Greenfield comes to 0.5 miles per square mile, close to both Wisconsin’s towns (0.4) and U.S. towns (0.4).
#153for trails in WI
| Greenfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 2.9% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
2.9%
conserved · 213 of 7,340 acres
5.2 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Holt Park | 1.6 mi | 24 |
| 2. Root River Parkway | 0.7 mi | 321 |
| 3. Zablocki Park | 0.6 mi | 46 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
HealthA−
For health, Greenfield earns an A−
Against the 10,547 U.S. towns with household incomes like Greenfield’s, it is healthier than 92%, so that grade isn’t only a matter of income.
Among adults in Greenfield, 23% get no exercise outside work. Greenfield: 17% of adults binge drink, against 20% in Wisconsin’s towns and 16% across U.S. towns. In Greenfield, 15% of adults report frequent mental distress, and 33% have obesity.
76%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Greenfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 20% | 16% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 33% | 38% | 35% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
9 better23 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Greenfield | WI |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.6% | 5.5% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 8.3% | 9.9% |
West Allis Memorial Hospital
3 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
69th
percentile among WI towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About one in three of Greenfield’s working residents commute to Milwaukee
Most people who work leave Greenfield to do it: just 5% work in town. The top destinations are Milwaukee (31%), Wauwatosa (7%) and West Allis (5%). Its average commute comes in at 22 minutes.
5%work in town
| Greenfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $70,000 | $88,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 14% | 12% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 5% | 8.4% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 22 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Greenfield5%
Milwaukee31%
Wauwatosa7%
West Allis5%
Brookfield4%
7 mi
median commute distance
13,323
jobs based in Greenfield
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 72% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyC
Greenfield reports more crime per resident than 70% of U.S. towns
At 28.7 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 88% of Wisconsin’s graded towns. Property crime runs at 22.1 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Wisconsin rate, most of it theft.
In Greenfield, the level of violent crime is 1.1 per 1,000 residents.
30%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Greenfield1.1
Wisconsin2.4
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Greenfield22.1
Wisconsin10.3
U.S.15.5
30th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
12th
percentile among WI towns
39
violent crimes reported in 2025
820
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
Greenfield: four seasons and pleasant summers
The Mt Mary College weather station, 8 miles away, records that 40 inches of snow fall in a normal winter: more than most of the country, but less than 80% of Wisconsin places with climate records. July afternoons average 82°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 78% of Wisconsin places with climate records; January nights average 14°.
Greenfield’s January low stands at 14°F.
40″snow a winter
| Greenfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 14°F | 11°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter17–32°
Spring36–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall41–60°
Oct 18
typical first frost
Apr 26
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Ages in Greenfield track Wisconsin closely
College graduates make up 34% of adults 25 and older, against 33% across Wisconsin. Every broad age group is within 4 points of the Wisconsin average. In Greenfield, nearly a fifth of residents are under 18.
42median age · WI 40.2
| Greenfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 19% | 21% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 20% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 34% | 32% | 29% |
GreenfieldWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
17%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school30%
Some college20%
Associate’s11%
Bachelor’s23%
Graduate11%
Women and men · all residents
53% women, 47% men
About 89 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.4 points). Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 43.8, men 39.7.
| Greenfield | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.8% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 8.3% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.5% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.5% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.3% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.1% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.1% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 9.7% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.8% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.1% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.1% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 10.5% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 22.7% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.8% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
HousingCost of living grade C−
For cost of living, Greenfield earns a C−
Homes in Greenfield are typically worth about $327,000, up 6.5% in a year, close to the Wisconsin typical home. For households in the town, the share who are owner-occupiers is 55%. A home in Greenfield typically sold within 35 days of listing.
$327KZillow home value
| Greenfield | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 55% | 74% | 73% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 43% | 39% | 48% |
Typical home value
Greenfield$327K
Wisconsin$337K
Market temperature
35
days on market
104%
sale-to-list price
+6.5%
value change, 1 year
32
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Greenfield
20pages on Greenfield
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 51% of WI districts · 11 schoolsSafetyC1.1 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than WI on 9 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$327K typical home · up 6.5% in a yearWork & commuteA−$70K median household income · 13,323 jobs hereNatural hazardsAFEMA risk higher than 9% of U.S. communities · cold waves
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
16 within 15 miles of the center of Greenfield
Alverno CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Milwaukee2.5 mi$34,086 tuitionMilwaukee Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Milwaukee7.1 mi$5,184 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUniversity or college · Public · Milwaukee10.2 mi$10,398 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Greenfield residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.
Famous people from Greenfield
10 notable people were born in Greenfield.
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About Greenfield
City in Wisconsin, United States
Greenfield is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 37,803 as of the 2020 census. Greenfield is one of many bedroom communities in the Milwaukee metropolitan area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 12 sq mi
- Elevation
- 794 ft
- Area code
- 414
Greenfield’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Greenfield.
West Allis next door grades lower for schools (D to Greenfield’s B−) and higher for cost of living (B− to C−).
MilwaukeeGreendaleHales CornersWest AllisFranklinNew BerlinGreenfield
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greenfield | #258 | B− | C− | C | B− | A− |
| Milwaukee | #357 | D− | C+ | D− | D− | D |
| Greendale | #101 | A− | C− | B | A− | A− |
| Hales Corners | #54 | A | C− | B+ | A− | A− |
| West Allis | #308 | C+ | B− | C | D | B |
| Franklin | #113 | A− | D | B+ | A− | A− |
| New Berlin | #52 | A | C− | B+ | A | A |
Questions about Greenfield
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Greenfield, WI a good place to live?
Greenfield grades B− overall, better than 50% of U.S. towns and #258 of 357 in Wisconsin. It grades A− for health, C for safety and B− for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Greenfield, WI expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
What is Greenfield, WI known for?
10 notable people were born here, including Brandin Podziemski and Alan Kulwicki.