Milwaukee has 562,407 people, so its D− is an average across neighborhoods that differ more from each other than most towns do. It grades better than 2% of U.S. towns. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 98% of U.S. towns. What weighs on its grade: its public schools score at or near the bottom of Wisconsin, and its crime rate is higher than 98% of U.S. towns, with 6,409 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. History is its standout character grade: an A+, better than 97% of U.S. towns, with 213 places on the National Register. 45% of working residents work locally in Milwaukee, against 8.2% in Wisconsin’s towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Only 10 of Wisconsin’s 874 towns score lower on health. Its National Register listings include Pabst Theater and Turner Hall.

StrongestA⁺Walkability A⁺History A⁻OutdoorsWeakestD⁻Schools D⁻Safety DHealth

What makes Milwaukee stand out

Where Milwaukee beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Pabst Theater

HistoryA⁺

Settled in 1835

A history going back 191 years.

Biggest of 9

College	Students
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee	19,554
Marquette University	10,794
Milwaukee Area Technical College	9,735

Colleges in town

9 colleges

47,339 students on campus

Students are 7% of residents.

Milwaukee School District

School	Grades	Students
Bruce Guadalupe	PK–8	1,364
Milwaukee Parkside School	PK–8	859
Longfellow Elementary	PK–8	773

Worth knowing · SchoolsD⁻

Trails 99% of WI districts

On state tests and graduation

NCES · EDFacts.

Pabst Theater · National Register of Historic Places

Milwaukee’s story

191 years in pictures

Pabst Theater is one of 7 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1835, comes before those of 94% of the Wisconsin towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 1,700 in 1840, 577,222 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1876 and 4 maps from 1892 on.

213 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1835Milwaukee is settled

Explore the history →

How Milwaukee grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Wisconsin), ordered by how far Milwaukee is from typical.

How grading works

SchoolsD⁻Open →SafetyD⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 14.1 of 20; 16.2% of households have no car; 9.5% of workers walk, bike or ride transitA⁺Open →HealthLess healthy than 86% of U.S. towns; Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital 0.8 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities; cold waves tops the listA⁻Open →Jobs & income$54K median household income; 256,607 jobs based hereCOpen →Cost of livingC⁺Open →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors8% conserved landA⁻Open →History29 notable people born hereA⁺Open →Civic life2 library visits per resident; 3.6 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

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 market39 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.4; 27% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Fiserv Forum and 29 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Milwaukee. Close and well known come first.

All 42 attractions →

in town Stadium & arenaFiserv Forum

in town MuseumMilwaukee Art Museum350K visitors a year

in town Stadium & arenaUW–Milwaukee Panther Arena

in town MuseumHarley-Davidson Museum300K visitors a year

in town MuseumNature & Culture Museum of Wisconsin

in town Zoo & aquariumMilwaukee County Zoo

Sources: 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

Moving to Milwaukee: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Milwaukee, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerWe Energies20.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterMilwaukee WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown pickup · day by addressTown site

SchoolsMilwaukee School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

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.gov

Who runs elections hereCity of Milwaukee ClerkThe town itself; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023

ZIP codes53215, 53204, 53218, 5320753215 10% · 53204 7% · 53218 7% · 53207 6%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 Milwaukee.

Milwaukee has homes that are cheap against local pay and gets more snow than most of the country, though not than most of Wisconsin; it also reports violent crime at 5 times the Wisconsin rate.

OutdoorsA⁻

8.5% of Milwaukee is conserved land

87 miles of trail in 212 parks and preserves. The trail density in Milwaukee is 0.9 miles per square mile. The biggest place to walk is Little Menomonee River Parkway, 862 acres with 5.3 miles of trail.

#61for trails in WI

	Milwaukee	Wisconsin towns	U.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile	0.9 miles per square mile	0.4	0.4
Conserved land	8.5%	3.8%	4.3%

8.5%

conserved · 5,240 of 61,608 acres

87 mi

of trails · 0.9 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Little Menomonee River Parkway	5.3 mi	862
2. Brown Deer Park	4.1 mi	361
3. Jackson Park	2.6 mi	115

Full pageMilwaukee’s outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map87 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk5.3 miles of trail · Little Menomonee River Parkway Conserved land8.5% conserved · 5,240 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Milwaukee?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsD⁻

Milwaukee’s public schools rank near the bottom of Wisconsin

Each of its 7 graded neighbors has a higher School Grade than its D−, Shorewood highest at A.

Its public schools are run by the Milwaukee School District. Three of its 248 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

1%of WI districts it outscoresD⁻School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
Bruce GuadalupeLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8	Grades PK–8	1,364	–
HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12Largest public high schoolGrades PK–12	Grades PK–12	1,974	C⁻
Reagan College Preparatory HighTop results in townGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,372	A

Full pageMilwaukee’s schools pageOpen the page

The districtsMilwaukee School District Vs. the neighborsBehind its 10 graded neighbors Every school248 schools · Bruce Guadalupe Questions“Are Milwaukee’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within WI on state tests and graduation

SafetyD⁻

Milwaukee stands out in Wisconsin and nationally, with violent crime higher than most

Violent crime runs at 11.5 per 1,000 residents, 5 times the Wisconsin rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Property crime runs at 23.7 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Wisconsin rate.

Milwaukee’s violent crime rate is 11.5 per 1,000 residents. Among 182 Wisconsin towns, just 8 have a higher property crime rate than Milwaukee. Milwaukee reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 98% report less.

2%of U.S. towns report more crimeD⁻Safety Grade

	Milwaukee	Wisconsin towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	11.5 per 1,000 residents	1.1	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	23.7 per 1,000 residents	6.3	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Milwaukee11.5

Wisconsin2.4

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Milwaukee23.7

Wisconsin10.3

U.S.15.5

2nd

percentile among U.S. towns we grade

6,409

violent crimes reported in 2025

13,277

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageMilwaukee’s safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type11.5 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsDown since 2023 Vs. the neighborsAhead of 1 of its 10 graded neighbors Questions“Is Milwaukee, WI safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HealthD

Compared with most of Wisconsin and the rest of the country, more of Milwaukee’s adults worry about having enough food

All 7 graded neighbors score healthier than its D, from West Milwaukee (C+) to Shorewood (A+).

29% of adults worry about having enough food in Milwaukee. No town among the 357 in Wisconsin we compare has a higher share of adults who say their health is fair or poor than Milwaukee. 38% of adults feel lonely in Milwaukee.

14%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade

	Milwaukee	Wisconsin towns	U.S. towns
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	29%	10%	14%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	38%	30%	33%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	27%	17%	19%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)	40%	32%	36%

32 measures vs. Wisconsin

4 better4 too close to call24 worse

What stands out	Milwaukee	WI
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5.2%	8.6%
Fewer binge drinkers	16.3%	19%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	13.4%	5.5%

Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital

0.8 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

Full pageMilwaukee’s health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore smokers Hospitals & doctors nearby0.8 miles to an ER · Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than WI on 4 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade C⁺

The typical home in Milwaukee is valued at about $223K

At 2.9 years of the Milwaukee metro’s $78K median household income, the typical home (about $223K) costs less against local pay than in 97% of Wisconsin towns; that ratio is one input to its C+ for cost of living. Its typical home is the least expensive on its borders; West Milwaukee is next at $252K.

The typical Milwaukee home is worth about $223,000, up 3.1% in a year, 34% below the Wisconsin typical home. 42% of Milwaukee households own their home.

$223KZillow home value

	Milwaukee	Wisconsin towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	42%	74%	73%
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	51%	39%	48%
Median rent	$1,059 a month	$1,080 a month	$1,185 a month

Typical home value

Milwaukee$223K

Wisconsin$337K

Market temperature

days on market

100.4%

sale-to-list price

+3.1%

value change, 1 year

573

homes sold in May

Full pageMilwaukee’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 3.1% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 4.1 years of income Rents$1,059 a month · Median rent Vs. the neighborsAhead of 8 of its 10 graded neighbors

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Cold waves leads a low hazard risk in Milwaukee

1,369 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 231 properties have flooded more than once.

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 76% of U.S. communities. Since 1978, 1,369 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Milwaukee.

24risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Cold wavesInland floodingTornadoes

1,369

paid flood claims since 1978

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageMilwaukee’s hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesLow risk Flood claims1,369 paid flood claims · Since 1978 Past disasters9 federal disasters · Paid out in Milwaukee Get ready4.9 events a year, on average · Ready for cold waves

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

In Milwaukee, expect four seasons and pleasant summers

The Mt Mary College weather station 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. January nights average 14.6°: colder than most of the country, but milder than 99% of Wisconsin places with climate records; July afternoons average 81.6°.

Milwaukee has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers.

40″snow a winter

	Milwaukee	Wisconsin towns	U.S. towns
January low	15°F	11°F	22°F
July high	82°F	82°F	85°F

Typical low → high °F

Winter18–32°

Spring36–55°

Summer59–79°

Fall42–60°

Oct 18

typical first frost

Apr 26

typical last frost

+1.3°

vs. the 20th-century average

Full pageMilwaukee’s climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 82°, January lows 15°Rain & snow40″ of snow a winter · 35 inches of rain and snow a year Heating & coolingMostly a heating bill Then and now+1.3° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Who lives here

More young adults than Wisconsin overall

22.8% of residents live below the poverty line, against 10.6% across Wisconsin, which weighs on its C for jobs and income. Only 41.8% of households own their home, against 67.8% across Wisconsin.

Adults 18 to 34 are 29% of residents (22% statewide); people 65 and older are 12% of residents (19% statewide). Only 10 of the 362 Wisconsin towns we compare have a lower median age than Milwaukee. Milwaukee has lost 2.7% of its people since 2020, down to 562,407 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.

32.4median age · WI 40.2

	Milwaukee	Wisconsin towns	U.S. towns
Median age	32.4 years	42.1 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	12%	20%	18%
Under 18	25%	21%	22%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	28%	32%	29%

MilwaukeeWisconsinUnited States

WIU.S.

Ages · share of residents

17%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma15%

High school30%

Some college20%

Associate’s7%

Bachelor’s18%

Graduate10%

Women and men · all residents

51.6% women, 48.4% men

About 94 men for every 100 women. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 33.4, men 31.5.

Ages and education in Milwaukee
	Milwaukee	WI	U.S.
Under 10	13.7%	11.2%	11.6%
10 to 17	11.6%	10.2%	10.3%
18 to 24	11.7%	9.3%	9.1%
25 to 34	17%	12.6%	13.7%
35 to 44	13.3%	12.7%	13.2%
45 to 54	10.5%	11.8%	12.2%
55 to 64	10.2%	13.8%	12.7%
65 to 74	7.5%	11.2%	10.2%
75 and older	4.5%	7.3%	7%
No diploma	14.5%	6.4%	10.4%
High school	30.4%	29.4%	26%
Some college	20.3%	19.5%	19.1%
Associate’s	7.4%	11.3%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	17.7%	22%	21.6%
Graduate	9.8%	11.4%	14.1%

Full pageMilwaukee by the numbersOpen the page

Ages32.4 median age · 12% are 65 or older Schooling28% have a four-year degree Homes42% own their home · Homeowners Income$54K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

Work & commuteJobs & income grade C

About half of working residents work right in Milwaukee

The top destinations are Wauwatosa (7%), West Allis (4%) and Brookfield (4%). Half commute less than 6 miles.

45%work in town

	Milwaukee	Wisconsin towns	U.S. towns
Below the poverty line	23%	6.3%	9.6%
Median household income	$54,000	$88,000	$80,000
Average trip to work	22 minutes	22 minutes	25 minutes
Work from home	13%	12%	11%

Where working residents work

In Milwaukee45%

Wauwatosa7%

West Allis4%

Brookfield4%

Menomonee Falls3%

6 mi

median commute distance

256,607

jobs based in Milwaukee

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

A+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 98% of U.S. towns

Full pageMilwaukee’s work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here256,607 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work45% work in Milwaukee Commute times22 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 6 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Milwaukee

20pages on Milwaukee

The big questions

SchoolsD⁻Behind 99% of WI districts · 248 schools SafetyD⁻11.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than WI on 4 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC⁺$223K typical home · up 3.1% in a year Work & commuteC$54K median household income · 256,607 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁻FEMA risk higher than 24% of U.S. communities · cold waves

Out and about

OutdoorsA⁻87 mi of trails · 8% conserved land PlacesAttractions42 nearby · Fiserv Forum under 1 mi LibraryC⁺2 library visits per resident CollegesAlverno College, in town

The story

HistoryA⁺Settled 1835 · 213 on the National Register Famous people29 born in Milwaukee Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 92 residents Climate82° summer highs · 40″ of snow

Day to day

News15 recent stories about Milwaukee WeatherHandbookZIP code 53201, 53202, 53203 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

17 within 15 miles of the center of Milwaukee

Milwaukee Area Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · MilwaukeeIn town$5,184 in-state tuition University of Wisconsin-MilwaukeeUniversity or college · Public · MilwaukeeIn town$10,398 in-state tuition Alverno CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · MilwaukeeIn town$34,086 tuition

About 7 of every 100 Milwaukee residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Wisconsin.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee calls Milwaukee home

9 colleges in town.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee19,554 students on campus

Admission: 91%
Net price: $15,014
Graduate: 49%

Marquette University10,794 students on campus

Admission: 81%
Net price: $31,487
Graduate: 83%

Milwaukee Area Technical College9,735 students on campus

Admission: Open
Net price: $9,112
Graduate: 25%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

213 places in Milwaukee on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Pabst TheaterBuilt 1895 · National Historic Landmark

Milwaukee City HallBuilt 1895 · National Historic Landmark

Turner HallBuilt 1882 · National Historic Landmark

Fourth Street SchoolBuilt 1890 · National Historic Landmark

Famous people from Milwaukee

29 notable people were born in Milwaukee.

See all 29 →

Gene WilderAmerican actor · 1933–2016

Donald KnuthAmerican computer scientist and mathematician · born 1938

Spencer TracyAmerican actor · 1900–1967

Herbert SimonAmerican political scientist, economist, sociologist, and psychologist · 1916–2001

Ava MaxAmerican singer and songwriter · born 1994

George F. KennanAmerican advisor, diplomat, political scientist and historian · 1904–2005

About Milwaukee

Largest city in Wisconsin, United States

Official town website ↗

Milwaukee is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it had a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census, making it the 31st-most populous city in the United States and the fifth-most populous city in the Midwest. The Milwaukee metropolitan area has over 1.57 million residents and ranks as the 40th-largest metropolitan area in the nation. The city is the county seat of Milwaukee County. Lying at the confluence of the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic rivers, present-day Milwaukee was inhabited by various Algonquian peoples. Following the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, European and American settlers established the city as a hub for t…

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1846
Area: 97 sq mi
Elevation: 617 ft
ZIP code: 53201, 53202, 53203
Area code: 414

Milwaukee’s neighbors

10 towns share a border with Milwaukee.

Explore the map →

All 7 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its D−; West Milwaukee (D) is closest. Shorewood next door grades higher for schools (A to Milwaukee’s D−) and lower for cost of living (D to C+).

How the neighbors grade

Town	WI rank	Overall	Cost	Safety	Schools	Health
Milwaukee	#357	D⁻	C⁺	D⁻	D⁻	D
Wauwatosa	#197	B	D	C	B	A
Greenfield	#258	B⁻	C⁻	C	B⁻	A⁻
Glendale	#313	C	D	D	B⁻	A⁻
Shorewood	#106	A⁻	D	B	A	A⁺
West Allis	#308	C⁺	B⁻	C	D	B
St. Francis	#272	B⁻	C	B	C⁻	B
West Milwaukee	#349	D	C⁺	D⁻	D	C⁺

Compare Milwaukee with a neighbor →

Questions about Milwaukee

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Milwaukee, WI a good place to live?

Milwaukee grades D− overall, better than 2% of U.S. towns. It grades D for health, D− for safety and D− for schools. Schools is its weak spot, with a D−.

Is Milwaukee, WI expensive?

That is 2.9 years of the area's median household income ($78,218 across the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro area). 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 Milwaukee, WI known for?

29 notable people were born here, including Gene Wilder and Donald Knuth.

Post to Milwaukee

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What is it like to live in Milwaukee?