Brown County vs Milwaukee County
Brown County, Wisconsin versus Milwaukee County, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Brown County edges out Milwaukee County on overall objective livability (49 vs 43 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Brown County | Milwaukee County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $44k |
| Home Value | $227k | $200k |
| Monthly Rent | $935 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.54% | 2.16% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.21% | 16.75% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% | 4.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.1 in | 36.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.3 in | 46.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 219 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 90.0 | 98.4 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 59.7 | 69.3 |
| Violent Crime | 741/100k | 2005/100k |
| Property Crime | 1170/100k | 2907/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 268,393 | 933,063 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 35.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.62 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.95 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+41 |
| White (%) | 78.9% | 49.3% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 25.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.4% | 16.1% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 4.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 4.4% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 7.1/20 | 13.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 105 mi | 6 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 85.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.16 | 12.60 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Brown County or Milwaukee County more affordable?
- Milwaukee County has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Brown County's $46k and Milwaukee County's $44k. Median rent is $935 in Brown County versus $1k in Milwaukee County.
- Is Brown County or Milwaukee County safer?
- Brown County has the lower violent crime rate. Brown County reports 741/100k and Milwaukee County reports 2005/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Brown County or Milwaukee County?
- The median home value is $227k in Brown County and $200k in Milwaukee County, so homes are more affordable in Milwaukee County.