Brown County vs Waukesha County
Brown County, Wisconsin versus Waukesha 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 and Waukesha County score about the same overall (49 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Brown County | Waukesha County |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $102k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $52k |
| Home Value | $227k | $353k |
| Monthly Rent | $935 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.54% | 1.27% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.21% | 13.90% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 18°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.1 in | 36.2 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 56.3 in | 41.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 219 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 89 days | 98 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 90.0 | 88.9 |
| Air Quality | 44 AQI | 52 AQI |
| School Quality | 59.7 | 49.0 |
| Violent Crime | 741/100k | 282/100k |
| Property Crime | 1170/100k | 692/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 268,393 | 407,290 |
| Median Age | 37.8 | 43.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.99 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+21 |
| White (%) | 78.9% | 86.6% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 1.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 9.4% | 5.1% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 3.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 6.0% | 2.8% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 7.1/20 | 8.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 105 mi | 21 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 92.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 15.16 | 4.20 |
| 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 Waukesha County more affordable?
- Brown County has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Brown County's $46k and Waukesha County's $52k. Median rent is $935 in Brown County versus $1k in Waukesha County.
- Is Brown County or Waukesha County safer?
- Waukesha County has the lower violent crime rate. Brown County reports 741/100k and Waukesha County reports 282/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Brown County or Waukesha County?
- The median home value is $227k in Brown County and $353k in Waukesha County, so homes are more affordable in Brown County.