Brookfield vs West Bend
Brookfield, Wisconsin versus West Bend, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Brookfield and West Bend score about the same overall (49 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Brookfield | West Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $122k | $72k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $49k |
| Home Value | $389k | $224k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $973 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.31% | 1.55% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 13.66% | 14.32% |
| Unemployment | 2.8% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 21°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 35.9 in | 35.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 39.5 in | 54.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 184 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 99 days | 91 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 35.0 | 45.6 |
| Air Quality | 54 AQI | 49 AQI |
| School Quality | 49.3 | 50.9 |
| Violent Crime | 410/100k | 664/100k |
| Property Crime | 1304/100k | 2150/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 41,342 | 31,682 |
| Median Age | 43.8 | 40.5 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.16 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+21 | R+39 |
| White (%) | 80.2% | 90.4% |
| Black (%) | 0.6% | 1.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.3% | 4.2% |
| Asian (%) | 11.5% | 0.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.4% | 3.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 9.5/20 | 9.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 35 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 95.1% | 90.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 61.68 | 36.30 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Brookfield or West Bend more affordable?
- West Bend has the lower cost of living: its index is $49k, compared with Brookfield's $52k and West Bend's $49k. Median rent is $2k in Brookfield versus $973 in West Bend.
- Is Brookfield or West Bend safer?
- Brookfield has the lower violent crime rate. Brookfield reports 410/100k and West Bend reports 664/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Brookfield or West Bend?
- The median home value is $389k in Brookfield and $224k in West Bend, so homes are more affordable in West Bend.