Waukesha vs West Allis
Waukesha, Wisconsin versus West Allis, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Waukesha and West Allis score about the same overall (50 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Waukesha | West Allis |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $78k | $65k |
| Cost of Living | $52k | $44k |
| Home Value | $267k | $176k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $954 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.61% | 2.22% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 15.04% | 15.50% |
| Unemployment | 2.9% | 3.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 24°F | 24°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 73°F | 73°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 36.0 in | 36.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 36.9 in | 52.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 184 days | 184 days |
| Summer Humidity | 61°F | 61°F |
| Comfortable Days | 98 days | 100 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 17.5 | 26.2 |
| Air Quality | 56 AQI | 54 AQI |
| School Quality | 48.1 | 59.0 |
| Violent Crime | 498/100k | 1305/100k |
| Property Crime | 805/100k | 2640/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 70,945 | 59,907 |
| Median Age | 36.1 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.27 | 0.39 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | R+21 | D+41 |
| White (%) | 78.7% | 71.4% |
| Black (%) | 3.2% | 5.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.0% | 14.7% |
| Asian (%) | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 5.2% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 21 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 14.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 18 mi | 8 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.3% | 85.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.54 | 107.17 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
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 Waukesha or West Allis more affordable?
- West Allis has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Waukesha's $52k and West Allis's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Waukesha versus $954 in West Allis.
- Is Waukesha or West Allis safer?
- Waukesha has the lower violent crime rate. Waukesha reports 498/100k and West Allis reports 1305/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Waukesha or West Allis?
- The median home value is $267k in Waukesha and $176k in West Allis, so homes are more affordable in West Allis.