Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
Among the top 1% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 37% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 5% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 100% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 70% of US counties
- top 1% for airport distance
- top 1% for walkability
- bottom 2% for natural disaster risk
Milwaukee County is a county in Wisconsin with about 933,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and sales tax. It rates lower on property tax rate and natural disaster risk.
Official websitecounty.milwaukee.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm summers · Cold winters · Moderate rain · Heavy snow
freez.
very cold
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warm
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63%36%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.1 in1.8 in
humid 97%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$59k46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 63% of US counties
Home Value$200k68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 22% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 20% of US counties
Property Tax Rate2.16%better than 2% of US counties
Income Tax7.60%better than 11% of US counties
Sales Tax5.70%better than 93% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden16.75%better than 5% of US counties
Unemployment4.7%better than 51% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)24°F20th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)73°F25th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation36.3 in34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall46.0 inbetter than 15% of US counties
Sunny Days184 daysbetter than 8% of US counties
Summer Humidity61°Fbetter than 70% of US counties
Comfortable Days100 daysbetter than 92% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk98.4better than 2% of US counties
Air Quality52 AQIbetter than 10% of US counties
School Quality69.3better than 74% of US counties
Violent Crime2005/100kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Crime2907/100kbetter than 4% of US counties
Community
Population933,06398th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age35.39th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.6296th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9516th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+413rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)49.3%15th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)25.7%89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)16.1%82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)4.6%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.4%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 67% of US counties
Walkability13.4/20better than 99% of US counties
Airport Distance6 mibetter than 99% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access85.3%better than 63% of US counties
Amenities Nearby12.60better than 91% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 34% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Milwaukee County an affordable place to live?
- Milwaukee County is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 63% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Milwaukee County?
- The median home value in Milwaukee County is $200k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Milwaukee County?
- Median household income in Milwaukee County is $59k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Milwaukee County?
- Median gross rent in Milwaukee County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Milwaukee County safe?
- Milwaukee County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2005/100k (better than 7%). Property crime is 2907/100k.
- What is the weather like in Milwaukee County?
- Milwaukee County averages 73°F in July and 24°F in January, with 36.3 in of annual precipitation and about 184 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Milwaukee County?
- Public-school quality in Milwaukee County is above average, scoring better than 74% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Milwaukee County?
- The average one-way commute in Milwaukee County is 22 min.
Other counties in Wisconsin
Explore Wisconsin
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)