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CITY

Milwaukee

Wisconsin · 562,407 residents (2025 est.) · 96.2 sq mi
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Part of the Milwaukee metro area
The short version

Milwaukee is a city of 566,973 people in Wisconsin. 42% of homes are owner-occupied. The median age is 32.4, younger than the US median of 38.9. Density works out to 5,895 people per square mile. 22.8% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $184,000.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $54,234, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Milwaukee

What changed most since 1990

  • White share60.9% → 31.7% (−29.2 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Black share30.3% → 37.9% (+7.6 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts

Among the 61 cities and towns in the Milwaukee metro

  • 60th in household income$54,234
  • 55th in share with a bachelor's degree27.4%
  • 61st in home value$184,000
  • 1st in diversity score88.5

Its weight in Milwaukee County

Milwaukee's population equals 61% of Milwaukee County's. Its number of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher equals 46% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 81% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
566,973
−5%since 2000
from 596,974 in 2000
562,407 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
5,895 / sq mi
−5%since 2000
from 6,207 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
32.4
+6%since 2000
from 30.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
96.2 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
561K579K598K616K634K19902000201020202024Milwaukee
2024567K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.8%(38,651)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.9%(39,226)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.5%(42,270)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.7%(43,732)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 248.2%(46,321)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3417%(96,388)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.3%(75,174)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5410.5%(59,330)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6410.2%(57,991)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 747.5%(42,451)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.1%(17,716)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.4%(7,723)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,234
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,216 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,994
+92%since 2000
from $16,181 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
35.5%
+17.9 ptssince 2009
from 17.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
22.8%
+1.4 ptssince 2000
from 21.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.470
+6%since 2010
from 0.444 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade15.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance5.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade4.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration3.7%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.7%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$184,000
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,059
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $527 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
41.8%
−3.5 ptssince 2000
from 45.3% in 2000
58.2% rent
Vacancy rate
10.3%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.37 people
−7%since 2009
from 2.54 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
25.9%
−12.4 ptssince 2009
from 38.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
47.8%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.4
−9%since 2009
from 3.7 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
43
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic45.4%(270,989)
Black36.9%(220,432)
Hispanic / Latino12%(71,646)
Asian2.9%(17,339)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic31.7%(179,514)
Black37.9%(214,848)
Hispanic / Latino20.9%(118,591)
Asian5%(28,556)
Other4.5%(25,464)
Diversity Score
88
+7%since 2009
from 83 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican13.8%(78,101)
Puerto Rican4.9%(27,635)
Central American0.9%(5,341)
South American0.5%(2,917)
Nicaraguan0.3%(1,930)
Dominican0.2%(1,225)
Salvadoran0.2%(952)
Guatemalan0.2%(909)
Cuban0.2%(892)
Honduran0.2%(864)
Venezuelan0.1%(758)
Peruvian0.1%(666)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Colombian0.1%(591)
Spaniard0.1%(569)
Costa Rican0.1%(451)
Argentine0%(279)
Bolivian0%(257)
Panamanian0%(235)
Ecuadorian0%(218)
Chilean0%(57)
Uruguayan0%(49)
Asian origin
Hmong2.2%(12,552)
Burmese0.9%(4,865)
Asian Indian0.5%(2,621)
Filipino0.3%(1,486)
Chinese0.2%(1,378)
Malaysian0.2%(1,261)
Laotian0.2%(1,021)
Vietnamese0.2%(983)
Korean0.1%(453)
Pakistani0.1%(343)
Thai0.1%(336)
Taiwanese0%(167)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Japanese0%(133)
Kazakh0%(111)
Cambodian0%(24)
Uzbek0%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(59)
Tongan0%(39)
Chamorro0%(17)
Ancestry
German14.8%(83,664)
Irish5.5%(30,951)
Polish5.4%(30,856)
English2.5%(14,031)
Italian2.5%(13,985)
American1.5%(8,541)
Norwegian1.4%(7,784)
French1.1%(6,314)
Swedish0.8%(4,326)
Dutch0.7%(3,747)
Arab0.6%(3,312)
+ 50 more ancestry groups with data
Scottish0.5%(2,953)
Czech0.5%(2,627)
West Indian0.4%(2,109)
Russian0.3%(1,919)
Greek0.3%(1,692)
Jamaican0.3%(1,527)
French Canadian0.3%(1,509)
Nigerian0.3%(1,428)
Danish0.2%(1,405)
Hungarian0.2%(1,336)
Somali0.2%(1,334)
Croatian0.2%(1,308)
Serbian0.2%(1,172)
Austrian0.2%(1,014)
Scotch-Irish0.2%(987)
Finnish0.2%(914)
Welsh0.2%(879)
Belgian0.1%(849)
Swiss0.1%(839)
Palestinian0.1%(829)
Slovak0.1%(828)
Ukrainian0.1%(756)
Slovene0.1%(738)
British0.1%(725)
Lithuanian0.1%(684)
Moroccan0.1%(472)
Canadian0.1%(386)
Armenian0.1%(354)
Romanian0.1%(333)
Iraqi0.1%(318)
Ethiopian0.1%(292)
Jordanian0.1%(288)
Iranian0.1%(287)
Portuguese0.1%(286)
Latvian0%(281)
Egyptian0%(265)
Turkish0%(245)
Lebanese0%(215)
Ghanaian0%(207)
Haitian0%(166)
Syrian0%(140)
Kenyan0%(120)
Brazilian0%(109)
Bulgarian0%(60)
Guyanese0%(49)
Israeli0%(33)
Barbadian0%(13)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.4%
+9.1 ptssince 2000
from 18.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
85.5%
+10.7 ptssince 2000
from 74.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.8%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 6.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.4 min
+62%since 2000
from 13.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
66.3%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 71.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
5.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 8.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
12.9%
+10.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
4.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
16.2%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 17.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.2%
−6.2 ptssince 2011
from 12.4% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
64.5%
−1.9 ptssince 2011
from 66.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
75.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 73.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
12.0%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.2%
+5.6 ptssince 2009
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
Female
51.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
Foreign born
11.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.6%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2012
from 13.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
9.1%
−6.1 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.2%
+19.4 ptssince 2017
from 68.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.3%
+6.9 ptssince 2020
from 87.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
85.7%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 83.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
78.0%
−2.6 ptssince 2016
from 80.6% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
16.0%
+2.3 ptssince 2016
from 13.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married56.8%(120,952)
Married32.2%(68,609)
Widowed2%(4,349)
Divorced8.9%(18,994)
Women 15+
Never married53.8%(125,872)
Married29.4%(68,706)
Widowed6.2%(14,418)
Divorced10.7%(24,926)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.1%
−6.1 ptssince 2013
from 15.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
45.7%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 47.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
9.4%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 8.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
14.0%
+1.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
37.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 35.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 1.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
52.1%
−2.4 ptssince 2020
from 54.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
47.1%
+2.4 ptssince 2020
from 44.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)22.4%(3,428)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.5%(2,681)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.1%(4,757)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4%(613)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(133)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 15,311 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Milwaukee, decade by decade

Milwaukee population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990628,088$56,706$127,92414.8%66.7
2000596,974$58,686$145,00418.3%80.2
2010594,833$51,675$201,40021.0%84.6
2020577,222$52,269$155,50524.6%88.5
2024566,973$54,234$184,00027.4%88.5

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

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MILWAUKEE VS
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MILWAUKEE VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?

Milwaukee, Wisconsin has about 566,973 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?

The typical household in Milwaukee, Wisconsin earns about $54,234 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Milwaukee, Wisconsin expensive?

In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $184,000, and the typical rent is about $1,059 a month.

How educated are people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?

About 27.4% of adults age 25 and over in Milwaukee, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin?

About 22.8% of people in Milwaukee, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.

Has Milwaukee, Wisconsin grown since 1990?

Yes, Milwaukee, Wisconsin has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 61,115 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →