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COUNTY

Waukesha County

Wisconsin · 417,210 residents (2025 est.) · 550 sq mi
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Part of the Milwaukee metro area
The short version

Waukesha County is home to 411,762 people in Wisconsin. That puts it in the top 1% of US counties for household income. 49% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. That is roughly 37% ahead of the Wisconsin median. At a median age of 43.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 76% of homes are owner-occupied.

At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $106,076, above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
49% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Waukesha County

What changed most since 1990

  • Adults with a bachelor's degree27.1% → 48.9% (+21.8 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
  • White share96.8% → 85.0% (−11.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Hispanic share1.8% → 5.7% (+3.9 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts

Among the 72 counties in Wisconsin

  • 1st in household income$106,076
  • 3rd in share with a bachelor's degree48.9%
  • 1st in home value$398,200
  • 18th in diversity score33.8
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
411,762
+14%since 2000
from 360,767 in 2000
417,210 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
749 / sq mi
+14%since 2000
from 656 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
43.5
+14%since 2000
from 38.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
550 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
294K326K358K390K422K19902000201020202024Waukesha County
2024412K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55%(20,564)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(23,909)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.1%(25,084)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.2%(25,468)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.3%(21,677)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3410.5%(43,205)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.1%(53,970)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.7%(52,109)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.9%(61,438)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7412.1%(49,690)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.8%(23,877)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.6%(10,771)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$106,076
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $62,839 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$58,126
+99%since 2000
from $29,164 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
65.6%
+16.0 ptssince 2009
from 49.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
5.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 2.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.438
+5%since 2010
from 0.417 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade17.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Other services8.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration6.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade6.5%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance3.8%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 5.1%
Transportation & warehousing2.8%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.5%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.4%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$398,200
+29%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $169,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,356
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $726 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
76.0%
−0.5 ptssince 2000
from 76.4% in 2000
24.0% rent
Vacancy rate
3.9%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.42 people
−4%since 2009
from 2.52 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
17.6%
−8.6 ptssince 2009
from 26.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
43.1%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 41.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.8
+9%since 2009
from 3.4 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-Hispanic94.2%(339,905)
Black0.7%(2,570)
Hispanic / Latino2.6%(9,503)
Asian1.5%(5,340)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic85%(350,148)
Black1.5%(6,303)
Hispanic / Latino5.7%(23,650)
Asian3.9%(15,980)
Other3.8%(15,681)
Diversity Score
34
+72%since 2009
from 20 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
21
−25%since 2020
from 29 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.6%(15,024)
South American0.7%(2,773)
Puerto Rican0.6%(2,663)
Central American0.3%(1,325)
Colombian0.2%(731)
Cuban0.2%(704)
Argentine0.2%(679)
Venezuelan0.1%(527)
Peruvian0.1%(376)
Guatemalan0.1%(347)
Ecuadorian0.1%(293)
Spaniard0.1%(289)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Honduran0.1%(241)
Nicaraguan0.1%(233)
Salvadoran0.1%(216)
Panamanian0%(144)
Dominican0%(101)
Uruguayan0%(85)
Chilean0%(39)
Bolivian0%(18)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1.9%(7,823)
Chinese0.6%(2,513)
Hmong0.3%(1,064)
Filipino0.2%(929)
Pakistani0.2%(872)
Korean0.2%(784)
Vietnamese0.2%(727)
Laotian0%(195)
Japanese0%(181)
Burmese0%(150)
Thai0%(123)
Taiwanese0%(103)
+ 7 more asian origin groups with data
Kazakh0%(62)
Uzbek0%(17)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(69)
Ancestry
German41.7%(171,605)
Irish12.3%(50,482)
Polish11.6%(47,569)
English7.1%(29,117)
Italian5.6%(22,905)
American4.3%(17,663)
Norwegian3.7%(15,368)
French2.7%(11,107)
Swedish1.8%(7,563)
Dutch1.5%(6,095)
Scottish1.3%(5,498)
Czech1.2%(4,983)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
Swiss0.8%(3,301)
Danish0.8%(3,173)
Hungarian0.8%(3,111)
Russian0.6%(2,609)
Austrian0.6%(2,571)
Greek0.6%(2,514)
Welsh0.5%(2,223)
Croatian0.5%(2,195)
French Canadian0.5%(2,188)
Finnish0.5%(2,010)
Slovak0.5%(1,959)
Belgian0.4%(1,625)
Scotch-Irish0.4%(1,443)
Serbian0.3%(1,309)
Arab0.3%(1,302)
Slovene0.3%(1,174)
Lithuanian0.2%(935)
British0.2%(842)
Ukrainian0.2%(660)
Lebanese0.1%(563)
Canadian0.1%(484)
Turkish0.1%(351)
West Indian0.1%(342)
Portuguese0.1%(320)
Armenian0.1%(318)
Latvian0.1%(267)
Romanian0.1%(264)
Ethiopian0.1%(247)
Nigerian0%(197)
Iranian0%(171)
Jamaican0%(171)
Australian0%(170)
Syrian0%(161)
Bulgarian0%(155)
Israeli0%(118)
Macedonian0%(111)
Haitian0%(105)
Jordanian0%(78)
Iraqi0%(69)
Egyptian0%(56)
Brazilian0%(49)
Ghanaian0%(23)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
48.9%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 34.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
97.2%
+5.2 ptssince 2000
from 92.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
16.8%
+6.3 ptssince 2000
from 10.4% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.6 min
+62%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.1%
−10.1 ptssince 2009
from 86.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
5.1%
−1.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
16.8%
+13.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
2.3%
−3.0 ptssince 2011
from 5.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
66.6%
−4.0 ptssince 2011
from 70.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
80.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 80.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.7%
+1.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
51.0%
+8.9 ptssince 2009
from 42.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.5% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.5% in 2009
Foreign born
5.5%
+1.2 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
5.5%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
9.7%
+0.8 ptssince 2012
from 8.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
3.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2013
from 4.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
94.0%
+6.5 ptssince 2017
from 87.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.5%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 94.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.7%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 88.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
92.3%
−0.5 ptssince 2016
from 92.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
2.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 2.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.1%(49,058)
Married60.5%(101,941)
Widowed2.5%(4,132)
Divorced8%(13,481)
Women 15+
Never married23.9%(41,449)
Married56.6%(98,323)
Widowed8.6%(14,862)
Divorced10.9%(18,959)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
3.1%
−1.7 ptssince 2013
from 4.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
69.9%
−1.2 ptssince 2020
from 71.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
16.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 15.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
20.6%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 19.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
8.6%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 8.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
82.7%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 84.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
27.6%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 26.2% 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)18.5%(3,328)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)18.9%(3,393)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.9%(6,636)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War8.2%(1,483)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.1%(205)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 17,996 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

Waukesha County, decade by decade

Waukesha County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990304,715$106,959$230,64727.1%7.9
2000360,767$114,471$307,86034.1%13.9
2010389,891$107,985$377,19339.2%22.1
2020406,978$107,853$355,73344.8%33.0
2024411,762$106,076$398,20048.9%33.8

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.

Drill deeper

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Pop 426,499
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Head to head

Compare Waukesha County to nearby counties

WAUKESHA COUNTY VS
Milwaukee County
Income$64,435−39%
Home value$230,700−42%
Population924,216+122%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAUKESHA COUNTY VS
Jefferson County
Income$83,750−21%
Home value$274,100−31%
Population86,505−79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAUKESHA COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income$96,359−9%
Home value$344,800−13%
Population139,238−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAUKESHA COUNTY VS
Walworth County
Income$80,520−24%
Home value$302,700−24%
Population106,127−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?

Waukesha County, Wisconsin has about 411,762 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?

The typical household in Waukesha County, Wisconsin earns about $106,076 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Waukesha County, Wisconsin expensive?

In Waukesha County, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $398,200, and the typical rent is about $1,356 a month.

How educated are people in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?

About 48.9% of adults age 25 and over in Waukesha County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?

About 5.2% of people in Waukesha County, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.

Has Waukesha County, Wisconsin grown since 1990?

Yes, Waukesha County, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 107,047 residents, a change of about 35 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 →