Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Demographics 2026

Name: Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin has a population of 926,331, the 1st most populous county in Wisconsin. The median household income is $64,435 and the median home value is $230,700. The poverty rate is 17.2%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Milwaukee County Quick Facts

Population 926,331

Median Household Income $64,435

Median Home Value $230,700

Poverty Rate 17.2%

Unemployment Rate 4.8%

Median Age 35.5 years

Homeownership Rate 49.9%

Affordability Ratio 3.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 34.7%

High School Graduation 89.5%

Cities/Places 19

Population 926,331 1st of 72

Median Income $64,435 17% lower than state

Poverty Rate 17.2%

Unemployment 4.8%

How Milwaukee County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	927,656	926,331	-0.1%
Median household income	$62,118	$64,435	+3.7%
Median home value	$216,500	$230,700	+6.6%

Median Household Income

Milwaukee

$64,435

$77,485

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Milwaukee

$230,700

$266,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 18.8%

$25K-$50K 20.4%

$50K-$100K 30.3%

$100K+ 30.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.5%

$10K-$15K

4.9%

$15K-$20K

3.5%

$20K-$25K

4.0%

$25K-$30K

4.0%

$30K-$35K

4.5%

$35K-$40K

3.6%

$40K-$45K

4.3%

$45K-$50K

4.0%

$50K-$60K

7.6%

$60K-$75K

9.9%

$75K-$100K

12.8%

$100K-$125K

9.5%

$125K-$150K

6.1%

$150K-$200K

7.4%

$200K+

7.5%

Employment

4.8% Unemployment Rate State: 3.3%|National: 5.2%

65.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 49.9%

Renter 50.1%

Affordability Index Affordable

3.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,101/mo 20.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.7%

18-34

25.5%

35-54

24.6%

55-74

20.5%

75+

5.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 37 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Milwaukee County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Milwaukee	566,973	$54,234	22.8%	$184,000
West Allis	59,612	$67,611	11.5%	$203,800
Wauwatosa	48,529	$101,138	5.8%	$339,000
Greenfield	37,345	$70,459	8.6%	$261,100
Oak Creek	37,325	$96,555	4.9%	$331,700
Franklin	35,886	$106,894	6.7%	$364,200
South Milwaukee	20,442	$73,427	13.1%	$235,700
Cudahy	17,853	$66,719	11.4%	$216,500
Whitefish Bay	14,665	$157,109	3.7%	$533,800
Greendale	14,594	$94,769	8.3%	$314,200
Glendale	13,656	$78,092	10.1%	$282,800
Shorewood	13,627	$86,726	14.3%	$443,700
Brown Deer	12,564	$93,974	6.9%	$239,300
St. Francis	9,004	$57,368	17.0%	$234,500
Hales Corners	7,689	$87,740	3.5%	$309,800
Fox Point	6,683	$141,467	2.5%	$444,700
Bayside	4,329	$160,096	5.1%	$431,900
West Milwaukee	4,038	$49,128	20.4%	$207,400
River Hills	1,632	$204,427	5.1%	$699,600

Explore Wisconsin Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Milwaukee County is located in Wisconsin with a total population of 926,331. It is the 1st most populous county out of 72 in Wisconsin. The county encompasses 19 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Milwaukee County is 35.5 years. This is 12% lower than the state median of 40.2 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Milwaukee County is $64,435. This is 17% lower than the state median of $77,485. It is also 20% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.2%. This is 63% higher than the state poverty rate of 10.5%. The unemployment rate is 4.8%. This is 48% higher than the state rate of 3.3%. The median home value is $230,700. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $266,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 49.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 26% lower than the state average of 67.8%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Milwaukee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 48.0% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 25.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (25.4% vs 5.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (17.0% vs 8.0%). The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (4.9% vs 2.9%).

Education

34.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 4% higher than the state rate of 33.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 89.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Milwaukee County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Wisconsin and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin?

Milwaukee County has a population of 926,331, making it the 1st most populous county in Wisconsin.

What is the median income in Milwaukee County?

The median household income in Milwaukee County is $64,435 with a poverty rate of 17.2%.

How many cities are in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin?

Milwaukee County contains 19 Census-designated places.