What percentage of people rent in Milwaukee, WI?
58.2% (±0.8 points) of the occupied homes in Milwaukee, WI are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
That is 135,297 renting households against 97,223 that own their home.
In Milwaukee, the share of households that rent went from 58.6% in 2015–2019 to 58.2% in 2020–2024 (−0.4 percentage points), not a measurable change.
Figures last updated on .
- Households that rent
- 58.2% (±0.8 points)
- Renting households
- 135,297 (±2,020)
- Median renter income
- $41,063 (±$1,025)
Who rents and who owns in Milwaukee
| Milwaukee | Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Renter-occupied share | 58.2% (±0.8 points) | 50.1% (±0.7 points) | 32.2% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Renting households | 135,297 (±2,020) | 196,633 (±2,633) | 797,266 (±6,241) | 45,017,354 |
| Owning households | 97,223 (±2,041) | 195,766 (±2,932) | 1,682,214 (±9,276) | 84,210,142 |
| Average renter household size | 2.3 (±0.0) | 2.1 (±0.0) | 2.0 (±0.0) | 2.3 |
| Average owner household size | 2.5 (±0.0) | 2.5 (±0.0) | 2.5 (±0.0) | 2.6 |
| Median renter household income | $41,063 (±$1,025) | $44,490 (±$969) | $48,374 (±$478) | $52,966 |
| Median owner household income | $78,028 (±$1,732) | $92,867 (±$1,533) | $95,874 (±$462) | $100,009 |
In Milwaukee, the renter share is higher than in Milwaukee County (50.1%).
It is also higher than in Wisconsin (32.2%).
It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).
In Milwaukee County, Milwaukee ranks 2 of 19 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.
Statewide, it ranks 7 of 1,848.
Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.
How renting in Milwaukee has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households that rent | 58.6% (±0.6 points) | 58.2% (±0.8 points) | −0.4 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $858 (±$5) | $1,059 (±$11) | +23.4% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median household income | $41,838 (±$527) | $54,234 (±$1,283) | +29.6% | Up after inflation |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Households that rent in places near Milwaukee
| Place | Distance | Households that rent | Compared with this place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | — | 58.2% (±0.8 points) | — |
| Wauwatosa | 3.5 mi | 39.2% (±2.1 points) | Lower |
| West Milwaukee | 3.5 mi | 66.2% (±8.0 points) | Not measurably different |
| Shorewood | 4.5 mi | 54.4% (±4.0 points) | Not measurably different |
| Glendale | 4.8 mi | 30.5% (±4.7 points) | Lower |
| Whitefish Bay | 4.8 mi | 16.9% (±2.9 points) | Lower |
| West Allis | 5.0 mi | 44.5% (±2.9 points) | Lower |
| Butler | 6.2 mi | 48.2% (±8.9 points) | Lower |
| Elm Grove | 6.2 mi | 11.5% (±5.0 points) | Lower |
Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Wauwatosa, WI (39.2%), Glendale, WI (30.5%), Whitefish Bay, WI (16.9%).
Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.
Households that rent across Milwaukee County, place by place
| Rank | Place | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Milwaukee | 66.2% (±8.0 points) |
| 2 | Milwaukee | 58.2% (±0.8 points) |
| 3 | Shorewood | 54.4% (±4.0 points) |
| 4 | St. Francis | 45.4% (±6.0 points) |
| 5 | Greenfield | 45.2% (±3.1 points) |
| 6 | West Allis | 44.5% (±2.9 points) |
| 7 | Oak Creek | 42.5% (±2.6 points) |
| 8 | Hales Corners | 39.3% (±6.2 points) |
Showing 8 of 19 places in Milwaukee County, ranked from highest to lowest.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Milwaukee
One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.
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Browse homes for rent near Milwaukee, save the ones you like and apply online.
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Own or manage a rental?
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Questions about Milwaukee
How many renters are there in Milwaukee?
Milwaukee has an estimated 135,297 (±2,020) renting households, 58.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is renting growing in Milwaukee?
In Milwaukee, the share of households that rent went from 58.6% in 2015–2019 to 58.2% in 2020–2024 (−0.4 percentage points), not a measurable change.
How big are renting households in Milwaukee?
A renting household in Milwaukee has 2.3 people on average, against 2.5 in an owned home.
How much do renters earn in Milwaukee?
The median renting household in Milwaukee, WI has an income of $41,063 (±$1,025) a year, against $78,028 for households that own their home.
Sources
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Median Household Income by Tenure (B25119), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Median Household Income (B19013), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Milwaukee city, Wisconsin (place:53000, in state:55).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .
Related
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