Housing data for South Milwaukee, WI
South Milwaukee, WI has an estimated 20,442 residents and 8,885 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a city in Milwaukee County.
33.2% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,014 a month.
Its population shrank measurably since 2015–2019 (−2.5%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 20,442 (±49)
- Housing units
- 8,885 (±392)
- Households that rent
- 33.2%
- Median gross rent
- $1,014
- Residents since 2015–2019
- −2.5%
What stands out in South Milwaukee
Households without a vehicle: 6.4% (±1.6 points) in South Milwaukee, lower than in Milwaukee County (12.5%).
Households that rent: 33.2% (±3.2 points) in South Milwaukee, lower than in Milwaukee County (50.1%).
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 20.0% (±3.3 points) in South Milwaukee, lower than in Milwaukee County (27.5%).
Households that moved in since 2020: 21.4% (±3.2 points) in South Milwaukee, lower than in Milwaukee County (27.5%).
- Commute and cars in South Milwaukee
- Renters and owners in South Milwaukee
- Types of homes in South Milwaukee
- How long people stay in South Milwaukee
Housing in South Milwaukee at a glance
- Median rent: $1,014 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,096 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 42.7% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 33.2% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $73,427 median household income
- Home values: $235,700 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $1,660 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $4,420 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 20.0% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 58.2% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 77.3% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 3.4% rental vacancy rate
- Heating fuel: 75.4% heat with utility gas
- Commute and cars: 24.2 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 129 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: −2.5% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 21.4% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.4% of homes have more than 1 person per room
South Milwaukee against Milwaukee County, its state and the nation
| South Milwaukee | Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 20,442 (±49) | 926,331 (exact) | 5,914,872 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 8,885 (±392) | 426,715 (±391) | 2,778,572 (±1,533) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 33.2% (±3.2 points) | 50.1% (±0.7 points) | 32.2% (±0.3 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,014 (±$65) | $1,101 (±$8) | $1,087 (±$4) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $73,427 (±$6,759) | $64,435 (±$1,218) | $77,485 (±$455) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $235,700 (±$7,514) | $230,700 (±$2,063) | $266,500 (±$1,051) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $4,420 (±$124) | $4,444 (±$32) | $3,792 (±$12) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 77.3% (±5.7 points) | 78.8% (±0.9 points) | 57.0% (±0.3 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 24.2 minutes (±2.1) | 22.2 minutes (±0.2) | 22.2 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 94.6% (±1.5 points) | 89.6% (±0.4 points) | 90.3% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 40.2 years (±2.0) | 35.5 years (±0.1) | 40.2 years (±0.1) | 38.9 years |
South Milwaukee covers 4.8 square miles of land, about 4,236 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How South Milwaukee has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 20,957 (±28) | 20,442 (±49) | −2.5% | Measurable decrease |
| Housing units | 9,074 (±243) | 8,885 (±392) | −2.1% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $838 (±$30) | $1,014 (±$65) | +21.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $162,000 (±$3,635) | $235,700 (±$7,514) | +45.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $52,678 (±$3,520) | $73,427 (±$6,759) | +39.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $1,369 (±$34) | $1,660 (±$50) | +21.3% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $3,834 (±$76) | $4,420 (±$124) | +15.3% | Down after inflation |
| Households that rent | 41.0% (±2.4 points) | 33.2% (±3.2 points) | −7.8 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 4.0% (±2.2 points) | 3.4% (±2.7 points) | −0.6 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
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.
Crime reported to police in South Milwaukee
In 2025, the South Milwaukee Police Department reported 129 violent and 976 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Milwaukee County, the departments that report recorded 746 violent and 2,185 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in South Milwaukee
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53172 | 100% | 20,442 | $1,014 | $235,700 | $73,427 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near South Milwaukee
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cudahy | 2.4 mi | $1,028 | $216,500 | 38.6% |
| Oak Creek | 3.0 mi | $1,452 | $331,700 | 42.5% |
| St. Francis | 4.1 mi | $1,004 | $234,500 | 45.4% |
| Greendale | 7.3 mi | $1,252 | $314,200 | 32.8% |
| Franklin | 7.8 mi | $1,458 | $364,200 | 22.7% |
| Greenfield | 8.0 mi | $1,170 | $261,100 | 45.2% |
| Caledonia | 8.0 mi | $1,141 | $303,400 | 19.1% |
| West Milwaukee | 8.8 mi | $920 | $207,400 | 66.2% |
Places in Wisconsin most like South Milwaukee
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cudahy | $1,028 | $216,500 | $66,719 | 38.6% |
| Watertown | $1,052 | $222,100 | $70,107 | 38.0% |
| Fort Atkinson | $961 | $211,800 | $79,302 | 31.5% |
| Columbus | $874 | $230,600 | $75,427 | 36.6% |
| Edgerton | $961 | $266,900 | $72,489 | 37.6% |
| Campbellsport | $909 | $221,600 | $80,040 | 31.8% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across Wisconsin.
HUD Fair Market Rent for South Milwaukee, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $985 | $1,060 | $1,263 | $1,553 | $1,664 |
HUD income limits for South Milwaukee, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,750 | $37,950 | $60,700 |
| 2 people | $26,000 | $43,400 | $69,400 |
| 3 people | $29,250 | $48,800 | $78,050 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $54,200 | $86,700 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $58,550 | $93,650 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $62,900 | $100,600 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $67,250 | $107,550 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $71,550 | $114,450 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $108,400.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about South Milwaukee
What is the average rent in South Milwaukee, WI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in South Milwaukee is $1,014 (±$65) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in South Milwaukee?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in South Milwaukee, WI is $930 (±$66) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in South Milwaukee rent-burdened?
42.7% of renting households in South Milwaukee pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in South Milwaukee?
South Milwaukee has an estimated 2,793 (±306) renting households, 33.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in South Milwaukee?
The median household income in South Milwaukee is $73,427 (±$6,759) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in South Milwaukee, WI?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $235,700 (±$7,514) for owner-occupied homes in South Milwaukee (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is South Milwaukee growing?
In South Milwaukee, the number of residents went from 20,957 in 2015–2019 to 20,442 in 2020–2024 (−2.5%), a measurable decrease.
What ZIP codes are in South Milwaukee?
The ZIP code that covers South Milwaukee is 53172.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 53172?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 53172 is $1,014 (±$65) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: South Milwaukee Police Department (ORI WI0411400)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
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) for South Milwaukee city, Wisconsin (place:75125, in state:55).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
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 .