Brookfield, WI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Wisconsin·Brookfield

Waukesha County · Milwaukee-Waukesha · population 41,268

Brookfield, WI
Image: Wikipedia · Brookfield, Wisconsin
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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68
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Brookfield stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 5.0% in the last year.

Median home $524,532
1-year +5.0%
5-yr CAGR +6.2%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population -0.1%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$525k$275k$365k$455k$546k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
22/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
76/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$2,017/mo$1,787$1,963$2,13820242026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent10710610020242026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 21.7
Lean rent

At a 21.7 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Brookfield. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
75 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
71 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
43 · w16%
Rent YoY
48 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
67 · w10%
Long thesis

Brookfield has held up across the cycle: home values at $524,532 with +6.2% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.

Short thesis

Brookfield's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Brookfield

Brookfield is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 41,268. It anchors the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area. The median home value in Brookfield is $524,532 as of 2026-04, up 5.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.2% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Brookfield average $2,017 per month, roughly flat year-over-year (+0.4%). The composite momentum score is 68 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Healthy 5-year run: +6.2% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Quiet strength: +5.0% over the trailing year — not a melt-up, but the market is bid.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.

▼ Bear case

○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About Brookfield (Wikipedia)

Brookfield is a city in eastern Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. It had a population of 41,464 at the 2020 census. The city is adjacent to the Town of Brookfield and is part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area.

Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for Waukesha County right now.

NWS active alerts (WI)Wisconsin Emergency ManagementHow to prepare (NWS)

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Waukesha County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Brookfield

Wauwatosa, WI69 · RisingMount Pleasant, WI73 · RisingWaukesha, WI73 · RisingCaledonia, WI72 · Rising

Run the numbers for Brookfield

ToolCan I afford Brookfield?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a Brookfield rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare Brookfield to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolBrookfield cost-of-livingEquivalent income elsewhere

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
27° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
188
~52% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
47″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Milwaukee-Waukesha area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Brookfield listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local news & community

Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$72,500
Wisconsin state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareDairy/Food

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

Cities similar to Brookfield

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