Milwaukee County · Milwaukee-Waukesha · population 563,531
Where Milwaukee stands
At or near all-time high. averaging 7.1% annual growth over 5 years. population shrinking 0.6% per year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
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 · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 12.9 price-to-rent ratio, buying generally beats renting in Milwaukee on a long-enough horizon. The headline math is that one year of mortgage payments approximates 12.9 years of rent — well below the 15+ threshold where ownership starts to dominate.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →Milwaukee has averaged 7.1% annual appreciation over five years and the trend is still live (+3.6% in the last 12 months). When a momentum trade keeps working, the simplest explanation is usually correct: more people want in.
Milwaukee's population is shrinking 0.6% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.
About Milwaukee
Milwaukee is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 563,531. It anchors the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area. The population has contracted 0.6% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in Milwaukee is $226,456 as of 2026-04, up 3.6% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +7.1% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Milwaukee average $1,461 per month, up 3.9% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 70 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About Milwaukee (Wikipedia)
Milwaukee is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan at the confluence of the Milwaukee, Menomonee, and Kinnickinnic Rivers. Milwaukee is the 31st-most populous city in the United States and the fifth-most populous city in the Midwest, with a population of 577,222 at the 2020 census. The Milwaukee metropolitan area has over 1.57 million residents and ranks as the 40th-largest metropolitan area in the nation. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
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.
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.
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 Milwaukee County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. Milwaukee County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Neighborhoods of Milwaukee
143 tracked · ranked by median home valueSee the full neighborhood ranking →
Cities like Milwaukee
Run the numbers for Milwaukee
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
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
Find rentals & listings
Open current Milwaukee listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local economy & environment
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 Milwaukee
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.