West Bend, WI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

All states·Wisconsin·West Bend

Washington County · Milwaukee-Waukesha · population 32,149

West Bend, WI
Image: Wikipedia · West Bend, Wisconsin
OverviewCost of livingMoving guide
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76
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where West Bend stands

At or near all-time high. home values up 6.8% in the last year. rents up 8.4% in the last year.

Median home $353,419
1-year +6.8%
5-yr CAGR +6.6%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.3%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$353k$170k$236k$302k$368k201620182020202220242026

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
78/100
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
$1,173/mo$0$625$1,2502026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent108107801002026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 25.1
Rent

At a 25.1 price-to-rent ratio, renting beats buying in West Bend for most shorter holds. The premium you pay to own would take many years of rent savings to recoup, and that's before maintenance, taxes, and opportunity cost on the down payment.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
81 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
72 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
51 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
73 · w10%
Long thesis

West Bend is a Rust Belt market with +0.3% population growth — a rare combination. You're buying real housing for less than the cost of a coastal studio in a city the data says is finally turning.

Short thesis

West Bend'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 West Bend

West Bend is a city in Washington County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 32,149. It anchors the Milwaukee-Waukesha metro area. The median home value in West Bend is $353,419 as of 2026-04, up 6.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.6% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in West Bend average $1,173 per month, up 8.4% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 76 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

▲ Bull case

●Trend still working: prices up 6.8% in the last 12 months — buyers are still chasing inventory.
●Healthy 5-year run: +6.6% annualized over 5 years, outpacing US inflation.
●Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
●Hot rental market: rents up 8.4% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

▼ Bear case

●Rental squeeze: rents up 8.4% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
○Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

About West Bend (Wikipedia)

West Bend is a city in Washington County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. As of the 2020 census, the population was 31,752. It 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 Washington County right now.

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

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

Cities like West Bend

Germantown, WI73 · RisingMarshfield, WI73 · RisingWatertown, WI73 · RisingPleasant Prairie, WI76 · Rising

Run the numbers for West Bend

ToolCan I afford West Bend?Income → city shortlistToolROI on a West Bend rentalCap rate, cash-on-cash, DSCRToolCompare West Bend to anywhereSide-by-side up to 3 citiesToolWest Bend 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 West Bend 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.

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