What it's like to live in Milwaukee
Milwaukee is a major city in Wisconsin with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and several well-rated hospitals. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Milwaukee deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Several well-rated hospitals
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High student-teacher ratio
- High poverty rate
- Cold, harsh winters
How Milwaukee compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Milwaukee
Based on Milwaukee's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,118
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $42,360 a year
- 48% of Milwaukee renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$36,800
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $18,400
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 25% below US
$1,059/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,059 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $184,000. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $184,000 · 48% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
4.5% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 248% above US
1145 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 2401/100k · Milwaukee Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 14% below US
22 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% take public transit; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 80°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
6 hospitals
There are 6 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.6 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 24% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
178 public schools inside the boundary
There are 178 public schools inside the boundary and 69 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (96 miles away).
Bottom line
Milwaukee's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,059/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Milwaukee
All Wisconsin guides →Moving to Wauwatosa →
3 mi away · pop. 48,529
Rent $1,438/mo · Income $101,138
Compare with Milwaukee →Moving to Whitefish Bay →
5 mi away · pop. 14,665
Rent $1,335/mo · Income $157,109
Compare with Milwaukee →