What it's like to live in West Allis
West Allis is a smaller city in Wisconsin with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, crime rates well below the national average, and commutes that run shorter than most cities. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. West Allis deals with household incomes below the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Air quality concerns
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 52" per year
How West Allis compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to West Allis
Based on West Allis's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,014
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $40,280 a year
- 39% of West Allis renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$40,760
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $20,380
- Homes cost 3.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 29% below US
$1,007/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $1,007 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 $203,800. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $203,800 · 39% of renters cost-burdened
Job marketNear US average
3.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.9%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▼ 44% below US
183 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1713/100k · West Allis Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 19% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 21 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 17°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 4.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 18% below US
30% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 30%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
13 public schools inside the boundary
There are 13 public schools inside the boundary and 7 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Pullman National Historical Park (93 miles away).
Bottom line
West Allis'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 air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,007/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, anyone prioritizing low crime, and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near West Allis
All Wisconsin guides →Moving to Greenfield →
3 mi away · pop. 37,345
Rent $1,170/mo · Income $70,459
Compare with West Allis →Moving to Wauwatosa →
4 mi away · pop. 48,529
Rent $1,438/mo · Income $101,138
Compare with West Allis →Moving to Greendale →
5 mi away · pop. 14,594
Rent $1,252/mo · Income $94,769
Compare with West Allis →Moving to Milwaukee →
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Rent $1,059/mo · Income $54,234
Compare with West Allis →Not sure West Allis is the one?
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