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Living in
Grafton.
About
Life in Grafton
Grafton is a community of 12,274 people in Wisconsin. The median household income is $89,861, median rent runs about $1,310 per month, and median home values are around $328,800. Unemployment is low at 2.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Grafton at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
41.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
3.7%
Foreign-Born
3.8%
Broadband Internet
95.6%
of households
Population Growth
+10.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.8% foreign-born, most often from Ethiopia
Who lives in Grafton: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Grafton, the largest foreign-born group is from Ethiopia (24.2%), and 1.0% of residents speak Russian/Slavic at home.
Under 18
19.4%
of residents
65 and Older
20.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.6%
of households
Married Couples
49.2%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.23
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 21% above WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Grafton
In Grafton, rent runs 21% above the WI average, and home values are 23% above the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
17.4%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,360
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
61.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1986
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $463,107 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below WI average
Unemployment in Grafton and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Ozaukee County, which includes Grafton, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the WI average.
Unemployment rate
Grafton: Ozaukee County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Ozaukee County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Grafton Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI metro area
Commute25 min avg
How Grafton residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Grafton, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 64% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 26 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 93 mi
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major hub40.7M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 79% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Grafton runs 79% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
69.7
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
565.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Grafton Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
50.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ozaukee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ozaukee County, which includes Grafton, the most common type is winter weather, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Winter Weather | $506,000 |
| 2024 | 13 | Winter Weather | $34,000 |
| 2023 | 11 | Winter Storm | $18,000 |
| 2022 | 18 | Winter Weather | $58,000 |
| 2021 | 14 | Winter Weather | $14,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Winter Weather | $98,500 |
| 2019 | 24 | Winter Weather | $38,000 |
| 2018 | 23 | Winter Weather | $875,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
1 earthquake of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Ozaukee County, county-wide
Air Quality36 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ozaukee County, which includes Grafton, is typically good — 277 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
36
Good Days
277
per year
Moderate Days
73
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Ozaukee County, county-wide
Climate79°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Grafton has mild summers (avg high 79°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
79°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
60°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
35.5"
Annual Snowfall
42.3"
Hot Days/Year
6
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
134
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
120
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 17°F | 1.58" |
| Feb | 33°F | 19°F | 1.73" |
| Mar | 43°F | 26°F | 2.07" |
| Apr | 54°F | 36°F | 3.94" |
| May | 66°F | 46°F | 3.99" |
| Jun | 76°F | 56°F | 4.50" |
| Jul | 81°F | 62°F | 3.61" |
| Aug | 80°F | 61°F | 3.77" |
| Sep | 73°F | 54°F | 3.18" |
| Oct | 61°F | 43°F | 2.98" |
| Nov | 46°F | 31°F | 2.15" |
| Dec | 35°F | 21°F | 2.01" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Grafton
Grafton has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
2.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Aurora Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Ascension Wisconsin Hosp Menomonee Falls Campus
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.1 mi away · Menomonee Falls
St Josephs Community Hospital West Bend
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 12.7 mi away · West Bend
Community Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.3 mi away · Menomonee Falls
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education15.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Grafton
Grafton's student/teacher ratio is 15.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 47.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
47.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
15.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Grafton (within 15 miles)
Concordia University-Wisconsin
4.9 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 2,197 students · in-state tuition $36,530 · 58% graduate · median earnings $61,992 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Ice Age National Scenic Trail, 93 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Grafton
Grafton has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Ice Age National Scenic Trail (93 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Ice Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
93 mi awayPublic Libraries in Grafton
U.S.S. Liberty Memorial Public Library
1620 11th Ave., Grafton
Cities Near Grafton
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Grafton?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Grafton FAQ
Is Grafton, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Grafton's median rent is $1,310/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $89,861/year. Median home value is $328,800.
Is Grafton, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Grafton's violent crime rate was 70 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 566 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Grafton, Wisconsin?⌄
Ozaukee County, which includes Grafton, has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Grafton, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Grafton is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,310/month and median household income is $89,861/year. The median home value is $328,800. About 46% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Grafton, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Grafton is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from