© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Kenosha.
About
Life in Kenosha
Living in Kenosha means choosing a practical Midwestern life with real economic advantages—especially if you're willing to embrace a longer winter. This city of roughly 100,000 sits in a sweet spot between Milwaukee and Chicago, where nearly half the workforce commutes to jobs in those metros for higher salaries while coming home to Wisconsin housing costs that actually make sense. The job market itself is solid with a 3.6% unemployment rate, anchored by Snap-on Tools headquarters and Jockey International, plus growing distribution and warehousing sectors including Amazon and Uline facilities—though the old manufacturing identity that once defined the city has faded significantly over the past three decades.
Kenosha at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
37.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.7%
Foreign-Born
9.0%
Broadband Internet
92.5%
of households
Population Growth
-0.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics9.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Kenosha: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Kenosha, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (44.9%), and 11.9% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.3%
of residents
65 and Older
13.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.3%
of households
Married Couples
40.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.39
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 9% above WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Kenosha
In Kenosha, rent runs 9% above the WI average, and home values are 15% below the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
46.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
101.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,839
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
58.7%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1970
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $281,730 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts above WI average
Unemployment in Kenosha
Unemployment in Kenosha is 0.4 percentage points higher than the WI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Kenosha Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute23.6 min avg
How Kenosha residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Kenosha, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 70% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 42 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.
Safetyabout average for violent crime
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Kenosha is close to the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
323.7
per 100,000 residents
About average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
738.8
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Kenosha Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
85.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Kenosha County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Kenosha County, which includes Kenosha, 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 | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 14 | Winter Weather | $62,000 |
| 2023 | 14 | Winter Weather | $35,000 |
| 2022 | 21 | Winter Weather | $35,000 |
| 2021 | 15 | Winter Weather | $35,000 |
| 2020 | 17 | Winter Weather | $3.6M |
| 2019 | 26 | Winter Weather | $72,500 |
| 2018 | 30 | Winter Weather | $44,000 |
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
Kenosha County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Kenosha County, which includes Kenosha, is typically good — 240 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
240
per year
Moderate Days
88
per year
Unhealthy Days
1
per year
Kenosha County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Kenosha has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
62°/43°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
34°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.2"
Annual Snowfall
36.2"
Hot Days/Year
11
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
135
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
129
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°F | 16°F | 1.19" |
| Feb | 35°F | 19°F | 1.07" |
| Mar | 45°F | 28°F | 2.03" |
| Apr | 57°F | 37°F | 3.63" |
| May | 69°F | 47°F | 3.52" |
| Jun | 79°F | 57°F | 3.69" |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 3.35" |
| Aug | 82°F | 61°F | 3.56" |
| Sep | 75°F | 53°F | 3.36" |
| Oct | 63°F | 43°F | 2.90" |
| Nov | 49°F | 32°F | 2.05" |
| Dec | 37°F | 22°F | 1.53" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Kenosha
Kenosha has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
6.2%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Aurora Medical Center Kenosha
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Froedtert South Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Midwestern Region Med Center, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 9.9 mi away · Zion
Ascension All Saints Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.5 mi away · Racine
Vista Medical Center East
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 14.6 mi away · Waukegan
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.
Education14.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Kenosha
Kenosha's student/teacher ratio is 14.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 29.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
37
within city limits
Private Schools
7
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Kenosha
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,660 students · in-state tuition $41,000 · 62% graduate · median earnings $59,594 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 522 students · in-state tuition $13,820 · 59% graduate · median earnings $44,255 (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: Pullman National Historical Park, 63 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Kenosha
Kenosha has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (63 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
63 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
77 mi awayPublic Libraries in Kenosha
Southwest Branch
7979 38th Ave., Kenosha
G.M. Simmons Branch
711 59th Pl., Kenosha
Northside Branch
1500 27th Ave., Kenosha
Uptown Branch
2419 63rd St., Kenosha
Cities Near Kenosha
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Kenosha?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Kenosha FAQ
Is Kenosha, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Kenosha's median rent is $1,186/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $71,239/year. Median home value is $225,200.
Is Kenosha, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Kenosha's violent crime rate was 324 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is close to the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 739 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Kenosha, Wisconsin?⌄
Kenosha has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Kenosha, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Kenosha is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,186/month and median household income is $71,239/year. The median home value is $225,200. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Kenosha, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Kenosha is 24 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