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Living in
South Milwaukee.
About
Life in South Milwaukee
This is a solid, established suburb where you're actually buying stability rather than hype—think of it as the kind of place where people plant roots and stay put. South Milwaukee sits just five miles south of downtown on Lake Michigan's western shore, which means you get genuine waterfront access through Grant Park without the chaos of living downtown; locals actually use the Oak Leaf Bike Trail, the swimming beach, and the Seven Bridges Hiking Trail regularly, not just on weekends. The job market is steady with unemployment at 4.0%, and if you work in Milwaukee proper, your 25-minute commute is reasonable; the city once boomed around industrial manufacturing—Bucyrus International built the world's largest earth-moving machines here—but like a lot of Rust Belt towns, it's evolved into a quieter, more residential character.
South Milwaukee at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.2 yrs
Poverty Rate
13.1%
Foreign-Born
6.1%
Broadband Internet
94.6%
of households
Population Growth
-2.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.1% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in South Milwaukee: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In South Milwaukee, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (30.0%), and 7.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.2%
of residents
65 and Older
18.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
32.0%
of households
Married Couples
44.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.40
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 7% below WI average
Rent, home values, and income in South Milwaukee
In South Milwaukee, rent runs 7% below the WI average, and home values are 12% below the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
41.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.6%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,420
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
66.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1958
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $304,489 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.8 pts above WI average
Unemployment in South Milwaukee and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Milwaukee County, which includes South Milwaukee, is 0.8 percentage points higher than the WI average.
Unemployment rate
South Milwaukee: Milwaukee County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Milwaukee County (county-wide) · Annual averages
South Milwaukee is about 2% of Milwaukee County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
What South Milwaukee 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
Commute24.2 min avg
How South Milwaukee residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In South Milwaukee, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 66% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 64 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 61% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in South Milwaukee runs 61% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
129.5
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
975.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
South Milwaukee Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Weather most common — 27 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively High
98.4 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Milwaukee County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Milwaukee County, which includes South Milwaukee, the most common type is winter weather, with 27 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | Winter Weather | $65.8M |
| 2024 | 20 | Winter Weather | $87,500 |
| 2023 | 22 | Winter Storm | $97,500 |
| 2022 | 31 | Winter Weather | $116,500 |
| 2021 | 20 | Winter Weather | $21,000 |
| 2020 | 23 | Winter Weather | $10.9M |
| 2019 | 32 | Winter Weather | $66,500 |
| 2018 | 34 | Winter Weather | $555,500 |
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
Milwaukee County, county-wide
South Milwaukee is about 2% of Milwaukee County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Milwaukee County, which includes South Milwaukee, is typically good — 228 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
43
Good Days
228
per year
Moderate Days
121
per year
Unhealthy Days
2
per year
Milwaukee County, county-wide
South Milwaukee is about 2% of Milwaukee County’s population, so county-wide figures may differ from local conditions.
Climate78°F summers, 19°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
South Milwaukee has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 19°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
53°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/44°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/19°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
36.6"
Annual Snowfall
48.7"
Hot Days/Year
7
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
124
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
131
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 1.65" |
| Feb | 33°F | 18°F | 1.84" |
| Mar | 42°F | 28°F | 2.20" |
| Apr | 53°F | 37°F | 4.08" |
| May | 64°F | 47°F | 4.18" |
| Jun | 75°F | 57°F | 4.58" |
| Jul | 80°F | 65°F | 3.51" |
| Aug | 79°F | 64°F | 3.80" |
| Sep | 73°F | 56°F | 3.30" |
| Oct | 61°F | 44°F | 3.40" |
| Nov | 48°F | 33°F | 2.14" |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 1.90" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in South Milwaukee
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
No hospitals inside South Milwaukee's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Midwest Orthopedic Specialty Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · 5.7 mi away · Franklin
Ascension St Francis Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · Milwaukee
Aurora St Lukes Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.9 mi away · Milwaukee
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.
Education13.3:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee's student/teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 29.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
29.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.3:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near South Milwaukee (within 15 miles)
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
11.4 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 16,758 students · in-state tuition $10,916 · 56% graduate · median earnings $59,268 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 7,660 students · in-state tuition $53,270 · 81% graduate · median earnings $83,810 (10 yrs after entry)
Milwaukee School of Engineering
9.5 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 2,654 students · in-state tuition $52,228 · 73% graduate · median earnings $92,761 (10 yrs after entry)
Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa
13.2 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 2-year · 1,037 students · in-state tuition $20,497 · 37% graduate · median earnings $37,469 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 943 students · in-state tuition $37,360 · 63% graduate · median earnings $68,940 (10 yrs after entry)
Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
8.5 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 837 students · in-state tuition $45,218 · 60% graduate · median earnings $47,843 (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, 85 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (85 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
85 mi awayIndiana Dunes National Park
National Park
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in South Milwaukee
South Milwaukee Public Library
1907 10th Ave., South Milwaukee
Cities Near South Milwaukee
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to South Milwaukee?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
South Milwaukee FAQ
Is South Milwaukee, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
South Milwaukee's median rent is $1,014/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $73,427/year. Median home value is $235,700.
Is South Milwaukee, Wisconsin safe?⌄
South Milwaukee's violent crime rate was 130 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 976 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin?⌄
Milwaukee County, which includes South Milwaukee, has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in South Milwaukee is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,014/month and median household income is $73,427/year. The median home value is $235,700. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in South Milwaukee, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in South Milwaukee 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