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Living in
Wauwatosa.
About
Life in Wauwatosa
This is a solidly middle-class suburb that works well if you want to be near Milwaukee without living in the city itself. Your commute downtown averages under 20 minutes, and the job market is stable with unemployment around 2.9%. Housing is reasonably priced for a Milwaukee-area suburb—median home values hover near $339,000—though you'll want to know that the population is actually declining slightly, which sometimes signals shifting preferences.
Wauwatosa at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.4 yrs
Poverty Rate
5.8%
Foreign-Born
6.0%
Broadband Internet
91.2%
of households
Population Growth
+0.5%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.0% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Wauwatosa: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Wauwatosa, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (11.5%), and 2.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.9%
of residents
65 and Older
17.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.2%
of households
Married Couples
43.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.15
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 32% above WI average
Rent, home values, and income in Wauwatosa
In Wauwatosa, rent runs 32% above the WI average, and home values are 27% above the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
40.9%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
96.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$5,922
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
60.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1954
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.5%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $420,422 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WI
Unemployment in Wauwatosa and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Wauwatosa is close to the WI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Wauwatosa 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
Commute19.5 min avg
How Wauwatosa residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Wauwatosa, most residents drive alone to work (67%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 9 mi
General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)
Medium hub2.9M passengers boarded in 2025
- 74 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 46% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Wauwatosa runs 46% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
178
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,304.1
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Wauwatosa 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 Wauwatosa, 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
Air Quality43 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Milwaukee County, which includes Wauwatosa, 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
Climate80°F summers, 17°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Wauwatosa has warm summers (avg high 80°F) and very cold winters (avg low 17°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
56°/37°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
80°/61°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
33°/17°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.8"
Annual Snowfall
39.5"
Hot Days/Year
16
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 | 14°F | 1.48" |
| Feb | 34°F | 17°F | 1.49" |
| Mar | 44°F | 26°F | 1.79" |
| Apr | 56°F | 36°F | 3.71" |
| May | 68°F | 48°F | 3.73" |
| Jun | 78°F | 58°F | 4.84" |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 3.57" |
| Aug | 81°F | 62°F | 3.68" |
| Sep | 74°F | 53°F | 3.02" |
| Oct | 61°F | 42°F | 2.73" |
| Nov | 47°F | 30°F | 2.05" |
| Dec | 35°F | 21°F | 1.73" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa has 3 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
2.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin
Childrens · ER available
- Main campus: Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin · 9000 W Wisconsin Ave
- Hospital campus: Children’s Wisconsin · 8915 W Connell Ave, Milwaukee
Aurora Psychiatric Hospital
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Ascension Se Wisconsin Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3.1 mi away · Milwaukee
Granite Hills Hospital
Psychiatric · ER available · 3.9 mi away · West Allis
West Allis Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.1 mi away · West Allis
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 64.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
9
within city limits
College Degree Rate
64.0%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Wauwatosa
Bryant & Stratton College-Wauwatosa
Private nonprofit · 2-year · 1,037 students · in-state tuition $20,497 · 37% graduate · median earnings $37,469 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
7.9 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
6.5 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 2,654 students · in-state tuition $52,228 · 73% graduate · median earnings $92,761 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 2,523 students · in-state tuition $40,680 · 67% graduate · median earnings $64,501 (10 yrs after entry)
Concordia University-Wisconsin
14.6 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 2,197 students · in-state tuition $36,530 · 58% graduate · median earnings $61,992 (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)
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, 97 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Pullman National Historical Park (97 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
97 mi awayIce Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Wauwatosa
Wauwatosa Public Library
7635 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa
Cities Near Wauwatosa
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Wauwatosa?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Wauwatosa FAQ
Is Wauwatosa, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Wauwatosa's median rent is $1,438/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $101,138/year. Median home value is $339,000.
Is Wauwatosa, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Wauwatosa's violent crime rate was 178 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 2304 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin?⌄
Wauwatosa has an unemployment rate of 2.9%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Wauwatosa is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,438/month and median household income is $101,138/year. The median home value is $339,000. About 41% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Wauwatosa is 20 minutes, which is shorter than 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