Population 4,122 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Big Bend
Household size in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.65 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.70 | 2.53 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.25 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Big Bend is a place of small households, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. That is in line with the rest of the Milwaukee area. Household size has dropped from 2.65 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.1 | 37.8 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.3 | 38.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 49.1 | 39.6 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 48.9 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.8 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Big Bend skews older: half of its residents are older than 48.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.2% | 13.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 5.1% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.2% | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 12.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 2.6% of households in Big Bend, well below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Big Bend
Renters in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 37.2% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.2% | 39.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 6.0% | 39.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 3.8% | 39.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −6.4 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 3.8% of households in Big Bend rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Just over a third of owners (35.5%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.6% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 3.1% | 8.1% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.3% | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 7.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Big Bend: 5.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. That is in line with the rest of the Milwaukee area.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1964 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1975 | 1965 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Big Bend are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1977, versus 1980 nationally. Homes here are newer than in the Milwaukee area overall, where the median home dates to 1968.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,129 | $849 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,118 | $928 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,081 | $1,022 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,227 | $1,290 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$98 | +$441 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in Big Bend runs $1,227 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. That is in line with the rest of the Milwaukee area. The typical renter here spends 33.6% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Big Bend
Bachelor's degrees in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.9% | 31.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.5% | 32.9% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 27.0% | 35.4% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 43.3% | 39.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.3 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are more common in Big Bend than nationally: 43.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.8% | 88.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.9% | 89.5% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.2% | 91.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.9% | 92.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Big Bend: 96.9% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Big Bend
| Period | Big Bend | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.4% | 8.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −3.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Big Bend has been strong: just 2.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Big Bend compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bend | 2.40 | 48.9 | 2.6% | 3.8% | 5.9% | 1977 | $1,227 | 43.3% | 96.9% | 2.0% |
| Muskego | 2.47 | 47.2 | 5.3% | 15.2% | 3.9% | 1987 | $1,543 | 45.4% | 96.9% | 2.1% |
| Wind Lake | 2.39 | 46.6 | 3.9% | 24.8% | 6.7% | 1975 | $1,187 | 27.9% | 95.4% | 5.4% |
| Tichigan | 2.59 | 49.3 | 4.9% | 7.3% | 7.9% | 1995 | $1,525 | 44.4% | 98.6% | 3.9% |
| Mukwonago | 2.68 | 43.8 | 4.3% | 13.8% | 5.2% | 1984 | $1,234 | 38.2% | 97.6% | 2.3% |
| Waterford | 2.32 | 48.6 | 5.1% | 20.2% | 6.0% | 1983 | $1,352 | 29.9% | 95.7% | 2.7% |
| Waukesha | 2.40 | 40.7 | 9.8% | 35.6% | 4.0% | 1977 | $1,330 | 42.6% | 96.3% | 2.5% |
| Lake Beulah | 2.22 | 38.3 | 3.7% | 52.4% | 4.0% | 2000 | $1,682 | 33.3% | 98.0% | 0.8% |
| New Berlin | 2.43 | 45.9 | 6.4% | 23.5% | 4.7% | 1979 | $1,468 | 47.9% | 97.6% | 2.1% |
| Genesee | 2.55 | 47.9 | 4.4% | 11.7% | 5.5% | 1982 | $1,553 | 46.2% | 98.2% | 0.0% |
| Hales Corners | 2.42 | 42.5 | 9.4% | 40.1% | 5.8% | 1964 | $1,333 | 43.8% | 95.6% | 2.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lexington, TX · Wrightsville Beach, NC · Loudon, NH · Euharlee, GA · Granby, CO · Franktown, CO · Brockway, PA · Montezuma, GA · Custer, WA · Boonville, NY
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Big Bend. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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