Population 45,591 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brookfield
Household size in Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.54 | 2.53 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.55 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.50 | 2.45 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.09 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Brookfield run a little small, averaging 2.50 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.58, mirroring the country. Households are largest in the east and smallest in the southwest.
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 Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.1 | 37.8 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 47.1 | 38.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 47.2 | 39.6 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 45.9 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.2 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Brookfield skews older: half of its residents are older than 45.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.0% | 13.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 4.0% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.0% | 12.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.0% of households in Brookfield, well below the national share of 11.6%. Only 14 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a lower share of single-parent households.
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 Brookfield
Renters in Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 37.2% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 39.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 17.6% | 39.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 21.4% | 39.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +6.6 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 21.4% of households in Brookfield rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 40.8% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the south and least common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 6.6 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 8.1% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 7.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.4% of homes in Brookfield are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Vacancy has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1964 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1965 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1974 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1975 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Brookfield leans a little older: the median home dates to 1975, against 1980 nationally. Even so, homes here are newer than in the wider Milwaukee area, where the median home dates to 1968. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,310 | $849 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,273 | $928 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,560 | $1,022 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,947 | $1,290 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$637 | +$441 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in Brookfield runs $1,947 a month at the median, utilities included, well above the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $637 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.7% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Only one other Wisconsin city with 5,000+ people has higher rents.
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 Brookfield
Bachelor's degrees in Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 53.3% | 31.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 56.5% | 32.9% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.8% | 35.4% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 62.7% | 39.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Brookfield: 62.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree has risen 9.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only eight of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.9% | 88.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 97.0% | 89.5% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.0% | 91.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 92.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Brookfield: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 18 have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Brookfield
| Period | Brookfield | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.4% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 8.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.8% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.7% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −3.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Brookfield has been strong: just 2.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.7 points, in line with the national trend. 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).
Brookfield 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brookfield | 2.50 | 45.9 | 5.0% | 21.4% | 4.4% | 1975 | $1,947 | 62.7% | 98.0% | 2.7% |
| Elm Grove | 2.76 | 47.4 | 6.3% | 11.6% | 10.5% | 1964 | $1,768 | 74.2% | 99.1% | 0.7% |
| Duplainville | 2.89 | 42.6 | 2.7% | 0.0% | 4.8% | 1978 | $1,517 | 71.2% | 96.8% | 0.6% |
| Butler | 2.49 | 45.3 | 5.3% | 48.2% | 7.3% | 1962 | $1,071 | 24.7% | 93.7% | 3.4% |
| Wauwatosa | 2.21 | 39.5 | 7.9% | 39.3% | 5.7% | 1957 | $1,451 | 63.7% | 98.2% | 2.2% |
| New Berlin | 2.43 | 45.9 | 6.4% | 23.5% | 4.7% | 1979 | $1,468 | 47.9% | 97.6% | 2.1% |
| Menomonee Falls | 2.47 | 42.9 | 6.1% | 26.0% | 6.8% | 1983 | $1,539 | 48.5% | 95.5% | 2.0% |
| West Allis | 2.13 | 40.6 | 12.7% | 44.7% | 7.7% | 1956 | $1,004 | 29.7% | 92.3% | 4.0% |
| Lannon | 2.45 | 42.6 | 4.9% | 13.8% | 3.7% | 1980 | $1,467 | 49.4% | 93.5% | 1.0% |
| Pewaukee | 2.35 | 45.3 | 6.5% | 22.3% | 5.7% | 1988 | $1,466 | 55.3% | 97.7% | 3.0% |
| Waukesha | 2.40 | 40.7 | 9.8% | 35.6% | 4.0% | 1977 | $1,330 | 42.6% | 96.3% | 2.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Leawood, KS · Coral Gables, FL · Strongsville, OH · Englishtown, NJ · Seguin, TX · Prairieville, LA · Granbury, TX · Powell, OH · Lake Ridge, VA · Eagle Pass, TX
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 Brookfield. 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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