Population 20,442 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in South Milwaukee
Household size in South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.35 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.53 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.46 | 2.45 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.11 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in South Milwaukee run small, averaging 2.46 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has climbed from 2.35 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated 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 South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9 | 37.8 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.6 | 38.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.6 | 39.6 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.5 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in South Milwaukee are younger than 40.5 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has crept up from 39.9 in 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. The youngest areas are in the center, the oldest in the east.
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 South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 13.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.9% | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.8% | 12.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head nearly one in eight households in South Milwaukee (11.8%), close to the national share of 11.6%. South Milwaukee has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Wisconsin cities.
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 South Milwaukee
Renters in South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4% | 37.2% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 36.7% | 39.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.0% | 39.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.2% | 39.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in South Milwaukee is about as common as it is nationally: 33.2% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the wider Milwaukee area (39.6%). Among owners, 35.0% have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 8.1% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.4% | 7.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in South Milwaukee: 6.4% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Milwaukee area. Vacancy is down 1.6 points from 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 South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1959 | 1964 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1959 | 1965 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1958 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | −2 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in South Milwaukee is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1957, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the center. Only six of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
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 South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $702 | $849 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $786 | $928 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $845 | $1,022 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,049 | $1,290 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$348 | +$441 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in South Milwaukee runs $1,049 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $348 a month since 2006–10, up 50%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 27.4% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the east.
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 South Milwaukee
Bachelor's degrees in South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.1% | 31.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 19.0% | 32.9% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.7% | 35.4% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 29.3% | 39.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +11.2 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
About three in ten adults 25 and older in South Milwaukee (29.3%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a little below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 11.2 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.1% | 88.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.6% | 89.5% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.6% | 91.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.0% | 92.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in South Milwaukee is above the national rate: 94.0% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.9 points, mirroring the country. Compared with other Wisconsin cities, though, South Milwaukee has a lower share of high school graduates than most.
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 South Milwaukee
| Period | South Milwaukee | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.4% | 8.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.4 pts | −3.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been easier to find in South Milwaukee than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 2.4 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
South Milwaukee 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Milwaukee | 2.46 | 40.5 | 11.8% | 33.2% | 6.4% | 1957 | $1,049 | 29.3% | 94.0% | 4.0% |
| Cudahy | 2.18 | 42.9 | 12.5% | 38.3% | 5.7% | 1962 | $985 | 28.4% | 93.3% | 2.3% |
| Oak Creek | 2.44 | 39.7 | 6.6% | 42.5% | 3.8% | 1990 | $1,454 | 40.2% | 95.0% | 1.2% |
| St. Francis | 1.72 | 52.2 | 6.1% | 45.3% | 5.8% | 1966 | $1,036 | 30.5% | 93.5% | 3.2% |
| Greendale | 2.37 | 41.7 | 12.6% | 33.2% | 4.1% | 1966 | $1,295 | 46.0% | 96.6% | 2.2% |
| Franklin | 2.54 | 43.7 | 7.2% | 22.6% | 3.9% | 1988 | $1,426 | 44.8% | 95.2% | 3.4% |
| Greenfield | 2.18 | 42.5 | 8.1% | 45.5% | 4.6% | 1974 | $1,213 | 33.8% | 94.2% | 2.4% |
| Caledonia | 2.50 | 45.4 | 7.8% | 18.9% | 5.3% | 1979 | $1,236 | 31.3% | 92.6% | 3.3% |
| West Milwaukee | 2.15 | 32.8 | 19.1% | 66.2% | 7.5% | 1949 | $962 | 19.4% | 91.7% | 1.9% |
| Hales Corners | 2.42 | 42.5 | 9.4% | 40.1% | 5.8% | 1964 | $1,333 | 43.8% | 95.6% | 2.3% |
| Kneeland | 2.42 | 52.5 | 5.2% | 6.0% | 2.0% | 1979 | $2,471 | 20.0% | 92.9% | 2.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Dixon, IL · South Miami, FL · Elmwood Park, NJ · East St. Louis, IL · East Providence, RI · East Peoria, IL · East Patchogue, NY · East Massapequa, NY · East Hemet, CA · East Greenwich, RI
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 South Milwaukee. 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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