Population 87,774 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Waukesha
Household size in Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.53 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.45 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Waukesha 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. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.47, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
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 Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 37.8 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.5 | 38.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.8 | 39.6 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.7 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Waukesha are younger than 40.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.6, as it has nationally.
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 Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.3% | 13.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.6% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 12.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Waukesha (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.5 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Compared with other Wisconsin cities, though, Waukesha has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
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 Waukesha
Renters in Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3% | 37.2% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.7% | 39.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.8% | 39.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.6% | 39.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.3 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Waukesha rent their homes (35.6%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a smaller share here than in the Milwaukee area as a whole (39.6%). Among homeowners, 30.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged up 1.3 points, as it has 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 Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 8.1% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 7.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.2 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Empty homes are scarce in Waukesha: just 4.0% sit vacant, compared with 9.6% nationally, a sign of a tight housing market. Vacancy is down 2.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Waukesha has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of Wisconsin cities.
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 Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1964 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1965 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1977 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Waukesha was built around 1977, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are newer than in the Milwaukee area overall, where the median home dates to 1968. Newer construction is concentrated in the northwest, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $840 | $849 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $946 | $928 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $994 | $1,022 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,330 | $1,290 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$490 | +$441 | +$380 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Waukesha costs $1,330 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $490 a month from 2006–10, a 58% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 28.3% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the center.
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 Waukesha
Bachelor's degrees in Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.5% | 31.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 32.9% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.2% | 35.4% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 42.6% | 39.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Waukesha (42.6%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, above the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.1 points, 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 Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.1% | 88.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.0% | 89.5% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.9% | 91.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.3% | 92.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Waukesha: 96.3% 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 3.2 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Waukesha
| Period | Waukesha | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.3% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.8% | 8.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.3% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −3.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Waukesha has been low: just 2.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 2.8 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).
Waukesha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha | 2.40 | 40.7 | 9.8% | 35.6% | 4.0% | 1977 | $1,330 | 42.6% | 96.3% | 2.5% |
| Pewaukee | 2.35 | 45.3 | 6.5% | 22.3% | 5.7% | 1988 | $1,466 | 55.3% | 97.7% | 3.0% |
| Genesee | 2.55 | 47.9 | 4.4% | 11.7% | 5.5% | 1982 | $1,553 | 46.2% | 98.2% | 0.0% |
| Wales | 2.86 | 47.3 | 3.8% | 12.7% | 4.8% | 1984 | $1,360 | 44.3% | 99.0% | 2.0% |
| Genesee Depot | 2.52 | 50.4 | 4.5% | 9.1% | 5.6% | 1981 | $1,622 | 51.5% | 98.7% | 0.4% |
| Brookfield | 2.50 | 45.9 | 5.0% | 21.4% | 4.4% | 1975 | $1,947 | 62.7% | 98.0% | 2.7% |
| New Berlin | 2.43 | 45.9 | 6.4% | 23.5% | 4.7% | 1979 | $1,468 | 47.9% | 97.6% | 2.1% |
| Big Bend | 2.40 | 48.9 | 2.6% | 3.8% | 5.9% | 1977 | $1,227 | 43.3% | 96.9% | 2.0% |
| Duplainville | 2.89 | 42.6 | 2.7% | 0.0% | 4.8% | 1978 | $1,517 | 71.2% | 96.8% | 0.6% |
| Delafield | 2.44 | 47.6 | 8.7% | 22.2% | 6.9% | 1986 | $1,571 | 57.2% | 99.1% | 1.3% |
| Waterville | 2.89 | 46.9 | 2.0% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 1987 | $1,307 | 51.8% | 97.7% | 1.4% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Tierra Amarilla, NM · The Woodlands, TX · Tuckahoe, WV · Sycamore, GA · Thorn Hill, TN · Town 'n' Country, FL · Thor, SC · Trout Lake, MI · Tippecanoe, OH · Town Creek, TN
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 Waukesha. 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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