Population 48,727 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wauwatosa
Household size in Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.27 | 2.51 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.27 | 2.53 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.21 | 2.45 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Wauwatosa are small: just 2.21 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has edged down from 2.27 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.0 | 37.8 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.5 | 38.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 39.6 | 39.6 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.5 | 39.8 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.5 | +1.9 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
At 39.5, the median age in Wauwatosa is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has edged down from 40.0 in 2006–10, even as the national median rose. Wauwatosa is younger than at least four in five Wisconsin cities.
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 Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.2% | 13.0% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 12.8% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 12.2% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 12.2% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.9% of households in Wauwatosa, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is up 0.7 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Wauwatosa
Renters in Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.3% | 37.2% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.7% | 39.1% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.7% | 39.9% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 39.3% | 39.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +2.4 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Wauwatosa than nationally: 39.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. Among homeowners, 34.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 5.0 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 Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.3% | 8.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 8.1% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.9% | 7.8% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 7.2% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Wauwatosa: 5.7% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The Milwaukee area as a whole looks much the same. Vacancy is down 1.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1952 | 1964 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1951 | 1965 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1952 | 1966 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1957 | 1968 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Wauwatosa 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 median year built has moved up from 1952 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the northeast has the oldest housing. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only five 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 Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $942 | $849 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $985 | $928 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,135 | $1,022 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,451 | $1,290 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$509 | +$441 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wauwatosa pays $1,451 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in the Milwaukee area as a whole ($1,290). Rent has climbed $509 a month since 2006–10, up 54%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 26.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Wauwatosa
Bachelor's degrees in Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.0% | 31.0% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 56.2% | 32.9% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 58.6% | 35.4% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 63.7% | 39.2% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +12.6 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
Wauwatosa is highly educated: nearly two-thirds of adults 25 and older (63.7%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 12.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Only seven 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 Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.5% | 88.5% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.5% | 89.5% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.0% | 91.0% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.2% | 92.2% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.7 pts | +3.7 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Wauwatosa: 98.2% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 3.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 15 of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people 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 Wauwatosa
| Period | Wauwatosa | Milwaukee area | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.4% | 7.7% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.5% | 8.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 2.2% | 4.5% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.2% | 4.0% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −3.7 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wauwatosa has been low: just 2.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Wauwatosa 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wauwatosa | 2.21 | 39.5 | 7.9% | 39.3% | 5.7% | 1957 | $1,451 | 63.7% | 98.2% | 2.2% |
| Elm Grove | 2.76 | 47.4 | 6.3% | 11.6% | 10.5% | 1964 | $1,768 | 74.2% | 99.1% | 0.7% |
| Milwaukee area | 2.45 | 39.8 | 12.2% | 39.6% | 7.2% | 1968 | $1,290 | 39.2% | 92.2% | 4.0% |
| West Allis | 2.13 | 40.6 | 12.7% | 44.7% | 7.7% | 1956 | $1,004 | 29.7% | 92.3% | 4.0% |
| West Milwaukee | 2.15 | 32.8 | 19.1% | 66.2% | 7.5% | 1949 | $962 | 19.4% | 91.7% | 1.9% |
| Butler | 2.49 | 45.3 | 5.3% | 48.2% | 7.3% | 1962 | $1,071 | 24.7% | 93.7% | 3.4% |
| Brookfield | 2.50 | 45.9 | 5.0% | 21.4% | 4.4% | 1975 | $1,947 | 62.7% | 98.0% | 2.7% |
| Greenfield | 2.18 | 42.5 | 8.1% | 45.5% | 4.6% | 1974 | $1,213 | 33.8% | 94.2% | 2.4% |
| New Berlin | 2.43 | 45.9 | 6.4% | 23.5% | 4.7% | 1979 | $1,468 | 47.9% | 97.6% | 2.1% |
| Glendale | 2.19 | 43.5 | 9.5% | 30.5% | 7.3% | 1965 | $1,316 | 57.7% | 95.6% | 2.9% |
| Duplainville | 2.89 | 42.6 | 2.7% | 0.0% | 4.8% | 1978 | $1,517 | 71.2% | 96.8% | 0.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lake Stevens, WA · Zephyrhills, FL · Wausau, WI · Upper Arlington, OH · Texas City, TX · Spring Hill, TN · Sherman, TX · Salina, KS · Rowland Heights, CA · Roseville, MI
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 Wauwatosa. 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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