State rank#1 of 72
Smallest county926,331 residentsMilwaukee County
Published county profile · Official data · FIPS 55079
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
County-level income, housing, jobs, education, health, and population with transparent statewide comparisons and source periods.
Population926,331
Household income$64,435
Unemployment3.7%
Life expectancy74.3 years
County overview
Living metrics at a glance
Milwaukee County has 926,331 residents and ranks #1 by population among Wisconsin county equivalents. Median household income is $64,435. The annual-average unemployment rate is 3.7%. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access. Its county population is above the state county median. Every figure below stays at county scope.
Within Wisconsin
County population range
The marker places this county between the smallest and largest county populations in the state.
Relocation guide
Moving to Milwaukee County: what to check
Data narrows the search; municipality, neighborhood, commute, schools, and current listings complete the decision.
Before moving
Before moving, compare municipalities inside Milwaukee County, because county averages do not describe every neighborhood. Review current housing inventory, commute destinations, school districts, healthcare access, and job locations. Its clearest relative strength is mental health access.
Cost and housing
Housing benchmarks are $230,700 median home value and $1,101/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $64,435, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
Who it may suit
Milwaukee County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, bachelor’s degree or higher, and primary care access. College attainment is 34.7% and life expectancy is 74.3 years.
Potential advantages
- Mental health access: 1 per 256 residents, rank #5 of 72 available Wisconsin counties.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher: 34.7%, rank #10 of 72 available Wisconsin counties.
- Primary care access: 1 per 1,298 residents, rank #20 of 71 available Wisconsin counties.
Trade-offs to check
- Life expectancy: 74.3 years, rank #69 of 72; investigate local variation before moving.
- Median gross rent: $1,101/mo, rank #65 of 72; investigate local variation before moving.
- Poor or fair health: 18.6%, rank #63 of 72; investigate local variation before moving.
Income, housing, jobs, education & health
County metrics within Wisconsin
Rank and range use only counties in Wisconsin with that field available. A lower rank number is stronger when the metric has a clear direction.
Median household income
$64,435
$64,435; below the state county median of $72,922.
State rank #58 of 72 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median home value
$230,700
$230,700; above the state county median of $224,800.
State rank #39 of 72 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Median gross rent
$1,101/mo
$1,101/mo; above the state county median of $878/mo.
State rank #65 of 72 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Unemployment rate
3.7%
3.7%; above the state county median of 3.2%.
State rank #54 of 72 · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Local Area Unemployment Statistics
Bachelor’s degree or higher
34.7%
34.7%; above the state county median of 25%.
State rank #10 of 72 · U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
Life expectancy
74.3 years
74.3 years; below the state county median of 78 years.
State rank #69 of 72 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Poor or fair health
18.6%
18.6%; above the state county median of 16%.
State rank #63 of 72 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Uninsured
7.7%
7.7%; above the state county median of 6.8%.
State rank #55 of 72 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Primary care access
1 per 1,298 residents
1 per 1,298 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 1,715 residents.
State rank #20 of 71 · County Health Rankings & Roadmaps
Mental health access
1 per 256 residents
1 per 256 residents; below the state county median of 1 per 621 residents.
State rank #5 of 72 · County Health Rankings & RoadmapsCommon questions
Milwaukee County FAQ
Is Milwaukee County a good place to live?
Milwaukee County may be worth a closer look for movers prioritizing mental health access, bachelor’s degree or higher, and primary care access. College attainment is 34.7% and life expectancy is 74.3 years.
What should I know before moving to Milwaukee County?
Start with housing, employment, commute, schools, healthcare access, and the specific municipality. Housing benchmarks are $230,700 median home value and $1,101/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $64,435, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the population of Milwaukee County?
Milwaukee County has 926,331 residents in the 2020–2024 ACS 5-year dataset.
What is the FIPS code for Milwaukee County?
The five-digit county FIPS code is 55079; the parent state FIPS is 55.
What is the median household income in Milwaukee County?
The ACS median household income is $64,435.
How much does housing cost in Milwaukee County?
Housing benchmarks are $230,700 median home value and $1,101/mo median gross rent. Set those costs against a median household income of $64,435, while remembering that household circumstances and municipalities vary.
What is the unemployment rate in Milwaukee County?
The BLS LAUS annual-average unemployment rate is 3.7%.
Similar population
Nearby counties in the state ranking
Source and gate
Methodology and source periods
All records join by five-digit FIPS. Profiles publish when ACS county population is at least 100,000 or the county is the state’s largest. Missing source values remain unavailable and are excluded from ranks. Runtime data was generated 2026-07-26.
Continue exploring