Living in Milwaukee, WI

Crime in Milwaukee runs a bit below the national average. The violent crime index is 85 (100 is the U.S. baseline), with property crime at 85. That puts it in a decent spot — not the safest metro in the country, but meaningfully better than the midpoint. Neighborhood choice still matters, especially if you have kids or walk home late. FBI Uniform Crime Report data.

Housing costs in Milwaukee are reasonable. Median rent sits at $1,033/month with median household income at $51,888/year — a 23.9% rent-to-income ratio. That's well within the comfort zone that most financial advisors recommend. It's not dirt cheap, but most working households can afford rent here without financial strain. Other costs like groceries and utilities will vary, but the rent picture is solid. Census ACS 2023 data.

The average worker in Milwaukee spends about 20 minutes getting to the office. Driving solo is the default (67.8%), with 11.2% working remotely and 5.4% on public transit. It's a fairly typical commute — not a selling point, not a dealbreaker.

Not particularly. The climate risk score is 23/100, which puts Milwaukee in the low-risk tier. Winter Storm, Flood, and Tornado are the most relevant hazards, but none of them are frequent concerns. Standard insurance should have you covered. It's one less thing to worry about if you're comparing this city to higher-risk metros along the coast or in tornado alley. Data from FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA.

The numbers suggest some caution. Milwaukee's graduation rate is 72.0% with a 16:1 student-teacher ratio — both below where most parents would feel comfortable. That said, there are standout public schools, active magnet programs, and charter options that families swear by. If education is a priority, you'll want to target specific schools and be willing to live in their attendance zones. Don't write off the whole city based on averages.

About what you'd expect anywhere. The average monthly utility bill in Milwaukee runs around $245 for electricity, gas, water, and sewer combined. The national average is $230, so you're right in line. Your actual bill depends on home size, insulation quality, and how much you run the AC or heater — but no surprises here.

Good, overall. The median AQI sits at 42, which falls within the EPA's "Good" category, and Milwaukee logs 268 clean-air days annually. PM2.5 is the main pollutant. Occasional spikes happen — wildfire smoke, temperature inversions, or high-ozone days — but they're the exception, not the rule. Check AirNow.gov during allergy season or summer heat waves.

Higher than average, yes. The total effective tax rate lands around 12.8% when you add up income, property, and sales taxes. Sales tax is 5.5%. High-tax areas often come with better public schools, infrastructure, and services — but that's not guaranteed, and it's cold comfort on payday. If you're moving from a low-tax state like Texas or Florida, brace for a noticeable dip in take-home pay.

Probably a good idea. Milwaukee's water system scores 60/100 — not terrible, but not great either. There are 0 health-based violations on record, and lead risk is rated "high." The water is technically within EPA limits, but a quality filter adds a layer of protection, especially in older housing. Look up your specific utility on EWG's Tap Water Database for contaminant details.

Everything on this page is built from public government sources: rent and income figures from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023); commute and transportation data from Census ACS tables B08303 and B08006; crime rates from the FBI Uniform Crime Report; climate risk assessments using FEMA disaster declarations and NOAA storm records; air quality measurements from the EPA's Air Quality System database; water quality compliance data from EPA records and the EWG Tap Water Database; school data from the National Center for Education Statistics; utility cost estimates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. We refresh each dataset monthly through an automated pipeline and cross-check for anomalies. No surveys, no user-submitted guesses — just official federal data presented in a way that's actually useful for people researching a move.