Milwaukee County · Wisconsin · Midwest · 567k residents
Milwaukee, WI: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Milwaukee: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the Wisconsin median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,387/wk. Wisconsin's corporate income tax rate is 7.9%. Commercial electricity averages 12.6¢/kWh.
Compare Milwaukee side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,387/wk
Corporate income tax
7.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher
27.4%
Commercial electricity
12.6¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Milwaukee's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
15/100
Cooling
Ranks Milwaukee's residential building-permit and jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $210,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $160 |
| Property tax rate | 2.2% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,150/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,400/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.17% |
| Sales tax | 5.9% |
| Corporate income tax | 7.9% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,387/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.4% |
| Commercial electricity | 12.6¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 32.6/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $123,730 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $97,360 |
| Wage: General manager | $125,490 |
| Wage: Customer service | $47,840 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $34,470 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $59,580 |
| Wage: Electrician | $77,800 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $34,410 |
| Cost of living index | 91 |
| Groceries index | 97 |
| Utilities | $155/mo |
| Transit pass | $72/mo |
| Gas price | $3.05/gal |
| Healthcare index | 101 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,250/mo |
| Median household income | $52,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% |
| Population | 567k |
| Crime index | 56/100 |
| School rating | 5.0/10 |
| Walkability | 62/100 |
| Disaster risk | 98/100 |
| Avg. commute | 23 min |
| Sunny days / year | 190 days |
| July high | 85°F |
| January low | 15°F |
| Annual snowfall | 52 in |
| Home price YoY | +3.5% |
| Home price MoM | +0.2% |
| Rent YoY | +4.1% |
| Rent MoM | +0.4% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | -0.5% |
| Building permits YoY | -69.9% |
| Ocean coast | 733 mi |
| Big lake | < 3 mi |
| Mountains | 406 mi |
| Major airport | 6 mi |
| Ski resort | 141 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Wauwatosa, WI · 49k
- West Allis, WI · 60k
- Cudahy, WI · 18k
- Greenfield, WI · 37k
- South Milwaukee, WI · 20k
Similar size
- Madison, WI · 278k
- Green Bay, WI · 106k
- Kenosha, WI · 99k
- Racine, WI · 78k
- Appleton, WI · 75k
Real listings in Milwaukee
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Milwaukee a good place to run a business?
- Wisconsin's corporate income tax rate is 7.9%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,387/wk; commercial electricity averages 12.6¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Milwaukee, WI?
- Milwaukee indexes at 91 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,400/mo and a median home value of $210,000.
- How much does a house cost in Milwaukee?
- The median home value in Milwaukee is $210,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Milwaukee?
- A two-bedroom in Milwaukee rents for about $1,400/mo.