Wauwatosa, WI

Census place 5584675 · pop 48,529

C61/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in WI
📍 Wisconsin ranks #7 of 50 states →
🏆 Education64.0% · top 7%
🚽 Prop tax1.75% · bottom 16%
Taxes
1.75% property · US 0.99%5.72% sales · US 7.00%up to 7.65% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Property-tax burden1.75%16

U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities

1.75% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level6 days31

U.S. median 1 days · worse than most cities

6 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level94/10036

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

94/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Population growth (5yr)+1.2%37

U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities

+1.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Housing cost$339,00039

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$339,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Homeownership60.8%41

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

60.8% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Broadband access91.2%47

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

91.2% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Air quality (AQI)County-level43 AQI51

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

43 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Income inequality0.4352

U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities

Gini 0.43 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Rent$1,697/mo54

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,697/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.4%62

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Adult obesity31.4%70

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

31.4% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Median household income$101,13876

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$101,138 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Commute time20 min78

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

20 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Poverty rate5.8%82

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

5.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Adult smoking9.1%86

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

9.1% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Poor mental health14.1%86

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

14.1% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Physical inactivity17.8%88

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

17.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Uninsured adults5.3%91

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

5.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Bachelor's degree or higher64.0%93

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

64.0% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Not measured for Wauwatosa: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Wauwatosa, WI a good place to live?
By the numbers, Wauwatosa scores 61/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is property-tax burden. Wisconsin overall ranks #7 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Wauwatosa, WI expensive to live in?
Wauwatosa has a median home value of $339,000 and typical rent around $1,697/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Wauwatosa, WI?
Its weakest measured area is property-tax burden (1.75%) — 16/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Wauwatosa, WI best at?
Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (64.0%) — 93/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.