The Town FilesWest Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Village in Milwaukee County · population 4,114 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $207,400
- Household income
- $49,128
- Jan low / Jul high
- 15° / 85°
- Snow a year
- 52 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 20
- Median age
- 36.2
West Milwaukee is a village of 4,114 people in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $207,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more walkable than 100% of Wisconsin towns, more vibrant than 100% of Wisconsin towns, hipper than 100% of Wisconsin towns.
How West Milwaukee ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in West Milwaukee is worth $207,400, below the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 4.2 times the median household income of $49,128, which is more affordable than 9% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $920 a month. 33.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | West Milwaukee | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $207,400 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $920 | $951 |
| Median household income | $49,128 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.2× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 33.8% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1945 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in West Milwaukee
| People | West Milwaukee | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.3% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 24.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.6% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.4% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 7.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 9.3% | — |
| Work from home | 7.8% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.0% | 89.1% |
Weather in West Milwaukee
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 14.7°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 52.3 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 18 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Milwaukee since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on June 5, 1977 about 8.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 12, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 102 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Milwaukee County since 1996
Milwaukee County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 11, 2025 | Flood | DR-4892: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| March 11, 2020 | Flood | DR-4477: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Milwaukee County
Milwaukee County had 469,055 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,142 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in West Milwaukee itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in West Milwaukee
2 public schools with 588 students, about 12.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Milwaukee Intermediate | 6-8 | 353 | 12.2 |
| Pershing Elementary | PK-5 | 235 | 13.8 |
Towns near West Milwaukee
- West Allis, WI3.0 mi · 60,325 people · home $203,800
- Milwaukee, WI3.5 mi · 577,222 people · home $184,000
- Greenfield, WI4.0 mi · 37,803 people · home $261,100
- Wauwatosa, WI4.8 mi · 48,387 people · home $339,000
- Greendale, WI5.2 mi · 14,854 people · home $314,200
- St. Francis, WI5.8 mi · 9,161 people · home $234,500
- Hales Corners, WI6.3 mi · 7,720 people · home $309,800
- Elm Grove, WI6.3 mi · 6,513 people · home $510,400
West Milwaukee questions
Is West Milwaukee, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, West Milwaukee scores better for retirees than 0% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 0%. 13.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.2).
How much does a house cost in West Milwaukee?
The median owner-occupied home in West Milwaukee is valued at $207,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,128, so homes cost about 4.2 times income. Median rent is $920 a month.
What is the weather like in West Milwaukee?
July highs average 84.7°F and January lows 14.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.4 inches of precipitation a year and 52.3 inches of snow.
Does West Milwaukee get tornadoes?
20 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of West Milwaukee since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on June 5, 1977. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)