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Waukesha, WI

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Waukesha, WI

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Demographics

Predominantly WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 37
Population70,779
Foreign Born3.8%
Population Density2,773people per mi²
Median Age36.4 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A-
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

102/100

2% above national average

A

The Real Cost of Living in Waukesha, Wisconsin

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $19k$35k
Comfortable $56k$82k
Luxury $124k+$193k+
Elite (Top 5%) $146k+$227k+
Affordability Ratio

100%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean90%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
16
Poor
4
Negative
2

Groceries

7 within 10 miles

1.3mi

Gas

20 within 10 miles

0.8mi

Hospital

20 within 20 miles

0.2mi

Airport

ORD — O'Hare International

73.3mi

Post Office

USPS — Waukesha, WI

1.1mi

Critical Amenities

Country Clubs

1 private club within 10 miles.

Golf12Nearest 1.1 mi
Camping8Nearest 17.8 mi
Marina0Nearest 17.3 mi
Winery0Nearest 11.7 mi
Ice Rink1Nearest 9 mi
Gun Range3Nearest 4.6 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C+
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$82k+5.3%
9% above US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$688k
5% above US avg
College Educated
40.7%
16% above US avg
WFH
11.8%
17% below US avg
Homeownership
59.3%
9% below US avg
Median Home
$287k
2% above US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
A
Very Safe

Lower crime rates than 88% of comparable U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
9.7
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
−6.0%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr−4.9%
Homicide
0.00 / 1k Residents100% below state avg
Robbery
0.07 / 1k Residents74% below state avg
Aggravated Assault
0.62 / 1k Residents62% below state avg

Property Crime

5yr−7.1%
Burglary
0.43 / 1k Residents51% below state avg
Larceny-Theft
7.48 / 1k Residents5% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
0.67 / 1k Residents44% below state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+11Leans Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential Voting Trends for Waukesha, Wisconsin
Dem Rep
30%40%50%60%70%2000200420082012201620202024

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
C+
Moderate

Moderate friction. Expect trade-offs in some aspect of personal liberty and independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C-
Weak10.9% of income
Property Rights
C-
FairIJ Grade C-
Firearm Rights
B-
GoodFPC Grade B-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (15% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
D+
RestrictedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
F
ProhibitedIllegal

Homesteading

Growing Season176 days225 frost-free
Annual Rainfall40.3"
Elevation892 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C-
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
D-
Poor17 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor2,773/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B+
Good4 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding, Cold Wave, Tornado, Hail, Heat Wave
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 272 mi · coast 726 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$138.3M/yrfor the county

Key Distances

Nearest Major CityMilwaukee577k people are 17 mi away
Nearest Major AirportNo hub airport within 50 mi
Distance to State Capital59 miMadison, WI
Nearest Prison16 mi1 within 25 mi

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T10:22:50.000Z

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