PlainZIP

South Milwaukee, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53172

Milwaukee County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

21,156
1,692/sq mi
$73,427
Median income
$235,700
Median home value
29.9%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

South Milwaukee pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 48%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 46%
home value, US ZIPs
1,692
people per sq mi
67%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53172 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53172 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in South Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, with 21,156 residents across 12.5 square miles, a density of 1,692 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53172 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,427 (6% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $36,937. Poverty here runs at 13.1%, with unemployment measured at 3.6%. Median home value sits at $235,700 (5% below the state average), median rent at $1,014 a month, and owner-occupancy at 66.8%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 29.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.2, and the average commute is 24 minutes. To put 53172 in local context, 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Milwaukee County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 53172

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in South Milwaukee, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53172.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 53172, South Milwaukee, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

21,156

Population

12.5

Area (sq mi)

1,692

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 53172?

40.2

Median Age

49.6%

Male

50.4%

Female

6.1%

Foreign-Born

White 81.2%
African American 2.5%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 10.8%
Hispanic or Latino 12.2%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$73,427

Median Household Income

-6% vs state

$36,937

Per Capita Income

13.1%

Poverty Rate

3.6%

Unemployment Rate

24.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53172 ranks nationally

South Milwaukee, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$73,427 Top 48% higher than 52% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 62.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 29.9%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

8,885

Total Housing Units

8,420

Occupied Units

465

Vacant Units

2.40

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 66.8%
Renter 33.2%

$235,700

Median Home Value

-5% vs state

$1,014

Median Rent

1958

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+6.3%

YoY Change (2024)

218

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+118%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53172 have increased 6.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +118% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.3% 145
2021 +10.2% 160
2022 +17.6% 188
2023 +9.1% 205
2024 +6.3% 218

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 260 business establishments in ZIP 53172, employing approximately 3,491 people with a combined annual payroll of $163,945,000.

260

Businesses

3,491

Employees

$163.9M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 48 18.5%
Accommodation and food services 40 15.4%
Retail trade 29 11.2%
Construction 28 10.8%
Other services (except public administration) 25 9.6%
Manufacturing 16 6.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 15 5.8%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 15 5.8%
Transportation and warehousing 12 4.6%
Finance and insurance 12 4.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 7 2.7%
Wholesale trade 5 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 3 1.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 53172 vs 53110 →

ZIP 53172 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53172 ranks #8 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 53172 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 53172 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
53110 Cudahy, WI 18,320 2.4 mi
53154 Oak Creek, WI 34,451 2.9 mi
53235 Saint Francis, WI 9,270 4.2 mi
53207 Milwaukee, WI 35,149 4.6 mi
53221 Milwaukee, WI 37,701 5.0 mi
53402 Racine, WI 33,174 8.1 mi
53129 Greendale, WI 13,973 7.2 mi
53202 Milwaukee, WI 23,386 9.4 mi
53204 Milwaukee, WI 42,355 8.0 mi
53215 Milwaukee, WI 60,953 7.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Milwaukee County

53215 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 60,953
53209 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 46,917
53204 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 42,355
53218 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 40,625
53221 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 37,701
53211 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 35,406

Related Areas

Milwaukee County South Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53172 in? ▼
ZIP code 53172 (South Milwaukee) is located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Milwaukee County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/milwaukee-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 53172? ▼
ZIP code 53172 in South Milwaukee, WI has a population of 21,156 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53172? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53172 is $73,427, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53172? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53172 is $235,700, which is 15% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53172? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53172 is White at 81.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53172? ▼
ZIP code 53172 has 260 business establishments employing approximately 3,491 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53172? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53172 are: Health care and social assistance (48), Accommodation and food services (40), Retail trade (29). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53172? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53172 increased by 6.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 118%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 53172? ▼
In ZIP code 53172, 62.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 29.9% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 53172? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53172 is 24.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 53172? ▼
In ZIP code 53172, approximately 66.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 33.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53172? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53172 is 13.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.