Milwaukee, WI · standard
ZIP Code 53204
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 42,355
- 4,982/sq mi High-density area
- $45,934
- Median income Below-median income area
- $124,300
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 16.3%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Milwaukee pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.
- 10th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 18th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 4,982
- people per sq mi
- 26%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53204 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 53204 (Milwaukee, WI) rose +45.4% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 53204 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, with 42,355 residents across 8.5 square miles, a density of 4,982 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 53204 reports a modest median household income of $45,934 (41% below the average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $22,500. The poverty rate is 32.2%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $124,300 (50% below the average Wisconsin ZIP), and median rent is $1,004; owner occupancy is 26.2%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 16.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 29.8, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Milwaukee County, so 53204 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 53204
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milwaukee, WI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53204.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
135 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
120 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
95 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
82 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
65 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 53204, 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
42,355
Population
8.5
Area (sq mi)
4,982
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 53204?
29.8
Median Age
51.7%
Male
48.3%
Female
28.9%
Foreign-Born
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?
$45,934
Median Household Income
-41% vs state ZIP avg
$22,500
Per Capita Income
32.2%
Poverty Rate
5.9%
Unemployment Rate
21.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 53204 ranks nationally
Milwaukee, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$45,934 10th percentile higher than 10% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
15,138housing units
15,138
Total Housing Units
13,964
Occupied Units
1,174
Vacant Units
2.85
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$124,300
Median Home Value
-50% vs state ZIP avg
$1,004
Median Rent
1938
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 811 business establishments in ZIP 53204, employing approximately 16,037 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,318,069,000.
811
Businesses
16,037
Employees
$1.3B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 135 | 16.6% |
| Retail trade | 120 | 14.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 95 | 11.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 82 | 10.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 65 | 8.0% |
| Construction | 58 | 7.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 43 | 5.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 41 | 5.1% |
| Manufacturing | 37 | 4.6% |
| Finance and insurance | 30 | 3.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 27 | 3.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 24 | 3.0% |
| Educational services | 19 | 2.3% |
| Information | 16 | 2.0% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 15 | 1.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.5% |
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 53204 vs 53233 →
ZIP 53204 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53215
Milwaukee (53215)
60,953 residents
- 53204
Milwaukee (53204)
42,355 residents
- 53207
Milwaukee (53207)
35,149 residents
- 53208
Milwaukee (53208)
31,133 residents
- 53212
Milwaukee (53212)
30,416 residents
- 53206
Milwaukee (53206)
28,210 residents
- 53202 23,386
Milwaukee (53202)
23,386 residents
- 53233 16,453
Milwaukee (53233)
16,453 residents
- 53205 10,050
Milwaukee (53205)
10,050 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53204 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 53204 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53203
Milwaukee (53203)
$86,159 median income
- 53207
Milwaukee (53207)
$79,117 median income
- 53202
Milwaukee (53202)
$71,034 median income
- 53215
Milwaukee (53215)
$54,289 median income
- 53208
Milwaukee (53208)
$52,690 median income
- 53212
Milwaukee (53212)
$47,298 median income
- 53204
Milwaukee (53204)
$45,934 median income
- 53205 $31,529
Milwaukee (53205)
$31,529 median income
- 53206 $29,336
Milwaukee (53206)
$29,336 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 53204 ranks #7 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53233 | Milwaukee, WI | 16,453 | 1.4 mi |
| 53203 | Milwaukee, WI | 938 | 1.5 mi |
| 53215 | Milwaukee, WI | 60,953 | 1.7 mi |
| 53205 | Milwaukee, WI | 10,050 | 2.5 mi |
| 53202 | Milwaukee, WI | 23,386 | 2.3 mi |
| 53295 | Milwaukee, WI | 359 | 2.6 mi |
| 53206 | Milwaukee, WI | 28,210 | 3.9 mi |
| 53208 | Milwaukee, WI | 31,133 | 2.8 mi |
| 53207 | Milwaukee, WI | 35,149 | 3.4 mi |
| 53212 | Milwaukee, WI | 30,416 | 4.0 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 53204, both outside WI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (42,355 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Milwaukee County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 53204 in?
ZIP code 53204 (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 53204?
ZIP code 53204 in Milwaukee, WI has a population of 42,355 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53204?
The median household income in ZIP 53204 is $45,934, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53204?
The median home value in ZIP 53204 is $124,300, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53204?
The largest racial group in ZIP 53204 is Two or More Ethnicities at 42.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 65.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53204?
ZIP code 53204 has 811 business establishments employing approximately 16,037 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53204?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53204 are: Accommodation and food services (135), Retail trade (120), Health care and social assistance (95). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 53204?
In ZIP code 53204, 48.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 16.3% 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 53204?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53204 is 21.2 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 53204?
In ZIP code 53204, approximately 26.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 73.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53204?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53204 is 32.2% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 53204's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 53204 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Milwaukee, WI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.