PlainZIP

Milwaukee, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53205

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

10,050
2,744/sq mi
$31,529
Median income
$124,200
Median home value
17.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

2th pct
household income, US ZIPs
18th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,744
people per sq mi
27%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53205 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53205 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, home to 10,050 residents across 3.7 square miles, a density of 2,744 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53205 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $31,529 (60% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $18,591. Poverty here runs at 45.0%, with unemployment measured at 14.5%. Median home value sits at $124,200 (50% below the state average), median rent at $869 a month, and owner-occupancy at 27.4%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 27.9, and the average commute is 25 minutes. Beyond these figures, 10 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Milwaukee County, letting you compare 53205 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

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 53205

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milwaukee, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53205.

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 53205, 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

10,050

Population

3.7

Area (sq mi)

2,744

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 53205?

27.9

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

3.8%

Foreign-Born

White 6.1%
African American 84.9%
Asian 3.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.5%
Hispanic or Latino 4.4%

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?

$31,529

Median Household Income

-60% vs state

$18,591

Per Capita Income

45.0%

Poverty Rate

14.5%

Unemployment Rate

25.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53205 ranks nationally

Milwaukee, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$31,529 2nd percentile higher than 2% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 52.7%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 17.7%

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

What does housing look like?

4,074

Total Housing Units

3,539

Occupied Units

535

Vacant Units

2.55

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 27.4%
Renter 72.6%

$124,200

Median Home Value

-50% vs state

$869

Median Rent

1968

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 142 business establishments in ZIP 53205, employing approximately 1,460 people with a combined annual payroll of $70,636,000.

142

Businesses

1,460

Employees

$70.6M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 39 27.5%
Other services (except public administration) 25 17.6%
Retail trade 20 14.1%
Accommodation and food services 12 8.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 10 7.0%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 8 5.6%
Information 6 4.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 6 4.2%
Construction 3 2.1%
Wholesale trade 3 2.1%
Finance and insurance 3 2.1%
Educational services 3 2.1%

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 53205 vs 53233 →

ZIP 53205 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 53205 ranks #0 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 53205 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 53205 ranks #9 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
53233 Milwaukee, WI 16,453 1.1 mi
53206 Milwaukee, WI 28,210 1.5 mi
53203 Milwaukee, WI 938 1.4 mi
53208 Milwaukee, WI 31,133 1.7 mi
53204 Milwaukee, WI 42,355 2.5 mi
53202 Milwaukee, WI 23,386 1.9 mi
53212 Milwaukee, WI 30,416 1.9 mi
53210 Milwaukee, WI 28,126 2.3 mi
53215 Milwaukee, WI 60,953 3.8 mi
53213 Milwaukee, WI 26,020 3.4 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 Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53205 in? ▼
ZIP code 53205 (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 53205? ▼
ZIP code 53205 in Milwaukee, WI has a population of 10,050 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53205? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53205 is $31,529, which is 59% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53205? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53205 is $124,200, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53205? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53205 is African American at 84.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53205? ▼
ZIP code 53205 has 142 business establishments employing approximately 1,460 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53205? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53205 are: Health care and social assistance (39), Other services (except public administration) (25), Retail trade (20). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 53205? ▼
In ZIP code 53205, 52.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.7% 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 53205? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53205 is 25.1 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 53205? ▼
In ZIP code 53205, approximately 27.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 72.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53205? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53205 is 45.0% 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.