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 High-density area
- $31,529
- Median income Below-median income area
- $124,200
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 17.7%
- 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.
- 2nd 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 average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $18,591. Economic pressure is pronounced: 45.0% of residents are below the poverty line and unemployment is 14.5%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $124,200 (50% below the average Wisconsin ZIP), and median rent is $869; owner occupancy is 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. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Milwaukee County, so 53205 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 53205
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milwaukee, WI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53205.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
39 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
25 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
20 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 12
Accommodation and food services
12 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 10
Real estate and rental and leasing
10 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 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
Who lives in ZIP 53205?
27.9
Median Age
47.7%
Male
52.3%
Female
3.8%
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?
$31,529
Median Household Income
-60% vs state ZIP avg
$18,591
Per Capita Income
45.0%
Poverty Rate
14.5%
Unemployment Rate
25.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 53205 ranks among Wisconsin ZIPs
Milwaukee, WI household income vs. every Wisconsin ZIP code
Median household income among 755 reporting Wisconsin ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$31,529 0th percentile higher than 0% of 755 Wisconsin ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Wisconsin 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
4,074housing units
4,074
Total Housing Units
3,539
Occupied Units
535
Vacant Units
2.55
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$124,200
Median Home Value
-50% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 53215
Milwaukee (53215)
60,953 residents
- 53204
Milwaukee (53204)
42,355 residents
- 53208
Milwaukee (53208)
31,133 residents
- 53212
Milwaukee (53212)
30,416 residents
- 53206
Milwaukee (53206)
28,210 residents
- 53210
Milwaukee (53210)
28,126 residents
- 53213
Milwaukee (53213)
26,020 residents
- 53202 23,386
Milwaukee (53202)
23,386 residents
- 53233 16,453
Milwaukee (53233)
16,453 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53205 ranks #0 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 53205 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53213
Milwaukee (53213)
$101,688 median income
- 53203
Milwaukee (53203)
$86,159 median income
- 53202
Milwaukee (53202)
$71,034 median income
- 53215
Milwaukee (53215)
$54,289 median income
- 53208
Milwaukee (53208)
$52,690 median income
- 53210
Milwaukee (53210)
$48,217 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
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.
| 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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 53205, 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 (10,050 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 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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 53205's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 53205 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.