PlainZIP

Milwaukee, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53208

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

31,133
3,079/sq mi
$52,690
Median income
$204,500
Median home value
32.6%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Milwaukee pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a suburban-density, renter-heavy area.

18th pct
household income, US ZIPs
45th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3,079
people per sq mi
39%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53208 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53208 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, with 31,133 residents across 10.1 square miles, a density of 3,079 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53208 reports a modest median household income of $52,690 (33% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $32,327. Local economic indicators show a 21.6% poverty rate alongside 5.9% unemployment. On housing, the median home value is $204,500 (18% below the state average) with median rent at $936 per month, and 39.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33, and the average commute is 21 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 53208 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 53208

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milwaukee, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53208.

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 53208, 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

31,133

Population

10.1

Area (sq mi)

3,079

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 53208?

33.0

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

9.3%

Foreign-Born

White 35.2%
African American 41.0%
Asian 9.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.7%
Hispanic or Latino 11.4%

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?

$52,690

Median Household Income

-33% vs state

$32,327

Per Capita Income

21.6%

Poverty Rate

5.9%

Unemployment Rate

20.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53208 ranks nationally

Milwaukee, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$52,690 18th percentile higher than 18% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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 60.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.6%

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

What does housing look like?

13,806

Total Housing Units

11,696

Occupied Units

2,110

Vacant Units

2.30

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 39.2%
Renter 60.8%

$204,500

Median Home Value

-18% vs state

$936

Median Rent

1938

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

+1.9%

YoY Change (2024)

245

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+145%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53208 have increased 1.9% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +145% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.3% 167
2021 +11.0% 185
2022 +12.3% 208
2023 +15.7% 240
2024 +1.9% 245

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 527 business establishments in ZIP 53208, employing approximately 12,775 people with a combined annual payroll of $964,885,000.

527

Businesses

12,775

Employees

$964.9M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 129 24.5%
Other services (except public administration) 66 12.5%
Retail trade 61 11.6%
Accommodation and food services 41 7.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 39 7.4%
Manufacturing 32 6.1%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 26 4.9%
Construction 20 3.8%
Real estate and rental and leasing 18 3.4%
Wholesale trade 17 3.2%
Information 13 2.5%
Finance and insurance 13 2.5%
Educational services 12 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 2.3%
Transportation and warehousing 11 2.1%
Management of companies and enterprises 9 1.7%
Utilities 6 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 53208 vs 53210 →

ZIP 53208 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 53208 ranks #4 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 53208 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 53208 ranks #4 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
53210 Milwaukee, WI 28,126 1.6 mi
53295 Milwaukee, WI 359 1.8 mi
53213 Milwaukee, WI 26,020 1.8 mi
53205 Milwaukee, WI 10,050 1.7 mi
53233 Milwaukee, WI 16,453 1.7 mi
53216 Milwaukee, WI 32,264 2.8 mi
53203 Milwaukee, WI 938 2.6 mi
53206 Milwaukee, WI 28,210 2.5 mi
53215 Milwaukee, WI 60,953 3.4 mi
53204 Milwaukee, WI 42,355 2.8 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 53208 in? ▼
ZIP code 53208 (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 53208? ▼
ZIP code 53208 in Milwaukee, WI has a population of 31,133 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53208? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53208 is $52,690, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53208? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53208 is $204,500, which is 26% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53208? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53208 is African American at 41.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53208? ▼
ZIP code 53208 has 527 business establishments employing approximately 12,775 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53208? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53208 are: Health care and social assistance (129), Other services (except public administration) (66), Retail trade (61). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53208? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53208 increased by 1.9% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 145%. 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 53208? ▼
In ZIP code 53208, 60.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.6% 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 53208? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53208 is 20.8 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 53208? ▼
In ZIP code 53208, approximately 39.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 60.8% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53208? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53208 is 21.6% 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.