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 classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 10.1 square miles in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The area is home to 31,133 residents, producing a population density of 3,079 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 53208 against Wisconsin and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 53208 sits at $52,690 (33% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $32,327. The poverty rate stands at 21.6% and the unemployment rate at 5.9%. 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 direct signal of whether 53208 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 32.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33, and the average commute is 21 minutes. We also surface 10 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Milwaukee County, so you can benchmark 53208 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 53208
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53208.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
129 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
66 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
61 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 41
Accommodation and food services
41 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 39
Professional, scientific, and technical services
39 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
Who lives in ZIP 53208?
33.0
Median Age
47.7%
Male
52.3%
Female
9.3%
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?
$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
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
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?
13,806
Total Housing Units
11,696
Occupied Units
2,110
Vacant Units
2.30
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$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.
- 53215
Milwaukee (53215)
60,953 residents
- 53204
Milwaukee (53204)
42,355 residents
- 53216
Milwaukee (53216)
32,264 residents
- 53208
Milwaukee (53208)
31,133 residents
- 53206
Milwaukee (53206)
28,210 residents
- 53210
Milwaukee (53210)
28,126 residents
- 53213
Milwaukee (53213)
26,020 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 53208 ranks #4 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 53208 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
- 53215
Milwaukee (53215)
$54,289 median income
- 53208
Milwaukee (53208)
$52,690 median income
- 53210
Milwaukee (53210)
$48,217 median income
- 53216
Milwaukee (53216)
$46,752 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 53208 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| 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
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 53208 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 53208? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 53208? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 53208? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53208? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53208? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53208? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53208? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 53208? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 53208? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 53208? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53208? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Milwaukee, WI
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.