PlainZIP

Milwaukee, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53209

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

46,917
1,665/sq mi
$48,486
Median income
$166,700
Median home value
28.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Milwaukee pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

12th pct
household income, US ZIPs
33th pct
home value, US ZIPs
1,665
people per sq mi
44%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53209 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53209 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, with 46,917 residents across 28.2 square miles, a density of 1,665 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53209 reports a modest median household income of $48,486 (38% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $29,409. 23.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 8.6%. On housing, the median home value is $166,700 (33% below the state average) with median rent at $988 per month, and 43.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36, and the average commute is 24 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 53209 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 53209

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milwaukee, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53209.

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 53209, 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

46,917

Population

28.2

Area (sq mi)

1,665

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 53209?

36.0

Median Age

46.6%

Male

53.4%

Female

4.3%

Foreign-Born

White 22.3%
African American 65.5%
Asian 2.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.8%
Hispanic or Latino 6.3%

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?

$48,486

Median Household Income

-38% vs state

$29,409

Per Capita Income

23.7%

Poverty Rate

8.6%

Unemployment Rate

24.1 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53209 ranks nationally

Milwaukee, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$48,486 12th percentile higher than 12% 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 59.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.2%

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

What does housing look like?

21,963

Total Housing Units

19,518

Occupied Units

2,445

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 43.8%
Renter 56.2%

$166,700

Median Home Value

-33% vs state

$988

Median Rent

1955

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

+5.2%

YoY Change (2024)

229

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+129%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53209 have increased 5.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +129% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +6.8% 154
2021 +9.2% 168
2022 +13.1% 190
2023 +14.1% 217
2024 +5.2% 229

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 824 business establishments in ZIP 53209, employing approximately 14,979 people with a combined annual payroll of $991,098,000.

824

Businesses

14,979

Employees

$991.1M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 193 23.4%
Retail trade 97 11.8%
Other services (except public administration) 83 10.1%
Manufacturing 68 8.3%
Construction 65 7.9%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 54 6.5%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 47 5.7%
Accommodation and food services 41 5.0%
Wholesale trade 37 4.5%
Transportation and warehousing 36 4.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 28 3.4%
Finance and insurance 22 2.7%
Educational services 16 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 12 1.5%
Information 10 1.2%
Management of companies and enterprises 8 1.0%
Utilities 5 0.6%

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 53209 vs 53218 →

ZIP 53209 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 53209 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 53209 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 53209 ranks #5 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
53218 Milwaukee, WI 40,625 2.5 mi
53217 Milwaukee, WI 29,192 2.5 mi
53206 Milwaukee, WI 28,210 3.7 mi
53216 Milwaukee, WI 32,264 3.3 mi
53223 Milwaukee, WI 29,230 3.3 mi
53210 Milwaukee, WI 28,126 4.3 mi
53205 Milwaukee, WI 10,050 5.2 mi
53212 Milwaukee, WI 30,416 4.2 mi
53092 Mequon, WI 20,024 6.4 mi
53208 Milwaukee, WI 31,133 5.7 mi

More ZIP Codes in Milwaukee County

53215 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 60,953
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
53207 standard
Milwaukee, WI
Pop: 35,149

Related Areas

Milwaukee County Milwaukee, WI Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 53209 in? ▼
ZIP code 53209 (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 53209? ▼
ZIP code 53209 in Milwaukee, WI has a population of 46,917 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53209? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53209 is $48,486, which is 36% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53209? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53209 is $166,700, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53209? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53209 is African American at 65.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 6.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53209? ▼
ZIP code 53209 has 824 business establishments employing approximately 14,979 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53209? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53209 are: Health care and social assistance (193), Retail trade (97), Other services (except public administration) (83). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53209? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53209 increased by 5.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 129%. 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 53209? ▼
In ZIP code 53209, 59.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.2% 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 53209? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53209 is 24.1 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 53209? ▼
In ZIP code 53209, approximately 43.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 56.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53209? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53209 is 23.7% 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.