PlainZIP

Milwaukee, WI · standard

ZIP Code 53218

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

40,625
2,671/sq mi
$45,642
Median income
$133,400
Median home value
10.7%
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, mixed-tenure area.

10th pct
household income, US ZIPs
21th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2,671
people per sq mi
43%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53218 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 53218 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, with 40,625 residents across 15.2 square miles, a density of 2,671 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 53218 reports a modest median household income of $45,642 (42% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $22,824. Local economic indicators show a 25.9% poverty rate alongside 10.3% unemployment. Median home value sits at $133,400 (46% below the state average), median rent at $1,067 a month, and owner-occupancy at 42.9%.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 10.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 30.6, and the average commute is 23 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 53218 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 53218

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milwaukee, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53218.

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 53218, 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

40,625

Population

15.2

Area (sq mi)

2,671

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 53218?

30.6

Median Age

47.7%

Male

52.3%

Female

6.8%

Foreign-Born

White 9.7%
African American 71.6%
Asian 10.9%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.8%
Hispanic or Latino 5.2%

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?

$45,642

Median Household Income

-42% vs state

$22,824

Per Capita Income

25.9%

Poverty Rate

10.3%

Unemployment Rate

23.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 53218 ranks nationally

Milwaukee, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$45,642 10th percentile higher than 10% 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 53.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.7%

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

What does housing look like?

16,413

Total Housing Units

15,127

Occupied Units

1,286

Vacant Units

2.71

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 42.9%
Renter 57.1%

$133,400

Median Home Value

-46% vs state

$1,067

Median Rent

1956

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

+14.4%

YoY Change (2024)

243

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+143%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 53218 have increased 14.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +143% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +11.4% 145
2021 +18.5% 171
2022 +14.9% 197
2023 +7.8% 212
2024 +14.4% 243

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 416 business establishments in ZIP 53218, employing approximately 4,306 people with a combined annual payroll of $185,544,000.

416

Businesses

4,306

Employees

$185.5M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 158 38.0%
Retail trade 68 16.4%
Accommodation and food services 33 7.9%
Other services (except public administration) 28 6.7%
Manufacturing 25 6.0%
Transportation and warehousing 21 5.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 21 5.0%
Construction 13 3.1%
Wholesale trade 12 2.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 11 2.6%
Finance and insurance 8 1.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 7 1.7%
Information 5 1.2%
Industries not classified 4 1.0%

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 53218 vs 53216 →

ZIP 53218 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 53218 ranks #2 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 53218 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 53218 ranks #null 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
53216 Milwaukee, WI 32,264 2.1 mi
53225 Milwaukee, WI 25,706 2.5 mi
53223 Milwaukee, WI 29,230 3.4 mi
53209 Milwaukee, WI 46,917 2.5 mi
53210 Milwaukee, WI 28,126 3.3 mi
53213 Milwaukee, WI 26,020 4.6 mi
53222 Milwaukee, WI 25,165 3.1 mi
53007 Butler, WI 1,841 4.0 mi
53224 Milwaukee, WI 21,284 4.1 mi
53208 Milwaukee, WI 31,133 4.9 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
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 53218 in? ▼
ZIP code 53218 (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 53218? ▼
ZIP code 53218 in Milwaukee, WI has a population of 40,625 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53218? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 53218 is $45,642, which is 40% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53218? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 53218 is $133,400, which is 52% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53218? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 53218 is African American at 71.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53218? ▼
ZIP code 53218 has 416 business establishments employing approximately 4,306 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53218? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53218 are: Health care and social assistance (158), Retail trade (68), Accommodation and food services (33). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53218? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53218 increased by 14.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 143%. 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 53218? ▼
In ZIP code 53218, 53.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.7% 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 53218? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53218 is 23.2 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 53218? ▼
In ZIP code 53218, approximately 42.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 57.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53218? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53218 is 25.9% 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.