Milwaukee, WI · standard
ZIP Code 53226
Milwaukee County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,370
- 1,032/sq mi High-density area
- $93,132
- Median income Above-median income area
- $335,600
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 60.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Milwaukee pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- Top 24%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 28%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 1,032
- people per sq mi
- 57%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 53226 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 53226 (Milwaukee, WI) rose +8.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 226.4 in 2023 to 245.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 53226 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, home to 18,370 residents across 17.8 square miles, a density of 1,032 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 53226 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $93,132 (19% above the average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $58,822. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 7.0% and unemployment is 1.7%. Median home value is $335,600 (35% above the average Wisconsin ZIP) and median rent is $1,409; 57.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 60.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.9, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 10 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Milwaukee County, so 53226 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 53226
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Milwaukee, WI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 53226.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
213 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
147 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
133 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
115 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 80
Accommodation and food services
80 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 53226, 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
18,370
Population
17.8
Area (sq mi)
1,032
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 53226?
39.9
Median Age
46.7%
Male
53.3%
Female
6.1%
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?
$93,132
Median Household Income
+19% vs state ZIP avg
$58,822
Per Capita Income
7.0%
Poverty Rate
1.7%
Unemployment Rate
20.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 53226 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)
$93,132 Top 20% higher than 80% 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
9,061housing units
9,061
Total Housing Units
8,617
Occupied Units
444
Vacant Units
2.08
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$335,600
Median Home Value
+35% vs state ZIP avg
$1,409
Median Rent
1958
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
+8.6%
YoY Change (2024)
246
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+146%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 53226 have increased 8.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +146% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.9% | 170 |
| 2021 | +9.4% | 186 |
| 2022 | +12.4% | 209 |
| 2023 | +8.3% | 226 |
| 2024 | +8.6% | 246 |
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 1,039 business establishments in ZIP 53226, employing approximately 40,117 people with a combined annual payroll of $3,176,117,000.
1,039
Businesses
40,117
Employees
$3.2B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 213 | 20.5% |
| Retail trade | 147 | 14.2% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 133 | 12.8% |
| Finance and insurance | 115 | 11.1% |
| Accommodation and food services | 80 | 7.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 72 | 6.9% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 65 | 6.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 46 | 4.4% |
| Construction | 37 | 3.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 34 | 3.3% |
| Educational services | 23 | 2.2% |
| Information | 20 | 1.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 14 | 1.4% |
| Manufacturing | 13 | 1.3% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13 | 1.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 13 | 1.3% |
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 53226 vs 53222 →
ZIP 53226 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53214
Milwaukee (53214)
34,725 residents
- 53208
Milwaukee (53208)
31,133 residents
- 53210
Milwaukee (53210)
28,126 residents
- 53213
Milwaukee (53213)
26,020 residents
- 53225
Milwaukee (53225)
25,706 residents
- 53222
Milwaukee (53222)
25,165 residents
- 53227
Milwaukee (53227)
23,357 residents
- 53005
Brookfield (53005)
19,425 residents
- 53226
Milwaukee (53226)
18,370 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 53226 ranks #9 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 53226 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 53122
Elm Grove (53122)
$157,962 median income
- 53005
Brookfield (53005)
$126,739 median income
- 53213
Milwaukee (53213)
$101,688 median income
- 53226
Milwaukee (53226)
$93,132 median income
- 53222
Milwaukee (53222)
$76,980 median income
- 53228
Milwaukee (53228)
$75,033 median income
- 53227
Milwaukee (53227)
$73,321 median income
- 53214 $60,962
Milwaukee (53214)
$60,962 median income
- 53225 $56,545
Milwaukee (53225)
$56,545 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 53226 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 53222 | Milwaukee, WI | 25,165 | 2.3 mi |
| 53213 | Milwaukee, WI | 26,020 | 2.1 mi |
| 53122 | Elm Grove, WI | 5,985 | 2.3 mi |
| 53227 | Milwaukee, WI | 23,357 | 3.7 mi |
| 53214 | Milwaukee, WI | 34,725 | 2.4 mi |
| 53225 | Milwaukee, WI | 25,706 | 4.5 mi |
| 53005 | Brookfield, WI | 19,425 | 3.0 mi |
| 53208 | Milwaukee, WI | 31,133 | 3.9 mi |
| 53228 | Milwaukee, WI | 14,369 | 5.7 mi |
| 53210 | Milwaukee, WI | 28,126 | 3.7 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 53226, 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 (18,370 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 53226 in?
ZIP code 53226 (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 53226?
ZIP code 53226 in Milwaukee, WI has a population of 18,370 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 53226?
The median household income in ZIP 53226 is $93,132, which is 22% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 53226?
The median home value in ZIP 53226 is $335,600, which is 21% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 53226?
The largest racial group in ZIP 53226 is White at 81.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 5.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 53226?
ZIP code 53226 has 1,039 business establishments employing approximately 40,117 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 53226?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 53226 are: Health care and social assistance (213), Retail trade (147), Professional, scientific, and technical services (133). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 53226?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 53226 increased by 8.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 146%. 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 53226?
In ZIP code 53226, 75.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 60.5% 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 53226?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 53226 is 20.4 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 53226?
In ZIP code 53226, approximately 57.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 42.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 53226?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 53226 is 7.0% 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 53226's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 53226 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.