Waukesha County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Waukesha County, WI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above averageAmong the top 3 healthiest counties in Wisconsin
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A
Income Above averageWealthiest county in Wisconsin
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A
Education Above averageAmong the top 3 best educated counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Waukesha County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 411,699 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 709.5 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.51% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.6 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 168,627 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Waukesha County grew by 8.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 411,699 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Waukesha County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 22.8% of residents. That is 2.1 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 75,423 18.3% -3.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 83,046 20.2% -0.6 pts
- Gen X 45–60 93,867 22.8% +2.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 78,693 19.1% +1.3 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Wisconsin, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.4% of the people living in Waukesha County and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 49.6% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Waukesha County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Waukesha County has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Waukesha County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $106,607 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.91% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.3% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Waukesha County is about 37% higher than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Waukesha County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $365,714 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,356 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 76.0% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Waukesha County is about 22.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,356 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Waukesha County spend about 43 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 178 hours, about 7.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Waukesha County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.4 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 42.8 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 178 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,528 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 16.8% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 11,984 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,075 | 811 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Wisconsin:
Ashland County (12.8 min), Door County (13.6 min), Eau Claire County (15.3 min).
Slowest:
Oconto County (26.4 min), St. Croix County (25.3 min), Waushara County (23.9 min).
The average commute time in Waukesha County is 21 minutes, longer than the 19 minutes in Wisconsin.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Waukesha County has a education index of A, which means it is very educated.
| Metric | Waukesha County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 44.3% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.42 | 2.33 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.4), Ozaukee County (0.4), Waukesha County (0.4).
Lowest:
Clark County (0.2), Adams County (0.2), Juneau County (0.2).
Health
Waukesha County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Waukesha County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 80.8 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.1% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 13.2% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.8), Waukesha County (0.8), Ozaukee County (0.8).
Lowest:
Menominee County (0.8), Clark County (0.8), Forest County (0.8).
Waukesha County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
Waukesha County, WI is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 411,699 residents against a local median of 105,657. Waukesha County, WI's median home price, at $365,714, runs 69% above the $216,125 typical of the counties around it.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $106,607 against a local median of $82,758, 29% above it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is median household income, and at 29% above the local median it puts Waukesha County, WI at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $283,881 on median home price, so Waukesha County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Waukesha County, WI has the 2nd highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha County, WI | 411,699 | $106,607 #1/6 | $365,714 #2/6 | 21.4 min #4/6 |
| Washington County, WI | 137,879 | $96,218 | $394,237 | 23.5 min |
| Walworth County, WI | 105,657 | $82,758 | $318,869 | 20.1 min |
| Jefferson County, WI | 86,001 | $84,347 | $110,356 | 21.7 min |
| Dodge County, WI | 88,711 | $75,822 | $216,125 | 20.9 min |
| Racine County, WI | 197,532 | $78,183 | $175,947 | 21.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Waukesha County, Wisconsin.
What is the population of Waukesha County, Wisconsin?
About 411,699 people live in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, in 168,627 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 41.6, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Waukesha County, Wisconsin mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Waukesha County, Wisconsin has 710 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 8.2 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 3.4 times the median household income ($365,714 against $106,607), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,356 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Waukesha County, Wisconsin is only 2.3%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Waukesha County, Wisconsin have a college degree?
44.3% of adults in Waukesha County, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 2), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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