Wauwatosa, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Wauwatosa, 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.
-
A
Health Above average
-
A
Income Above average
-
A+
Education Top grade
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 48,477 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 3663.9 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.27% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.3 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 22,213 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Wauwatosa grew by 6.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 48,477 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Wauwatosa is Millennials, aged 29–44, at 25.7% of residents. That is 4.9 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,057 18.7% -2.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 12,469 25.7% +4.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 9,565 19.7% -1.0 pts
- Boomers 61–79 7,202 14.9% -3.0 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 52.0% of the people living in Wauwatosa and men 48.0%.
- Women 52.0% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 48.0% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Wauwatosa
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Wauwatosa has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $100,896 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.45% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 2.1% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Wauwatosa is about 30% higher than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $355,961 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,437 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 60.8% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Wauwatosa is about 20.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,437 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Wauwatosa spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 152 hours, about 6.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.3 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 36.5 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 152 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,719 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 22.4% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 35,882 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 3,001 | 811 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Wauwatosa is 18 minutes, shorter 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
Wauwatosa has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58.3% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.15 | 2.33 | 2.53 |
Health
Wauwatosa has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Wauwatosa | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.7 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 8.2% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 11.4% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Wauwatosa, WI Compared With Nearby Cities
How Wauwatosa, WI compares with the 2 cities closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wauwatosa, WI | 48,477 | $100,896 #1/3 | $355,961 #1/3 | 18.3 min #1/3 |
| West Allis, WI | 59,584 | $67,223 | $172,317 | 19.0 min |
| Milwaukee, WI | 561,873 | $54,029 | $150,248 | 20.6 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Wauwatosa, Wisconsin.
How many people live in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin?
About 48,477 people live in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, in 22,213 households of 2.2 people on average. The median age is 36.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Wauwatosa, Wisconsin urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin has 3,664 people per square mile, a density typical of a city. That is about 42 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 3.5 times the median household income ($355,961 against $100,896), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,437 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin is only 2.1%, 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 Wauwatosa, Wisconsin have a college degree?
58.3% of adults in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 6 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →