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Milwaukee, WI

Elm Grove is part of the Milwaukee area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Milwaukee

Black Cat Alley
Black Cat Alley · Photo: Tom Hart, CC BY 2.0
Harley Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building original site
Harley Davidson Motorcycle Factory Building original site · Photo: Bruxton, CC BY-SA 4.0
Jazz in the park Milwaukee
Jazz in the park Milwaukee · Photo: Dori, CC BY-SA 3.0 us
Marquette University
Marquette University · Photo: Danielggpeters, CC BY-SA 4.0
Miller Park Stadium
Miller Park Stadium · Photo: Greg Hume, CC BY-SA 3.0
Miller Park
Milwaukee, pabst mansion
Milwaukee, pabst mansion · Photo: Sailko, CC BY 3.0
Milwaukee Art Museum Quadracci Pavilion
Milwaukee Art Museum Quadracci Pavilion · Photo: Carol M. Highsmith, CC0
Milwaukee August
Milwaukee August · Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
Milwaukee Cityscape
Milwaukee Cityscape · Photo: Bfkenney, CC BY-SA 4.0
Milwaukee County Transit buses and eastbound on W. Wisconsin Ave
Milwaukee County Transit buses and eastbound on W. Wisconsin Ave · Photo: Han Zheng, CC BY-SA 2.0
Milwaukee February
Milwaukee February · Photo: Michael Barera, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Where it is
Milwaukee
Milwaukee in Wisconsin
Wisconsin in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Milwaukee area.

57
grocery stores
200+
restaurants
137
coffee shops
200+
parks
200+
playgrounds
25
libraries
7
movie theaters
59
live theaters
16
museums
41
bookstores
55
gyms
200+
bars
30
pharmacies
10
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Milwaukee area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
211 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
207 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 251,228 rented homes in the Milwaukee area, 93% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 39%
$1,000 to $1,499: 40%
$1,500 to $1,999: 14%
$2,000 to $2,499: 4%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Milwaukee area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Wisconsin

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Wisconsin DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Wisconsin voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

Marquette University
Marquette University · Photo: Danielggpeters, CC BY-SA 4.0

18 public school districts in this county, with about 117,073 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

Milwaukee School District · Milwaukee
67,500 students · 16.7 students per teacher · 156 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Fox Point J2 School District · Milwaukee
825 students · 12.5 students per teacher · 2 schools · grades Pre-K to 8
West Allis-West Milwaukee School District · West Allis
7,095 students · 13.6 students per teacher · 19 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Wauwatosa School District · Wauwatosa
6,935 students · 14.3 students per teacher · 17 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District · Oak Creek
6,510 students · 15.8 students per teacher · 11 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Wisconsin keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$293/week
about $15,200 a year
$220/week
about $11,400 a year
Toddler (2)$259/week
about $13,500 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$259/week
about $13,500 a year
$200/week
about $10,400 a year
School-age$205/week
about $10,700 a year

For an infant at a center: $293/week here, $257 across WI, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 20% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Wisconsin →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

18 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Milwaukee. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee · Milwaukee
Public, 4-year · 22,481 students · $10,020 in-state, $22,020 out-of-state
Milwaukee Area Technical College · Milwaukee
Public, 2-year (community college) · 13,190 students · $5,017 in-state, $7,210 out-of-state
Marquette University · Milwaukee
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 11,373 students · $48,700 a year
Milwaukee School of Engineering · Milwaukee
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 2,834 students · $48,421 a year
Alverno College · Milwaukee
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,719 students · $32,794 a year

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$388,845
What a typical home sells for across the Milwaukee area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
23 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $1,812 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in WI. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
10 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
38.2 per 100,000 people a year
353 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. WI average: 16.1 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 10.5 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 968 people without housing in the Milwaukee City & County area: 916 in shelters and 52 outside, up from 885 in 2024. WI: 8.8 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$62,118
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
2.04% of home value a year
About $2,040 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 7.65%
WI's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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