Jump to content

Milwaukee metropolitan area

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Milwaukee metropolitan area
Metropolitan statistical area
Milwaukee–Waukesha–West Allis, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area
Downtown Milwaukee
Downtown Milwaukee
Map
Map of Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha, WI CSA
Coordinates: 43°15′00″N 88°10′00″W / 43.25°N 88.166667°W / 43.25; -88.166667
Country United States
State Wisconsin
Largest cityMilwaukee
Other cities
 - Waukesha
 - West Allis
 - Racine
 - Whitewater
 - Elkhorn
 - Lake Geneva
 - Beaver Dam
 - Watertown
 - Fort Atkinson
 - Mequon
Area
 • Total
3,356 sq mi (8,690 km2)
Population
 (2020)[1]
 • Total
Increase 1,574,739
GDP
[2]
 • Total$130.857 billion (2023)
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)

The Milwaukee metropolitan area (also known as Metro Milwaukee or Greater Milwaukee) is a major metropolitan area in southeastern Wisconsin, United States, consisting of the city of Milwaukee and some of the surrounding area.

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines the Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area as consisting of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.[3] With a population of 1.58 million, it is the largest metropolitan area in Wisconsin and the 40th-largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The greater Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area is defined by the OMB to additionally include Dodge, Jefferson, Racine, and Walworth counties.[3] With a population of 2.06 million, it is the 34th-largest combined statistical area in the country.

Definitions

[edit]

Metropolitan area

[edit]
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18405,948—
185069,8201,073.8%
1860128,65384.3%
1870157,68722.6%
1880206,39730.9%
1890318,06554.1%
1900405,19827.4%
1910511,19426.2%
1920624,10922.1%
1930821,56631.6%
1940876,9546.7%
19501,014,21115.7%
19601,278,85026.1%
19701,403,6889.8%
19801,397,143−0.5%
19901,432,1492.5%
20001,500,7414.8%
20101,555,9083.7%
20201,574,7391.2%
2025 (est.)1,575,0100.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
1790–1960[5] 1900–1990[6]
1990–2000[7]
2025 Estimate[8]

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) defines the Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area as containing four counties in southeastern Wisconsin: Milwaukee and the three WOW counties: Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha.[3] The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population of the Milwaukee MSA to be 1,575,179 in 2025, making it the 41st largest in the United States.[9]

The city of Milwaukee is the hub of the metropolitan area. The eastern parts of Racine County, eastern parts of Waukesha County, southern part of Ozaukee County, southeastern part of Washington County, and remainder of Milwaukee County are the most urbanized parts of the outlying counties.

The character of the area varies widely. Mequon, Brookfield, and the North Shore (Fox Point, Whitefish Bay, River Hills, Shorewood, Glendale, Brown Deer, and Bayside) are more white-collar, while West Milwaukee, West Allis, and St. Francis are more blue-collar.[citation needed]

Metro Milwaukee draws commuters from outlying areas such as Madison, Chicago and the Fox Cities. It is part of the Great Lakes Megalopolis containing an estimated 54 million people.

County Seat 2025 estimate 2020 Census Change Land area Density
Milwaukee Milwaukee 924,216939,489−1.63% 241 sq mi (620 km2) 3,835/sq mi (1,481/km2)
Waukesha Waukesha 417,210406,978+2.51% 550 sq mi (1,400 km2) 759/sq mi (293/km2)
Washington West Bend 139,238136,761+1.81% 431 sq mi (1,120 km2) 323/sq mi (125/km2)
Ozaukee Port Washington 94,34691,503+3.11% 233 sq mi (600 km2) 405/sq mi (156/km2)
Total 1,575,0101,574,731+0.02% 1,455 sq mi (3,770 km2) 1,082/sq mi (418/km2)

Combined statistical area

[edit]

The Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha, WI Combined Statistical Area is made up of the Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI MSA (Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties), the Racine–Mount Pleasant, WI MSA (Racine County), the Beaver Dam, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area (µSA) (Dodge County), the Watertown–Fort Atkinson, WI µSA (Jefferson County), and the Whitewater–Elkorn, WI µSA (Walworth County) according to the OMB.[3] Updated definitions released in February 2013 added Dodge, Jefferson and Walworth Counties to the Milwaukee CSA.[10] Kenosha, despite being just 32 miles from Milwaukee and 50 miles from Chicago, is included as part of the Chicago CSA, as Kenosha has more residents who commute to the Chicago area. As of the 2025 census estimates, the Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha Combined Statistical Area population was 2,055,658, the largest in Wisconsin and the 33rd largest in the United States.[9] The Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha CSA shares an eastern border with the Madison MSA and the Janesville–Beloit MSA, which in turn are both a part of the Madison–Janesville–Beloit CSA.

Statistical Area 2025 estimate 2020 Census Change Land area Density
Milwaukee–Waukesha, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area 1,575,0101,574,731+0.02% 1,455 sq mi (3,770 km2) 1,082/sq mi (418/km2)
Racine–Mount Pleasant, WI Metropolitan Statistical Area 198,919197,727+0.60% 333 sq mi (860 km2) 597/sq mi (231/km2)
Whitewater–Elkhorn, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area 106,127106,478−0.33% 555 sq mi (1,440 km2) 191/sq mi (74/km2)
Beaver Dam, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area 89,09789,396−0.33% 876 sq mi (2,270 km2) 102/sq mi (39/km2)
Watertown–Fort Atkinson, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area 86,50584,900+1.89% 556 sq mi (1,440 km2) 156/sq mi (60/km2)
Total 2,055,6582,053,232+0.12% 3,775 sq mi (9,780 km2) 545/sq mi (210/km2)

Counties

[edit]

There are eight counties in the U.S. Census Bureau's Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha Combined statistical area.[3]

The city at the center is Milwaukee. Above Milwaukee in the photo is Waukesha. It is a 2012 photo from Expedition 30 of the International Space Station. The line of lights connecting the two cities comes from vehicles and development on and along Bluemound Road and I-94. Due to the angle of the photo, north points rightwards, and west upwards. To the left of Milwaukee along the lakeshore are the cities of Racine, Kenosha, and Waukegan. Kenosha and Waukegan are considered part of the Chicago CSA rather than part of metro Milwaukee. The lights in the far left along the lake are from a portion of Cook County, of which Chicago is the county seat. To the right of Milwaukee are Cedarburg and Grafton. Port Washington is just to the right of Grafton and along the lakeshore. Above Port Washington, the "+" shaped lights are from West Bend. In the far right edge, a small portion of Sheboygan can be seen along the lakeshore.

Cities (combined statistical area)

[edit]
Milwaukee, Wisconsin's largest city

Primary

[edit]

Other principal cities

[edit]

Metro area cities and villages with more than 10,000 inhabitants

[edit]

Metro area cities, towns and villages with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants

[edit]

Unincorporated Communities and Census Designated Places

[edit]

Politics

[edit]

The city of Milwaukee is overwhelmingly Democratic, while suburban Milwaukee County was historically politically divided, but has shifted to the left in recent election cycles.[11] The WOW counties have long been a Republican stronghold for decades, but they have been trending to the left in recent elections. Dodge County, Jefferson County, Walworth County, and Racine County, which are located on the outskirts of the metro lean Republican.

Milwaukee Metro Presidential election results[12][13]
Year Democratic Republican Third parties
2024 50.8% 591,122 47.4% 551,686 1.8% 20,694
2020 51.3% 583,809 47.6% 535,175 1.6% 18,760
2016 48.1% 500,957 45.7% 476,414 6.2% 64,475
2012 50.9% 568,022 48.0% 535,645 1.1% 11,760
2008 53.1% 569,672 45.7% 490,048 1.2% 12,639
2004 47.6% 512,248 51.5% 552,945 0.9% 9,371
2000 46.0% 436,631 50.2% 476,797 3.8% 36,129
2004 Presidential Election by Municipality
2008 Presidential Election by Municipality
2012 Presidential Election by Municipality
2016 Presidential Election by Municipality
2020 Presidential Election by Municipality
2024 Presidential Election by Municipality

Debate over metropolitan government

[edit]

Although each county and its various municipalities are self-governing, there is some cooperation in the metropolitan area. The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is a state-chartered government agency which serves 28 municipalities in the five counties.[14]

At the same time, some in the area see the need for more consolidation in government services. The Kettl Commission and former Wisconsin Governor Scott McCallum have supported initiatives to do this.[15] However, full consolidation has faced unsubstantiated criticism as a means of diluting minority voting power.[citation needed]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Total Gross Domestic Product for Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI (MSA)". Federal Reserve Economic Data. Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "OMB BULLETIN NO. 23-01" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. July 21, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  4. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  6. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved August 9, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  9. 1 2 "Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Area Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. May 26, 2026. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  10. ↑ "OMB BULLETIN NO. 13-01" (PDF). Office of Management and Budget. February 28, 2013. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Suburban Milwaukee County". Daves Redistricting. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  12. ↑ "Milwaukee Metro Presidential Results". Daves Redistricting. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  13. ↑ "State Canvasses". Wisconsin Historical Society.
  14. ↑ "About MMSD - Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District". MMSD. 2016-10-02. Retrieved 2026-03-28.
  15. ↑ Harney, Sarah (2010-10-19). "Wisconsin Tells its Localities to Collaborate--or Else". Governing. Retrieved 2026-03-28.

Metro Milwaukee Portal

[edit]

43°15′N 88°10′W / 43.250°N 88.167°W / 43.250; -88.167

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Milwaukee_metropolitan_area&oldid=1368887976"