Waukesha County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
Waukesha County, Wisconsin had an estimated 417,029 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 406,980, across 550 square miles. County output reached $42.03 bn in 2024, 12,761 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 746 7(a) approvals worth $437.0 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Waukesha County
How many people live in Waukesha County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024411,762
- Households168,658
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$106,076
- Median age43.5
- Median gross rent$1,356 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$398,200
- Home value to household income3.8 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher48.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree16.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over295,060
- Population under 1886,298
- Share under 1821.0 percent
- Population 65 and over84,338
- Share 65 and over20.5 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64241,126
- Civilian labor force224,097
- Unemployment rate2.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.9 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties3rd of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included181st of 3,222
Waukesha County is the 3rd largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 3.8 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.0 percent against 20.5 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Waukesha County
Is Waukesha County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024417,029
- Census 2020 base population406,980
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.47 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20243,016
- Births, 20243,653
- Deaths, 20243,611
- Natural change, 202442
- Net domestic migration, 20241,591
- Net international migration, 20241,399
- Total net migration, 20242,990
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,810
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1015th of 3,144
The county has grown 2.47 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Waukesha County
Where are people moving to Waukesha County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving11,564
- People arriving, from those returns19,546
- Tax returns filed by households leaving10,616
- Net household movement948
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.06 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-30.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$91,326
- Average income of a leaving household$102,342
- Largest single originMilwaukee County (4,921 households)
- Largest single destinationMilwaukee County (3,223 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee County | 4,921 | 8,290 | $435.6 m |
| Washington County | 582 | 949 | $49.1 m |
| Racine County | 382 | 634 | $28.0 m |
| Jefferson County | 357 | 619 | $22.6 m |
| Dane County | 340 | 509 | $28.5 m |
| Walworth County | 292 | 449 | $18.1 m |
| Cook County | 264 | 449 | $39.9 m |
| Ozaukee County | 197 | 302 | $18.2 m |
Households arriving report $11,016 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Milwaukee County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Waukesha County
What is the Waukesha County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$42.03 bn
- County GDP, 2023$40.28 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.4 percent
- GDP change over five years30.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes3rd of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes140th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$102,073
Output grew 4.4 percent in the latest year and 30.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Waukesha County
Employment by industry in Waukesha County
- Covered employment, annual average247,891
- Establishments reporting14,577
- Average annual pay$69,989
- Average weekly wage$1,346
- Manufacturing, employment42,071
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$84,046
- Health care and social assistance, employment31,439
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$64,294
- Retail trade, employment25,535
- Retail trade, average annual pay$37,593
- Construction, employment19,496
- Construction, average annual pay$89,547
- Accommodation and food services, employment17,400
- Wholesale trade, employment15,578
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 42,071 | 884 | $84,046 |
| Health care and social assistance | 31,439 | 2,155 | $64,294 |
| Retail trade | 25,535 | 1,192 | $37,593 |
| Construction | 19,496 | 1,456 | $89,547 |
| Accommodation and food services | 17,400 | 840 | $22,896 |
| Wholesale trade | 15,578 | 1,290 | $93,922 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 15,278 | 1,768 | $104,486 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 12,849 | 862 | $50,165 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 42,071 jobs, 17.0 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Waukesha County
How many businesses are in Waukesha County?
- Establishments, all industries12,761
- Employment at those establishments246,232
- Annual payroll$16.43 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.0
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Waukesha County
Building permits in Waukesha County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,917
- Declared construction value permitted$777.6 m
- Single family units authorized1,007
- Multifamily units authorized910
- Multifamily share of units47.5 percent
- Average declared value per unit$405,641
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.4
Multifamily is 47.5 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Waukesha County
SBA loans in Waukesha County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded746
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$437.0 m
- Average 7(a) approval$585,814
- Median 7(a) approval$284,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,580,500
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)9,284
- Jobs per approval12.4
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active88
- Distinct industries receiving approvals223
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.5 percent
- Loans on real estate terms101
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter595
- Franchise loans122
- Franchise share of approvals16.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPlumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (28)
- Most active lenderWaukesha State Bank (91)
- 504 approvals recorded388
- 504 gross approval dollars$288.1 m
- Average 504 approval$742,567
- Median 504 approval$542,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval8.6
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.6
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (364)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$725.1 m
The average approval of $585,814 sits well above the median of $284,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 13.5 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Waukesha County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Waukesha County
Do SBA loans in Waukesha County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded156
- Paid in full145
- Charged off11
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.1 percent
- Status: Paid in full145
- Status: Exempt from disclosure459
- Status: Cancelled86
- Status: Charged off11
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed45
Of the 156 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.1 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Waukesha County
SBA lending by place in Waukesha County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending32
- Waukesha, approvals172
- Brookfield, approvals115
- Oconomowoc, approvals74
- Menomonee Falls, approvals71
- New Berlin, approvals66
- Pewaukee, approvals55
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Waukesha | 172 | $91,667,900 |
| Brookfield | 115 | $72,616,500 |
| Oconomowoc | 74 | $36,130,800 |
| Menomonee Falls | 71 | $43,372,000 |
| New Berlin | 66 | $43,581,200 |
| Pewaukee | 55 | $36,525,600 |
| Muskego | 29 | $21,869,900 |
| Mukwonago | 27 | $17,616,900 |
| 24 other borrower cities | 137 | $73,636,600 |
Waukesha accounts for 172 approvals against 115 in Brookfield. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Waukesha County
How large is Waukesha County?
- Land area550 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties55th of 72
- Width, east to west24.2 mi
- Height, north to south24.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land749
- Establishments per square mile23.20
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Waukesha County
Flood risk in Waukesha County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Waukesha County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550476
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book30
- Of those, participating in the NFIP27
- NFIP participation rate90.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class2
- Radon levels in Waukesha County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/LZone 1
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Waukesha County (community 550476), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Waukesha County in radon zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 90.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Waukesha County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Waukesha County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024411,762
- Households168,658
- Average household size2.44
- Median household income$106,076
- Median age43.5
Common questions
Waukesha County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Waukesha County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 417,029 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 411,762, in 168,658 households, ranking 3rd of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Waukesha County's population growing?
The population has grown 2.47 percent since the 2020 census base of 406,980, to 417,029 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 3,653 births against 3,611 deaths, with net migration of 2,990. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Waukesha County?
$106,076. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $398,200, which is 3.8 times income, and median gross rent is $1,356 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Waukesha County?
12,761 establishments, employing 246,232 people with an annual payroll of $16.43 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Waukesha County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 42,071 jobs, 17.0 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 247,891 jobs at an average annual pay of $69,989, or $1,346 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Waukesha County?
746 7(a) approvals totaling $437.0 m since FY2020, across 88 lenders, with a median approval of $284,000, plus 388 504 approvals worth $288.1 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Waukesha County get paid back?
Of the 156 loans that have reached a final outcome, 145 were paid in full and 11 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.1 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Waukesha County?
1,917 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $777.6 m. Multifamily was 47.5 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Waukesha County?
Zone 1, a predicted average indoor radon screening level greater than 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Waukesha County come from?
The largest single origin is Milwaukee County, with 4,921 households. Arriving households report an average income of $91,326 against $102,342 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Waukesha County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Waukesha County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Waukesha County
Cities and places in Waukesha.
31 Census places lie wholly or partly in Waukesha County. All 31 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha | city | 71,233 | 172 | Wholly in this county |
| Brookfield | city | 41,273 | 115 | Wholly in this county |
| New Berlin | city | 40,270 | 66 | Wholly in this county |
| Menomonee Falls | village | 39,539 | 71 | Wholly in this county |
| Muskego | city | 25,406 | 29 | Wholly in this county |
| Oconomowoc | city | 19,080 | 74 | Wholly in this county |
| Pewaukee | city | 16,211 | 55 | Wholly in this county |
| Sussex | village | 12,066 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Lisbon | village | 10,736 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hartland | village | 9,972 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Waukesha | village | 8,514 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mukwonago | village | 8,415 | 27 | 78.2 percent here, 21.8 percent Walworth County |
| Pewaukee | village | 8,196 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Vernon | village | 7,481 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Delafield | city | 7,202 | 15 | Wholly in this county |
| Elm Grove | village | 6,459 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
| Summit | village | 5,114 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Okauchee Lake | CDP | 4,733 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Merton | village | 3,550 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Wales | village | 2,902 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Dousman | village | 2,479 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| North Prairie | village | 2,385 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Eagle | village | 2,054 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Butler | village | 1,859 | 17 | Wholly in this county |
| Lannon | village | 1,482 | 6 | Wholly in this county |
| Nashotah | village | 1,354 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Big Bend | village | 1,291 | 12 | Wholly in this county |
| Chenequa | village | 742 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oconomowoc Lake | village | 669 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| North Lake | CDP | 348 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lac La Belle | village | 259 | None recorded | 73.2 percent here, 26.8 percent Jefferson County |
A further 13 of the county's 746 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Waukesha County, the largest being Colgate (2), Hhartland (2), Harland (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby