ZIP Code 53221: Population, Income, Housing

State: WI

Total population: 38,044 Household income: $63,265 Rent: $1,119

Overview

Total population

38,044

Rent

$1,119

Year built

1967

Household income

$63,265

Per capita income

$35,103

Poverty rate

14.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Household size

2.3 persons

Rent over 30% of income

47%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Data are sourced from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, 2024 release — the latest dataset currently available. New 5-year estimates are published annually, about 6–12 months after the end of each reference year.

Demographics

State

Wisconsin

County

Milwaukee County

City

Milwaukee

Total population

38,044

Adults over 25

26,594

Total households

16,293

Household size

2.3 persons

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Income & Poverty

Household income

$63,265

Per capita income

$35,103

Poverty rate

14.6%

Unemployment rate

N/A

Rent over 30% of income

47%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Housing

Rent

$1,119

Year built

1967

Households that rent

43.1%

Households that own

56.9%

Rooms per home (all homes)

4.9

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Race

White

55.8%

Black

7.4%

Asian

7.8%

Two or more races

19.8%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino

25.8%

Not Hispanic or Latino

74.2%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Commute

Commute rate

16,685 (90.2%)

Commute time to work

24 mins

Work from home

1,816 (9.8%)

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Education

Less than high school

33.4%

High school graduate or GED

32.2%

Some college or associate degree

9.8%

Bachelor’s degree or higher

24.7%

Note: Rent, income, and year built are shown as median values, while household size is shown as an average (see explanations below).

ZIP data use Census ZCTAs, which closely match USPS ZIP Codes in most cases (see FAQ for details).

Comparison of ZIP Code 53221 with: Milwaukee County, WI Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee metro area, WI Wisconsin United States

ZIP 53221

Total population38,044

Rent$1,119

Year built1967

Household income$63,265

Per capita income$35,103

Poverty rate14.6%

Unemployment rateN/A

Milwaukee County, WI

Total population926,331

Rent$1,101

Year built1957

Household income$64,435

Per capita income$38,385

Poverty rate17.2%

Unemployment rate3.4%

Milwaukee, WI

Total population566,973

Rent$1,059

Year built1953

Household income$54,234

Per capita income$30,994

Poverty rate22.8%

Unemployment rate3.9%

Milwaukee Metro Area, WI

Total population1,568,938

Rent$1,139

Year built1967

Household income$78,218

Per capita income$45,732

Poverty rate12.3%

Unemployment rate3.2%

Wisconsin State

Total population5,914,872

Rent$1,087

Year built1975

Household income$77,485

Per capita income$43,373

Poverty rate10.6%

Unemployment rate3%

United States

Total population334,922,499

Rent$1,413

Year built1980

Household income$80,734

Per capita income$44,673

Poverty rate12.5%

Unemployment rate4%

Metric	ZIP53221	CountyMilwaukee, WI	CityMilwaukee, WI	Metro AreaMilwaukee metro area, WI	StateWisconsin	CountryUnited States
Total population	38,044	926,331	566,973	1,568,938	5,914,872	334,922,499
Rent	$1,119	$1,101	$1,059	$1,139	$1,087	$1,413
Year built	1967	1957	1953	1967	1975	1980
Household income	$63,265	$64,435	$54,234	$78,218	$77,485	$80,734
Per capita income	$35,103	$38,385	$30,994	$45,732	$43,373	$44,673
Poverty rate	14.6%	17.2%	22.8%	12.3%	10.6%	12.5%
Unemployment rate	N/A	3.4%	3.9%	3.2%	3%	4%

View the full multi-level comparison →

Summary for 53221

Rent & Income

In 53221, the typical monthly rent is $1,119 and the typical household income is $63,265. Rent here is higher than Milwaukee and similar to Wisconsin, and household income is higher than Milwaukee and lower than Wisconsin. The estimated poverty rate is 14.6%, which is lower than the Milwaukee rate but higher than the Wisconsin rate.

Housing & Affordability

This ZIP Code is primarily owner-occupied, with renters accounting for about 43.1% of households. About 47% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, indicating high cost burden.

Education & Employment

Educational attainment is moderate, with about 24.7% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.

ZIP 53221 — Rent vs Household Income

ZIP 53221 — Poverty

How ZIP 53221 compares in Wisconsin (45 ZIP Codes)

Metric	This ZIP	Rank	Starts from	State range
Rent	$1,119	26 / 45	from lower rent	$810 – $1,672
Household income	$63,265	33 / 45	from higher income	$45,642 – $135,023
Poverty rate	14.6%	33 / 45	from lower poverty	2.7% – 39.6%

Rankings are calculated among ZIP Codes in Wisconsin with total population > 30,000 (year 2024).

Detailed Ranking Explanation for ZIP Code 53221

Rent

In terms of rental prices, this ZIP stands 26th out of 45 ZIP Codes in Wisconsin. Across Wisconsin, figures vary from $810 in ZIP 54220 up to $1,672 in ZIP 53593.

Household income

When comparing household incomes, ZIP Code 53221 stands 33rd out of 45 ZIP Codes. Throughout Wisconsin, numbers span from $45,642 in ZIP 53218 up to $135,023 in ZIP 53593.

Poverty rate

Looking at poverty indicators, this ZIP stands 33rd out of 45 ZIP Codes. At the state level, values extend from 2.7% in ZIP 53593 up to 39.6% in ZIP 53703.

💰 Rent in ZIP Code 53221 (with Utilities)

Estimated Monthly Rent: $1,119 ℹ️ What’s Included:
✅ Base rent, electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuels
❌ Not included: internet, cable TV, renter's insurance, parking

💡 What does this rent estimate mean?

Explanation: This estimate shows what renters typically pay each month for housing — including the apartment or home and essential utilities like heat, water, and electricity.

Included in this number: Rent plus electricity, gas, water/sewer, and heating fuel.

Not included: Internet, cable, parking, renter’s insurance, or furniture rental.

Note: This cost does not depend on the number of people living in the home.

👨‍👧‍👦 Household Income in ZIP Code 53221

Annual Household Income: $63,265

💡 What does Household Income mean?

Definition: This represents the middle value of all household incomes in the ZIP code — half of households earn less, and half earn more.

Includes: wages, salaries, self-employment income, Social Security, pensions, investments, unemployment, public assistance, and rental income.

Does NOT include: capital gains, non-cash benefits (like food stamps), or tax refunds.

Household = any group of people (or a single person) living in the same housing unit.

Example: A couple earning $40,000 and $30,000 together have a household income of $70,000. If that's in the middle of all local incomes, it's the value shown here.

📉 Poverty Rate in ZIP Code 53221

Estimated Rate: 14.6%

💡 What does the Poverty Rate represent?

Definition: The percentage of people in this area living below the federal poverty threshold.

How it works: The threshold is a dollar amount set by the U.S. Census Bureau that varies by family size and age. If a household's income is below that level, everyone in it is included in this rate.

Example: In a town of 10,000 people, if 1,500 have incomes below the poverty line, the poverty rate is 15%.

Note: This statistic only includes people living in households; it does not count those in student housing, military barracks, or nursing homes.

🏘️ Renter vs. Owner Households in ZIP Code 53221

In ZIP Code 53221, households that rent: 7,019 (43.1%)

📊 What does the renter household percentage reveal about this ZIP Code?

Household Type	Count	Share
Renter-Occupied	7,019	43.1%
Owner-Occupied	9,274	56.9%

Definition: This is the percentage of households that rent their home rather than own it. It includes only occupied housing units.

Why it matters: Areas with a high share of renter households often have younger populations, higher mobility, and different housing needs compared to mostly owner-occupied areas.

Example: If 65% of homes in an area are renter-occupied, it means 65 out of every 100 households rent their home.

📉 Renters Spending Over 30% of Income on Rent in ZIP Code 53221

In ZIP Code 53221, cost-burdened renters (households spending over 30% of income on housing): 3,302 (47%)

🏚️ What Does It Mean When Renters Spend Over 30% of Their Income on Housing?

Household Group	Households	Share
Cost-burdened renters (over 30%)	3,302	47%
Other renter households	3,717	53%
Total renter households	7,019	100%

Shares are calculated as a percentage of renter households.

This shows how many renters in the ZIP code are considered cost-burdened — meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on housing (rent and basic utilities).

It’s a sign that housing might be unaffordable in the area or that lower-income residents may be struggling with rent.

Data comes from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

📊 Education Levels in ZIP Code 53221

Less than High School: 8,878 people (33.4%)

Includes adults who did not complete high school.

High School Graduate or GED: 8,551 people (32.2%)

Includes adults whose highest education is a high school diploma or GED.

Some College or Associate Degree: 2,608 people (9.8%)

Includes adults who attended college without completing a bachelor’s degree (some college or associate degree).

Bachelor’s Degree or Higher: 6,557 people (24.7%)

Includes adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (bachelor’s, master’s, professional, or doctoral degree).

👥 Total Adults (25+): 26,594

ℹ️ Have questions about how these statistics are calculated? See our data methodology & FAQs

Source: ACS 5-Year Estimates (U.S. Census Bureau) — unemployment rate from BLS. Some values are derived metrics.