The Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates count about 71,233 people in Waukesha, with a median household income of $83,837. Compare personal loan offers by APR and total cost, confirm every fee in dollars, and check the lender's Wisconsin license. Your own income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for.
On this page
- Waukesha at a glance
- Paychecks in Waukesha
- Age, schooling and housing in Waukesha
- Unemployment near Waukesha
- What a typical Waukesha household can carry
- What the numbers suggest about borrowing in Waukesha
- How Waukesha compares
- Nearby places compared with Waukesha
- Local context
- One common Waukesha case
- Steps to take first in Waukesha
- Around Waukesha
- Frequently asked questions
Waukesha at a glance
Numbers come from the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 ACS for the city of Waukesha. Treat them as estimates.
Paychecks in Waukesha
Education and health care is the largest employer category for people living in Waukesha at 22%, ahead of manufacturing (18%) and retail (11%). Compared with the median place in our U.S. city set, Waukesha leans toward manufacturing: 18% of workers against a median of 9%. If your employer is in a cyclical industry, borrow less than you could, and ask how a layoff would be handled.
Break Waukesha households into income groups and 17% fall below $35,000, 41% land between $35,000 and $100,000, and 42% reach $100,000 or beyond. For comparison, the median place in our U.S. city set has 20% under $35,000 and 39% at $100,000 or more. A Gini reading of 0.42 sums up how unevenly income is spread in Waukesha. Spread matters because a median can hide a large group of households with much less room in their budgets.
Age, schooling and housing in Waukesha
On education and age, Waukesha shows 42% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher and a median age of 36.7. Against our U.S. city medians (37.2 years, 37% with a degree), Waukesha runs close to the typical age and above the typical education level. Education levels shape the local job mix, which in turn shapes pay schedules and benefits.
The housing stock in Waukesha breaks down as 51% detached houses, 29% apartments in larger buildings and 1% mobile homes, per the ACS. Typical for our U.S. city pages: 61% detached, 22% in five-plus-unit buildings.
Unemployment near Waukesha
The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the unemployment rate in Waukesha County at 2.7% for September 2026 (not seasonally adjusted, preliminary), up 0.2 points from 2.5% a year earlier. The ACS five-year estimate for Waukesha itself is 2.7%, an average over 2020 to 2024.
What a typical Waukesha household can carry
Median rent in Waukesha ($1,219) runs 17% of the median monthly household income ($6,986 before taxes). The 30% yardstick works out to $2,096. If a lender capped total monthly debt at 36% of gross income, a common benchmark, the median household's ceiling would be about $2,515 a month. Home prices sit near 3.8x the median household's annual income.
What the numbers suggest about borrowing in Waukesha
At 2.7%, the ACS unemployment rate in Waukesha is among the lower ones in our U.S. city set. A strong local labor market does not guarantee approval, but steady income is the thing lenders want to see.
Only 21% of Waukesha homeowners with a mortgage spend 30 percent or more of income on housing, in the lower third of the 784 U.S. city places in our set. That breathing room is useful if you want to pay a personal loan off early.
Commutes are comparatively short in Waukesha: only 8% of workers travel 45 minutes or more, in the lower third of the 784 U.S. city places we cover. Shorter trips usually mean lower transportation costs, which can help if you are sizing a loan payment.
How Waukesha compares
Out of 784 U.S. city places in the data, Waukesha lands with a median household income of $83,837 (352nd of 784, top down), a median gross rent of $1,219 (560th of 784, top down), and a median home value of $315,500 (424th of 784, top down). Treat the order as context, nothing more.
For scale, look at two Wisconsin places of similar size: Madison ($78,050 income, $1,413 rent), where Waukesha runs 7% above on income and 14% below on rent and Milwaukee ($54,234 income, $1,059 rent), where Waukesha runs 55% above on income and 15% above on rent. Compare the same four numbers on every offer wherever you live.
Nearby places compared with Waukesha
Distances are straight-line from the center of Waukesha. The last column shows how each place's median rent differs from Waukesha's $1,219.
| Community | Miles away | Population | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Rent vs Waukesha |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waukesha | 3 mi | 8,514 | $130,978 | $1,292 | +$73 |
| Pewaukee | 4 mi | 16,211 | $108,350 | $1,622 | +$403 |
| Pewaukee | 5 mi | 8,196 | $62,139 | $1,260 | +$41 |
| Wales | 6 mi | 2,902 | $109,024 | $1,322 | +$103 |
| New Berlin | 6 mi | 40,270 | $101,091 | $1,426 | +$207 |
| Brookfield | 7 mi | 41,273 | $129,548 | $1,886 | +$667 |
| Hartland | 8 mi | 9,972 | $87,754 | $1,230 | +$11 |
| Delafield | 8 mi | 7,202 | $94,806 | $1,457 | +$238 |
Households earn more at the median in 7 of the 8 neighbors, while 0 have cheaper median rent than Waukesha. Rent runs from $1,230 in Hartland to $1,886 in Brookfield, and the highest median income nearby is $130,978 in Waukesha. Lenders look at your own rent or mortgage, not the town average, but the spread shows how much local costs vary.
Local context
Waukesha is the seat of Waukesha County, west of Milwaukee. Health care, manufacturing (including GE HealthCare operations in the county) and county government are major employers, and many residents commute east on I-94.
One common Waukesha case
Shift differentials and per-diem pay can make health-care income uneven. Document a typical month before applying, and borrow against the base.
Steps to take first in Waukesha
- Look the lender up with your state's financial regulator, and know that the CFPB takes complaints too.
- Plan for a bad month: if hours drop or the car breaks, could the payment still go out?
- Confirm there is no prepayment penalty, in writing, so you can clear the balance early.
- Take a day to review a contract. A lender that rushes you has told you something.
- Ask a credit union or nonprofit counselor first. A hardship plan may cost nothing (free options).
Around Waukesha
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to own a home in Waukesha to get a personal loan?
No. With 59% of Waukesha homes owner-occupied, plenty of borrowers rent, and unsecured personal loans are built for them. Approval rests on documented income, credit and existing payments, so compare APR and total cost carefully.
Should I borrow for a medical bill in Waukesha before asking about financial assistance?
No. Ask first. Nonprofit hospitals must have financial assistance policies, and a payment plan from the provider is often cheaper than a loan.
Will my Waukesha address affect my match?
No. The check looks at what you borrow, your credit range, your income from any source and your monthly payments, and treats every applicant the same. A lender's own decision is separate, and fair-lending laws bind lenders.
What can I do if a lender treats me unfairly in Waukesha?
Two places cover most problems: the state regulator for Wisconsin and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau online. Scam demands for an upfront fee go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.