ZIP Code · WI

ZIP 53205

Part of Milwaukee, WI

Pop. 9,265·Milwaukee County·40th most expensive ZIP in Wisconsin

Median rent (all units)

$1,521/mo

Year-over-Year

Stable

Month-over-Month

+0.7%

vs US Median

-$411

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 53205 · $1,521

More affordable than 71% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$850

1 BR

$960

2 BR

$1,140

3 BR

$1,410

4 BR+

$1,540

Research median

$1,140/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($31,529) is $788 a month. That is less than HUD's Fair Market Rent for a studio ($850).

Rank in Milwaukee

15th cheapest of 19 ZIP codes in Milwaukee.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 53233, 1 mile away, rents for 27% less ($1,106/mo), about $5,000 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 53205. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$18,252/yr

At $1,521/mo median

Location

CityMilwaukee

StateWI

CountyMilwaukee County

Rent Market Meter

Balanced Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are roughly steady, with neither renters nor landlords holding a strong edge right now.

Based on rent-price momentum (+0.0% YoY, +0.7% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 53205 (Milwaukee, WI) is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 17.7% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

9,265

Median income

$31,529

Median age

27.9

Renters

72.6%

Age distribution

34.9%

28.9%

17.8%

Under 1834.9%

18–3428.9%

35–5417.8%

55–648.5%

65+9.9%

Gender

47.7%

52.3%

Male47.7%

Female52.3%

Race & ethnicity

84.9%

White6.1%

Black84.9%

Hispanic4.4%

Asian3.5%

Other1.1%

Education (25+)

13.9%

35%

33.4%

17.7%

No HS diploma13.9%

HS diploma35%

Some college33.4%

Bachelor's+17.7%

Housing tenure

27.4%

72.6%

Owner27.4%

Renter72.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 53205 in Milwaukee, WI has changed in 5 years

Income

$22,526 → $31,529

up 40.0%

Population

8,337 → 9,265

up 11.1%

Renter share

73.1% → 72.6%

-0.5 pts

Bachelor's+

14.9% → 17.7%

+2.8 pts

Median age

31.1 → 27.9

-3.2 yrs

Median household income rose from $22,526 to $31,529 between 2021 and 2024, a 40.0% shift. The population has grown by 11.1% since 2021, moving from about 8,337 residents to roughly 9,265. College-educated residents now make up 17.7% of adults here, versus 14.9% in 2021.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 53205

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 53205 covers Milwaukee, WI. The median rent here is $1,521/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $960/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,140/mo.

At 58% of local median household income ($31,529/yr), ZIP 53205 ranks as expensive compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rent prices have stayed steady over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 53205?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $61,000/year (about $29/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,521/mo in ZIP 53205. The local median household income is $31,529/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.