ZIP Code · WI

ZIP 53209

Part of Milwaukee, WI

Pop. 45,170·Milwaukee County·48th most expensive ZIP in Wisconsin

Median rent (all units)

$1,458/mo

Year-over-Year

+3.7%

Month-over-Month

Stable

vs US Median

-$474

Reported rents

Stable (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 53209 · $1,458

More affordable than 76% 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

$920

1 BR

$1,000

2 BR

$1,200

3 BR

$1,480

4 BR+

$1,600

Research median

$1,200/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

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 53209 is 0.1% below its high of $1,460 in February 2026, at $1,458 as of September 2026.

Past year vs. the rest of Wisconsin

Rent in ZIP 53209 changed +3.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 71 Wisconsin ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.6%.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($48,486) is $1,212 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,200); a 3-bedroom is $1,480.

Rank in Milwaukee

13th cheapest of 19 ZIP codes in Milwaukee.

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 53218, 2 miles away, rents for 11% less ($1,301/mo), about $1,900 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 53209. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$17,496/yr

At $1,458/mo median

Location

CityMilwaukee

StateWI

CountyMilwaukee County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (3.7% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+3.7% YoY, +0.0% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 53209 (Milwaukee, WI) is majority renter-occupied, has a large share of families with children, has a median income below the national average, 28.2% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

45,170

Median income

$48,486

Median age

Renters

56.2%

Age distribution

26.7%

21.5%

23.7%

17.2%

Under 1826.7%

18–3421.5%

35–5423.7%

55–6410.9%

65+17.2%

Gender

46.6%

53.4%

Male46.6%

Female53.4%

Race & ethnicity

22.3%

65.5%

White22.3%

Black65.5%

Hispanic6.3%

Asian2.1%

Other3.8%

Education (25+)

12.2%

31.4%

28.2%

No HS diploma12.2%

HS diploma31.4%

Some college28.2%

Bachelor's+28.2%

Housing tenure

43.8%

56.2%

Owner43.8%

Renter56.2%

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

2022 vs 2026

How ZIP 53209 in Milwaukee, WI has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,094 → $1,458

up 33.3%

Income

$39,712 → $48,486

up 22.1%

Population

46,908 → 45,170

down 3.7%

Renter share

57.3% → 56.2%

-1.1 pts

Bachelor's+

25.4% → 28.2%

+2.8 pts

Median age

35.4 → 36

+0.6 yrs

Rent in ZIP 53209 in Milwaukee, WI has increased 33.3% since 2022, going from about $1,094 per month to roughly $1,458 today. Census figures show median household income at $48,486 today, compared with $39,712 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 11.2 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 46,908 to 45,170 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.7% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 25.4% to 28.2%. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2022.

Community

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Local insights

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About renting in ZIP 53209

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 53209 covers Milwaukee, WI. The median rent here is $1,458/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,000/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,200/mo.

At 36% of local median household income ($48,486/yr), ZIP 53209 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.7% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 53209?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $58,000/year (about $28/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,458/mo in ZIP 53209. The local median household income is $48,486/yr, so the typical household falls short of that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 53209?

Rent in ZIP 53209 has risen 3.7% over the past year as of September 2026. It sits 0.1% below its high of $1,460 in February 2026.

How does ZIP 53209 compare to other ZIPs in Wisconsin?

ZIP 53209 is in the middle among Wisconsin ZIP codes for rent, ranking #48 of 103 at $1,458/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 53209 changed +3.7%, against a typical +5.6% across the 71 Wisconsin ZIP codes Zillow tracks.