ZIP 53212
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12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in ZIP 53212 usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.6% above it in May, about $17 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 53212 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in June 2016.
Rent in ZIP 53212 changed +6.6% over the year to September 2026. Across the 71 Wisconsin ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +5.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 53212 rose 34.6% while median household income rose 26% ($37,543 to $47,298). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 53212 is 49.3% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 9 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($47,298) is $1,182 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 1-bedroom ($1,070); a 2-bedroom is $1,280.
5th cheapest of 19 ZIP codes in Milwaukee.
ZIP 53206, 1 mile away, rents for 19% less ($994/mo), about $2,800 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 53212. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 53212 (Milwaukee, WI) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 39.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 53212 in Milwaukee, WI has changed in 5 years
The median rent in ZIP 53212 in Milwaukee, WI stood at $877 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,227, reflecting a 39.9% increase over the period. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $40,662 in 2021 to $47,298 more recently. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. Renters now make up 65.6% of households, compared with 67.8% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 39.8% of adults here, versus 34.9% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 53212 in Milwaukee, WI market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 53212
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 53212 covers Milwaukee, WI. The median rent here is $1,227/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,070/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,280/mo.
At 31% of local median household income ($47,298/yr), ZIP 53212 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 6.6% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 53212 compare to other ZIPs in Wisconsin?
How does ZIP 53212 compare to the rest of Milwaukee?
At $1,227/mo, rent takes ~31% of ZIP 53212's median household income ($47,298/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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