South Milwaukee is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, home to about 20,442 people across 4.8 square miles. Its ZIP code is 53172.
Homes sold for a median of $216 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside South Milwaukee. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up South Milwaukee’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows South Milwaukee well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | General Mitchell International Airport (MKE)3 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Milwaukee, WI12 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL75 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of South Milwaukee; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
South Milwaukee had 20,795 residents in the 2020 census, down 2% since 2000.
It’s the 42nd largest of 1,889 towns in Wisconsin by population.
Milwaukee County grew from 330,017 residents in 1900 to 939,489 in 2020.
Milwaukee County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 16°F. About 36.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, South Milwaukee Wwtp, WI weather station (about a mile away).
435,400 jobs at 20,466 businesses in Milwaukee County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
86 doctors and other health care providers list an office in South Milwaukee.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 7 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 9 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 10 |
| Mental health providers | 12 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 38 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 5 |
| Pharmacies | 4 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (8 nearby)
Grocery stores (4 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Theaters and performance venues (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by South Milwaukee School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blakewood ElementarySouth Milwaukee | Pre-K–5 | 314 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| E W Luther ElementarySouth Milwaukee | Pre-K–5 | 197 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Lakeview ElementarySouth Milwaukee | Pre-K–5 | 274 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Rawson ElementarySouth Milwaukee | Pre-K–5 | 371 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| South Milwaukee MiddleSouth Milwaukee | 6–8 | 610 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| South Milwaukee HighSouth Milwaukee | 9–12 | 920 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guidance AcademySouth Milwaukee | Pre-K–12 | 267 | Islamic | 0.5 mi |
| Zion Evangelical Lutheran SchoolSouth Milwaukee | Pre-K–8 | 83 | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | 1.0 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around South Milwaukee? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.