Editor’s Note: This article is an opinion based on facts and is meant as infotainment. Don’t freak out we updated this article for 2021. This is our fifth time ranking the worst neighborhoods to live in Milwaukee.
Article Table Of Contents
(Skip to section)
Milwaukee's neighborhoods conjure up too many stereotypes to count. You've got hipster areas, preppy places, neighborhoods where college kids thrive, and of course, ghettos.
It seems as if there's a neighborhood for everyone in Milwaukee.
And while the city consistently ranks as one of the best places to live in the country thanks in part to a strong economy and tons of entertainment, it's not all rainbows and sunshine in Milwaukee. Some neighborhoods aren't as great as others.
So the question arises, which Milwaukee neighborhoods are the worst, and which are the best?
Today, we'll use science and data to determine which Milwaukee hoods need a little tender loving care - the sore thumbs of the Milwaukee area if you will. Realistically, you can't expect all the neighborhoods to be amazing, although Downer Woods ranks way above the rest.
We examined 174 of Milwaukee's neighborhoods to find out the worst places to live. These places don't quite measure up to Milwaukee's reputation.
So what's the worst neighborhood to live in Milwaukee for 2021? According to the most recent census data, Metcalfe Park looks to be the worst neighborhood in Milwaukee.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Milwaukee that need a pick-me-up. And remember, don't blame the messenger.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from worst to best. Looking for places to avoid outside of the city? You can also check out the worst suburbs of Milwaukee.
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
The 10 Worst Neighborhoods In Milwaukee For 2021
Population: 2,673
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $53,175 (11th worst)
Median Income: $22,064 (9th worst)
More on Metcalfe Park: Data
Population: 1,563
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Home Value: $72,660 (34th worst)
Median Income: $24,584 (14th worst)
More on Triangle North: Data
Population: 616
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $70,650 (30th worst)
Median Income: $24,730 (15th worst)
More on Halyard Park: Data
Population: 6,023
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $45,575 (4th worst)
Median Income: $22,031 (8th worst)
More on North Division: Data
Population: 1,622
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $23,633 (2nd worst)
Median Income: $18,505 (worst)
More on Hillside: Data
Population: 2,641
Rank Last Year: 6 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $71,980 (33rd worst)
Median Income: $24,766 (16th worst)
More on Williamsburg: Data
Population: 3,016
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $35,140 (3rd worst)
Median Income: $27,673 (30th worst)
More on Garden Homes: Data
Population: 881
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $50,467 (8th worst)
Median Income: $26,556 (23rd worst)
More on Clock Tower Acres: Data
Population: 6,270
Rank Last Year: 9 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $51,536 (9th worst)
Median Income: $21,585 (7th worst)
More on Park West: Data
Population: 2,146
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $45,840 (5th worst)
Median Income: $20,025 (4th worst)
More on King Park: Data
How we determined the worst Milwaukee hoods in 2021
To figure out how bad a place is to live in, we only needed to know what kinds of things people like and then decide what places have the least amount of those things. We threw the following criteria into this analysis in order to get the best, most complete results possible. We used this set of criteria for each neighborhood in Milwaukee:
- High unemployment (Less jobs)
- Low median income (Less pay)
- Low population density (No things to do)
- Low home values (No one's willing to pay to live here)
- High crime (Estimated)
Then, we ranked each neighborhood in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for each of these criteria from worst to best.
Next, we averaged the individual rankings for each criteria into a "Worst Score".
The neighborhood with the lowest "Worst Score" ranks as the worst neighborhood of Milwaukee.
Read on below to learn more about these terrible places around Milwaukee to live. Or skip to the end to see the list of all 174 neighborhoods ranked from worst to best.
This list is a scientific analysis based on real data and is completely unbiased. Hold on to your pants.
The 'hoods around Milwaukee that are really hoods
Well there you have it -- the worst of the neighborhoods in Milwaukee with Metcalfe Park landing at the bottom of the pack.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Milwaukee aren't all bad. Downer Woods takes the cake as the best place to live in Milwaukee.
We ranked the neighborhoods from worst to best in the chart below.
For more Wisconsin reading, check out:
Where Are The Worst Neighborhoods To Live In Milwaukee For 2021?
Rank |
Neighborhood |
Population |
Home Value |
Median Income |
1 |
Metcalfe Park |
2,673 |
$53,175 |
$22,064 |
2 |
Triangle North |
1,563 |
$72,660 |
$24,584 |
3 |
Halyard Park |
616 |
$70,650 |
$24,730 |
4 |
North Division |
6,023 |
$45,575 |
$22,031 |
5 |
Hillside |
1,622 |
$23,633 |
$18,505 |
6 |
Williamsburg |
2,641 |
$71,980 |
$24,766 |
7 |
Garden Homes |
3,016 |
$35,140 |
$27,673 |
8 |
Clock Tower Acres |
881 |
$50,467 |
$26,556 |
9 |
Park West |
6,270 |
$51,536 |
$21,585 |
10 |
King Park |
2,146 |
$45,840 |
$20,025 |
11 |
Fairfield |
2,622 |
$71,580 |
$30,280 |
12 |
Old North Milwaukee |
11,494 |
$61,000 |
$27,024 |
13 |
Borchert Field |
3,405 |
$53,950 |
$25,183 |
14 |
Midtown |
6,807 |
$62,338 |
$26,767 |
15 |
Harambee |
12,435 |
$53,462 |
$19,812 |
16 |
Havenwoods |
1,272 |
$68,550 |
$30,000 |
17 |
Sherman Park |
6,916 |
$69,841 |
$29,307 |
18 |
Triangle |
765 |
$90,050 |
$33,206 |
19 |
Franklin Heights |
6,836 |
$48,150 |
$25,840 |
20 |
Baran Park |
769 |
$80,300 |
$34,879 |
21 |
Walnut Hill |
2,343 |
$57,575 |
$29,564 |
22 |
Roosevelt Grove |
5,709 |
$75,755 |
$29,979 |
23 |
Menomonee River Valley |
2,476 |
$70,386 |
$30,915 |
24 |
Washington Park |
4,448 |
$63,050 |
$25,323 |
25 |
Arlington Heights |
4,414 |
$54,483 |
$23,732 |
26 |
Martin Drive |
1,503 |
$90,550 |
$27,296 |
27 |
Town And Country Manor |
1,527 |
$112,933 |
$36,243 |
28 |
Northridge Lakes |
2,203 |
$46,700 |
$23,200 |
29 |
Merrill Park |
2,966 |
$61,083 |
$20,177 |
30 |
Walker's Point |
7,065 |
$77,077 |
$28,660 |
31 |
Graceland |
2,327 |
$83,350 |
$36,042 |
32 |
Mcgovern Park |
3,643 |
$66,617 |
$33,811 |
33 |
Concordia |
3,128 |
$84,500 |
$25,198 |
34 |
Lincoln Park |
5,267 |
$83,757 |
$32,614 |
35 |
North Meadows |
2,099 |
$138,650 |
$27,050 |
36 |
Cold Spring Park |
2,142 |
$78,900 |
$19,488 |
37 |
Estabrook Park |
747 |
$120,800 |
$28,672 |
38 |
Dineen Park |
4,010 |
$94,220 |
$33,841 |
39 |
Wahl Park |
2,621 |
$73,867 |
$33,543 |
40 |
Rufus King |
4,145 |
$85,414 |
$32,002 |
41 |
Park View |
566 |
$80,700 |
$24,250 |
42 |
Valhalla |
3,872 |
$57,625 |
$34,173 |
43 |
Saint Joseph |
6,020 |
$105,862 |
$35,368 |
44 |
Lincoln Creek |
7,301 |
$81,833 |
$34,958 |
45 |
Holler Park |
532 |
$108,300 |
$43,235 |
46 |
Clarke Square |
6,852 |
$75,450 |
$23,453 |
47 |
Silver Spring |
12,433 |
$74,220 |
$34,350 |
48 |
Granville Station |
1,898 |
$89,067 |
$47,130 |
49 |
Southgate |
2,717 |
$97,500 |
$39,300 |
50 |
Tripoli Park |
522 |
$129,100 |
$45,050 |
51 |
Historic Mitchell Street |
11,308 |
$54,827 |
$25,922 |
52 |
Brynwood |
1,291 |
$53,000 |
$30,193 |
53 |
Whispering Hills |
251 |
$62,500 |
$31,815 |
54 |
Thurston Woods |
3,656 |
$81,020 |
$31,541 |
55 |
Maple Tree |
1,184 |
$165,200 |
$40,313 |
56 |
Servite Woods |
896 |
$71,800 |
$42,212 |
57 |
Lenox Heights |
1,912 |
$113,060 |
$33,302 |
58 |
Miller Valley |
1,504 |
$137,233 |
$46,292 |
59 |
Grasslyn Manor |
4,848 |
$98,610 |
$37,987 |
60 |
Wyrick Park |
1,601 |
$109,700 |
$36,686 |
61 |
Menomonee River Hills East |
3,348 |
$98,325 |
$40,500 |
62 |
Avenues West |
8,847 |
$23,169 |
$20,784 |
63 |
Freedom Village |
210 |
$62,500 |
$31,815 |
64 |
Hampton Heights |
7,560 |
$80,343 |
$35,298 |
65 |
Silver Swan |
3,615 |
$92,050 |
$34,114 |
66 |
Lincoln Village |
11,856 |
$80,158 |
$27,275 |
67 |
Muskego Way |
11,525 |
$73,608 |
$26,522 |
68 |
Uptown |
6,605 |
$105,246 |
$37,542 |
69 |
Kilbourn Town |
4,159 |
$64,200 |
$45,010 |
70 |
Brown Deer Park |
1,282 |
$129,100 |
$45,050 |
71 |
Forest Home Hills |
5,977 |
$96,817 |
$31,816 |
72 |
North Granville |
2,208 |
$138,650 |
$27,046 |
73 |
Riverton Heights |
546 |
$138,100 |
$61,848 |
74 |
Land Bank |
2,251 |
$91,933 |
$40,871 |
75 |
Sunset Heights |
4,421 |
$105,086 |
$39,151 |
76 |
Capitol Heights |
6,588 |
$95,673 |
$49,878 |
77 |
National Park |
2,253 |
$88,075 |
$31,852 |
78 |
Granville Woods |
342 |
$62,500 |
$31,815 |
79 |
Timmerman West |
5,211 |
$110,350 |
$38,872 |
80 |
Vogel Park |
2,497 |
$89,400 |
$48,283 |
81 |
Bradley Estates |
1,809 |
$104,167 |
$53,964 |
82 |
Long View |
3,079 |
$86,575 |
$50,016 |
83 |
Melody View |
159 |
$151,000 |
$50,208 |
84 |
Grantosa |
1,856 |
$97,150 |
$37,458 |
85 |
Silver City |
4,535 |
$90,160 |
$33,498 |
86 |
Mitchell West |
3,641 |
$104,475 |
$37,754 |
87 |
Fair Park |
1,185 |
$125,000 |
$42,723 |
88 |
Polonia |
5,992 |
$110,538 |
$36,874 |
89 |
Little Menomonee Parkway |
1,043 |
$117,700 |
$43,218 |
90 |
Arlington Gardens |
2,466 |
$113,175 |
$39,826 |
91 |
Jones' Island |
557 |
$141,400 |
$44,868 |
92 |
Columbus Park |
4,203 |
$100,450 |
$41,796 |
93 |
Calumet Farms |
1,256 |
$230,400 |
$55,938 |
94 |
Timmerman Airport |
614 |
$89,400 |
$53,125 |
95 |
Mount Olivet |
785 |
$147,800 |
$30,733 |
96 |
Parkway Hills |
967 |
$110,900 |
$36,420 |
97 |
Wilson Park |
3,750 |
$109,150 |
$31,320 |
98 |
Southpoint |
3,418 |
$123,550 |
$43,366 |
99 |
Zoo |
604 |
$134,600 |
$43,781 |
100 |
Historic Third Ward |
1,052 |
$129,250 |
$84,391 |
101 |
The Valley-Pigsville |
407 |
$153,700 |
$57,860 |
102 |
Morgandale |
8,624 |
$122,060 |
$46,705 |
103 |
Story Hill |
1,814 |
$132,350 |
$50,608 |
104 |
Lindsay Park |
4,956 |
$108,520 |
$38,162 |
105 |
Saint Amelian's |
1,622 |
$101,150 |
$40,778 |
106 |
Layton Park |
9,252 |
$104,875 |
$41,539 |
107 |
Burnham Park |
8,504 |
$93,256 |
$39,637 |
108 |
Heritage Heights |
1,905 |
$165,200 |
$40,313 |
109 |
Pollber Heights |
110 |
$151,000 |
$50,208 |
110 |
Brewer's Hill |
2,227 |
$142,800 |
$48,704 |
111 |
Menomonee River Parkway |
359 |
$131,300 |
$50,938 |
112 |
Menomonee River Hills |
8,811 |
$112,650 |
$46,088 |
113 |
Enderis Park |
3,238 |
$129,117 |
$42,110 |
114 |
Park Knoll |
701 |
$145,750 |
$55,972 |
115 |
Johnson's Woods |
2,980 |
$118,050 |
$45,000 |
116 |
Root Creek |
2,038 |
$132,800 |
$46,307 |
117 |
Park Place |
1,268 |
$230,400 |
$55,938 |
118 |
Florist Highlands |
1,302 |
$150,750 |
$50,590 |
119 |
Honey Creek Parkway |
825 |
$135,800 |
$51,484 |
120 |
Saveland Park |
1,121 |
$135,100 |
$56,790 |
121 |
Pheasant Run |
1,624 |
$129,100 |
$52,500 |
122 |
New Coeln |
90 |
$137,500 |
$63,839 |
123 |
Bluemound Heights |
3,590 |
$119,214 |
$46,598 |
124 |
Maitland Park |
822 |
$149,800 |
$58,898 |
125 |
Harbor View |
1,183 |
$150,267 |
$50,644 |
126 |
Castle Manor |
3,632 |
$142,620 |
$42,218 |
127 |
Nash Park |
2,310 |
$110,567 |
$47,679 |
128 |
Jackson Park |
7,407 |
$139,318 |
$50,335 |
129 |
Hawley Farms |
1,695 |
$126,133 |
$44,212 |
130 |
Wick Field |
614 |
$150,400 |
$49,167 |
131 |
Hawthorne Glen |
254 |
$150,400 |
$49,167 |
132 |
Riverwest |
12,197 |
$143,569 |
$43,872 |
133 |
White Manor |
1,536 |
$133,833 |
$54,057 |
134 |
Alverno |
1,059 |
$155,000 |
$38,571 |
135 |
Mitchell Field |
1,752 |
$145,250 |
$58,649 |
136 |
Cambridge Heights |
2,331 |
$172,620 |
$36,397 |
137 |
Cannon Park |
2,203 |
$139,050 |
$51,344 |
138 |
Lyons Park |
1,827 |
$133,100 |
$53,157 |
139 |
Town Of Lake |
5,450 |
$144,167 |
$55,016 |
140 |
Mill Valley |
899 |
$134,500 |
$66,250 |
141 |
Green Moor |
510 |
$145,200 |
$56,719 |
142 |
Kops Park |
3,156 |
$122,175 |
$56,854 |
143 |
Riverside Park |
2,524 |
$222,733 |
$34,597 |
144 |
Murray Hill |
4,008 |
$224,875 |
$49,929 |
145 |
Honey Creek Manor |
3,014 |
$130,375 |
$41,129 |
146 |
Morgan Heights |
1,723 |
$163,400 |
$66,739 |
147 |
Valley Forge |
198 |
$185,500 |
$54,318 |
148 |
Fairview |
3,930 |
$129,357 |
$58,151 |
149 |
Juneau Town |
5,521 |
$225,017 |
$59,091 |
150 |
West View |
1,761 |
$130,800 |
$49,688 |
151 |
Woodland Court |
658 |
$150,800 |
$55,123 |
152 |
Golden Valley |
2,774 |
$137,750 |
$62,387 |
153 |
Cooper Park |
3,369 |
$144,433 |
$59,550 |
154 |
Tippecanoe |
6,261 |
$144,789 |
$57,484 |
155 |
Yankee Hill |
3,352 |
$281,714 |
$38,110 |
156 |
Clayton Crest |
2,006 |
$159,150 |
$55,852 |
157 |
Alcott Park |
1,764 |
$163,400 |
$66,739 |
158 |
Gra-Ram |
2,357 |
$150,133 |
$55,697 |
159 |
Upper East Side |
3,297 |
$277,450 |
$59,591 |
160 |
Mount Mary |
1,955 |
$145,500 |
$72,966 |
161 |
Highwood Estates |
1,951 |
$145,400 |
$39,820 |
162 |
Lower East Side |
11,051 |
$228,600 |
$45,767 |
163 |
River Bend |
1,402 |
$144,500 |
$63,660 |
164 |
Goldman Park |
1,864 |
$152,450 |
$65,040 |
165 |
Washington Heights |
7,146 |
$152,300 |
$61,358 |
166 |
Harder's Oaks |
511 |
$159,600 |
$57,969 |
167 |
Euclid Park |
1,912 |
$165,800 |
$50,111 |
168 |
Northpoint |
5,695 |
$257,962 |
$66,314 |
169 |
Schlitz Park |
528 |
$222,200 |
$67,569 |
170 |
Rolling Green |
1,997 |
$150,800 |
$55,123 |
171 |
Wedgewood |
1,774 |
$168,450 |
$66,628 |
172 |
Red Oak Heights |
1,086 |
$178,900 |
$64,663 |
173 |
Fernwood |
2,709 |
$183,280 |
$62,028 |
174 |
Downer Woods |
4,628 |
$319,400 |
$68,167 |
Share on Facebook