Milwaukee County, Wisconsin Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Milwaukee County

U.S. county

Milwaukee County Courthouse

Flag

Seal

Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin

Wisconsin's location within the U.S.

Country

United States

State

Wisconsin

Founded

1835

Largest city

Milwaukee

Area

• Total

1,189 sq mi (3,080 km²)

• Land

241 sq mi (620 km²)

• Water

948 sq mi (2,460 km²) 80%

Population

(2020)

• Total

939,489

• Estimate

(2023)

916,205

• Density

3,890.5/sq mi (1,502.1/km²)

Time zone

UTC−6 (Central)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−5 (CDT)

Congressional districts

1st, 4th, 5th

Milwaukee County is a county located in the state of Wisconsin, USA. It is the most populated county in Wisconsin. The county is also the most densely populated, meaning many people live close together.

In 2020, about 939,489 people lived here. The county seat, or main city, is Milwaukee. This city is also the largest in Wisconsin. Milwaukee County was named after the Milwaukee River. It was formed in 1834 when Wisconsin was part of the Michigan Territory. The county officially started working in 1835.

Milwaukee County is a big part of the Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis area. This area is important for jobs and living. Unlike other counties in Wisconsin, all parts of Milwaukee County are organized as cities or villages. There are no "towns" here.

The county has 19 cities and villages. After the city of Milwaukee, the largest cities are West Allis, Wauwatosa, Greenfield, Oak Creek, and Franklin. Milwaukee County is also home to two major sports teams: the Milwaukee Bucks (basketball) and the Milwaukee Brewers (baseball). It also hosts Summerfest, the world's largest music festival!

History of Milwaukee County
Geography of Milwaukee County
- Counties Near Milwaukee County
- Climate in Milwaukee County
People of Milwaukee County
Transportation in Milwaukee County
Cities and Villages in Milwaukee County
- Cities in Milwaukee County
- Villages in Milwaukee County
Education in Milwaukee County
See also

History of Milwaukee County

Long ago, different Native American tribes lived in the area that is now Milwaukee County. These tribes included the Sauk, Meskwaki (also called "Fox"), Menomonee, Ojibwe, and Potawotami.

In 1818, the land that would become Wisconsin became part of the Michigan Territory. The governor at the time created Brown County. This huge county included all of what is now Milwaukee County.

Milwaukee County was officially created in 1834. It was much larger back then! It included all of what are now Milwaukee, Jefferson, Kenosha, Ozaukee, Racine, Rock, Walworth, Washington, and Waukesha counties. It also covered large parts of other counties.

On August 25, 1835, Milwaukee County became independent. This meant it could manage its own legal matters. Over time, the county's size changed. In 1836, it became smaller, covering only what is now Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. Finally, in 1846, Waukesha County was created. This made Milwaukee County the size it is today.

Geography of Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County covers about 1,189 square miles. Most of this area, about 80%, is water. The land area is about 241 square miles. This makes it the third-smallest county in Wisconsin by land size.

Several rivers flow through the county. These include the Milwaukee, Menomonee, Kinnickinnic, and Root Rivers. The land is gently rolling, and the soil is rich and good for farming.

The city at the center is Milwaukee. This photo was taken from the International Space Station in 2012.

Counties Near Milwaukee County

Milwaukee County shares borders with several other counties:

To the south: Racine County
To the west: Waukesha County
To the northwest: Washington County
To the north: Ozaukee County
Across Lake Michigan to the northeast: Muskegon County, Michigan
Across Lake Michigan to the east: Ottawa County, Michigan

Climate in Milwaukee County

Weather chart for Milwaukee County

-4

-6

101

-6

-11

-5

165

111

138

100

-3

temperatures in °C
precipitation totals in mm

Imperial conversion

J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
3.8 25 21	4 21 12	2.7 39 23	6.5 52 37	4.4 52 37	5.4 59 48	3.9 72 61	3.7 75 57	2.6 66 57	3.6 57 46	2.5 46 36	3.1 36 27
temperatures in °F precipitation totals in inches

People of Milwaukee County

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1850	31,077	—
1860	62,518	101.2%
1870	89,930	43.8%
1880	138,537	54.0%
1890	236,101	70.4%
1900	330,017	39.8%
1910	433,187	31.3%
1920	539,449	24.5%
1930	725,263	34.4%
1940	766,885	5.7%
1950	871,047	13.6%
1960	1,036,041	18.9%
1970	1,054,063	1.7%
1980	964,988	−8.5%
1990	959,275	−0.6%
2000	940,164	−2.0%
2010	947,735	0.8%
2020	939,489	−0.9%
2023 (est.)	916,205	−3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 2020 census

2000 Census Age Pyramid for Milwaukee County

In 2020, the population of Milwaukee County was 939,489. The county is very diverse. Many different groups of people live here.

About 52% of the people were White. Around 26.2% were Black or African American. About 4.9% were Asian, and 0.8% were Native American. About 6.8% were from other races, and 9.3% were from two or more races. People of Hispanic or Latino background made up about 16.3% of the population.

Transportation in Milwaukee County

Getting around Milwaukee County is easy with different transportation options.

Bus and Streetcar Services

The Milwaukee County Transit System provides bus service throughout the county. They have almost 370 buses. The city of Milwaukee also has a streetcar system called The Hop. It runs in the downtown area.

Airports in Milwaukee County

Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (KMKE) is the main airport for the whole area. It has flights to many cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Lawrence J. Timmerman Airport (KMWC) also serves the county and nearby communities.

Railroads in Milwaukee County

Several train companies operate in Milwaukee County. These include Amtrak, Canadian Pacific Kansas City, Union Pacific, and Wisconsin and Southern Railroad. There are also two main train stations: