An Insider's Guide to Apartment Living Near Milwaukee's Four Employer Clusters

Having grown up in Milwaukee and lived in Waukesha for several years, I have come to realize that the Milwaukee metro area offers diverse employment and housing opportunities. You can live in dense urban environments, leafy suburbs, or even relatively rural areas, and still commute to nearly any part of the Milwaukee area.

Current Pricing for Milwaukee Apartments for Rent

Metropolitan Milwaukee is home to a diverse set of major employers spread across four geographic clusters. Similar industries or comparable workforces dominate each cluster, though other types of firms and workforces are present. Understanding where Milwaukee's major employers cluster geographically is important, since people often prefer to live close to where they work. This story describes each employer cluster and the nearby neighborhoods you may want to consider when apartment shopping. Of course, since the Milwaukee metro area has about 1.6 million people, it provides the advantages of a big city while remaining small enough that you can live anywhere in the four-county metro area and commute less than one hour to any of the four clusters. The fact that the typical Milwaukeean commutes less than 20 minutes to work reinforces the ease of getting around the area.

Metro Milwaukee and Its Four Employment Clusters

The Milwaukee metro area includes Milwaukee County, which contains the City of Milwaukee, as well as Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties, also known as the WOW counties. Waukesha County borders Milwaukee County to the west. Ozaukee County is north of Milwaukee County, and Washington County sits kitty-corner to Milwaukee County to the northwest (north of Waukesha County and west of Ozaukee County).

Three of the four employment clusters sit in Milwaukee County, including:

• Downtown Milwaukee: Downtown Milwaukee is the Lakefront Central Business District. It is home to numerous company headquarters and includes a concentration of financial services firms.
• Menomonee Valley: The Menomonee Valley lies south and immediately west of Downtown and is a major manufacturing and logistics corridor.
• Wauwatosa Medical Campus: Located on the western edge of Milwaukee County in Wauwatosa, the county grounds or medical campus is the area's healthcare and life sciences hub.

Further west is the Milwaukee area's primary suburban employer cluster, in Brookfield/Waukesha.

• Brookfield/Waukesha: The Brookfield/Waukesha cluster is in Waukesha County and is home to many corporate campuses, primarily along I-94.

I'll review each cluster and nearby neighborhoods you can consider, though it is important to recognize that the three Milwaukee clusters are relatively close to one another. At the same time, the Wauwatosa Medical Campus cluster is close to the Brookfield/Waukesha cluster, and the North Shore Suburbia cluster is an easy commute to and from Downtown.

Downtown Milwaukee

Downtown Milwaukee sits on the western shore of Lake Michigan and is home to numerous financial services firms, including Northwestern Mutual, U.S. Bank, and Baird. ManpowerGroup, law firms, accounting, and consulting organizations are also present there, as are numerous governmental offices.

Much of the Lake Michigan shoreline east of Downtown is parkland or community properties, such as the Milwaukee Art Museum, so while some housing exists Downtown (in Juneau Town), the neighborhoods immediately north and south of Downtown are very popular.

Juneau Town

Juneau Town is a neighborhood in Downtown Milwaukee. It includes a more residential area to the north and cultural amenities such as the Marcus Performing Arts Center and the Milwaukee Art Center. The Art Center is on the lakefront, which has a wealth of walking, running, and biking paths. Juneau Town has limited newer construction, with renters living in a mix of older multi-story apartment buildings and duplexes.

Bay View

Bay View is the former home of a steel mill and company town, and now bubbles with a host of trendy artisans' shops. The Avalon Theater, an independent movie house, the Sugar Maple, and other eateries and small shops now fill the commercial streets. Bay View is known for its smaller, single-family homes, but duplexes are available, and substantial housing developments are filling in some former industrial sites.

Bay View includes South Shore and Humboldt parks, which are part of the Oak Leaf Trail, a 135-mile network of trails that traverse Milwaukee County. During summer months, South Shore Terrace, a beer garden in South Shore Park, is the place to chill out with a chilled beer while enjoying Lake Michigan views.

Historic Third Ward

Found just south of Downtown, between the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan, the Third Ward began as a 19th-century manufacturing and warehouse district. In the last twenty years, it has transformed into a vibrant spot for artists and artisans, whether they cook, cast, or play. A center point of Milwaukee nightlife, the housing market is dominated by lofts in former warehouses and apartments in newer construction. It's a busy, pricier area for the young and those with young hearts. The Third Ward is easily walkable for those working Downtown.

Lower East Side

North of Downtown, between the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan, is the Lower East Side. It is a dense, highly walkable area with historic and modern architecture, largely populated by young professionals. It has a more authentic, casual, and less upscale feel than the Third Ward, with

Brady Street is its central shopping and entertainment district. Among its highlights are the lakefront, Lakefront Brewery, and a summer farmers' market.

Brewer's Hill

Named for the brewery workers who once lived in the area, Brewers' Hill abuts Schlitz Park to the south. Part of Brewers' Hill borders the Milwaukee River; the mostly residential neighborhood features 19th-century homes in an eclectic mix of sizes and architectural styles. Multi-unit apartments, including lofts, are also available in the neighborhood that is popular with young urban professionals. Easy access to Downtown, the Upper East Side, and the interstates, as well as its coffee shops and restaurants, are among its main attractions.

Menomonee Valley

The Menomonee Valley is home to heavy and advanced manufacturers, such as Harley-Davidson, Rexnord, and Komatsu. It is also home to the area's primary wastewater treatment plant, power plant, and water and rail logistics firms. Further west, it is home to Miller Brewing, the Potawatomi Casino Hotel, and American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers.

The neighborhoods surrounding the Menomonee Valley are the most affordable of those close to Milwaukee's four employer clusters.

Mitchell Park

Mitchell Park is on the south side of the Menomonee Valley, east of Merrill Park, and between 15th and 25th Streets. It is named for Milwaukee County's Mitchell Park and its Horticultural Conservatory, commonly known as The Domes. The Domes are among Milwaukee's top tourist destinations. The three domes feature distinct environments: flowers, a desert, and a rainforest. The Domes are among Milwaukee's top tourist destinations, attracting people from all walks of life to the neighborhood.

There are limited residences in the ethnically diverse neighborhood itself; housing on Mitchell Street is relatively inexpensive.

Cold Spring Park

Cold Spring Park sits on the bluff north of the Menomonee Valley, immediately east of Harley-Davidson's headquarters. Other than the commercial strips along Vliet Street and Highland Boulevard, it is filled with duplexes and single-family homes, as well as residential towers along Highland Boulevard.

They established a park in the area in the 1800s after finding a natural spring. Although Cold Spring Park no longer exists, the neighborhood's northwest corner connects to Washington Park. The Frederic Law Olmsted-designed park is among Milwaukee's largest and offers space for walking, biking, and fishing. The neighborhood is ethnically diverse, with a vibrant Hmong community.

Merrill Park

South of Cold Spring Park and east of American Family Field, home of the Milwaukee Brewers, you will find Merrill Park. Mostly residential, the neighborhood has significant commercial activity along Marquette University High School's football stadium and Merrill Park, which offers softball diamonds and tennis courts.

Most residences are rentals, including duplexes and single-family homes. The area's smaller-than-usual city blocks and one-way streets offer a unique feel. Since I-94 borders Merrill Park to the south, residents have easy access to Downtown or points west, though is comes with significant road traffic.

Wauwatosa Medical Campus

Wauwatosa's medical campus was first developed more than a century ago to house sanitoriums and similar medical facilities away from the city center. It now houses Froedtert Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Children's Wisconsin, and various private businesses in research parks.

There is some housing on the medical campus intended for those who work in the facilities, along with several nearby neighborhoods offering ample apartment options.

Wauwatosa

The Medical Center is located in Wauwatosa, which borders Milwaukee to the east and Waukesha County to the west. The east side of the city primarily consists of pre-WWII housing stock, while the west side is slightly newer. The east side contains many duplexes and pre-1960s apartments in attractive, walkable neighborhoods. Besides the traditional housing, there are a sizable number of new apartment buildings and condos in the Village and further east along State Street.

The Wauwatosa Village, the old city core, is a trendy area with high-end and casual restaurants and substantial parkland to its north, including Hoyt Park pool and The Landing beer garden. Outdoor summer dining at Café Hollander and other locations makes for wonderful summer evenings,

West Allis

Portions of West Allis are a very short drive south of the Medical Center. Wisconsin's State Fair Park is in West Allis and includes the Milwaukee Mile, the oldest operating motor speedway in the U.S., and the Pettit National Ice Center, a 400-meter indoor Olympic speed skating training center. Less trendy than Wauwatosa's Village, the east side of West Allis mostly consists of modest single-family homes and duplexes, as well as older apartment buildings. West Allis also has an increasing number of new apartment complexes, especially along National Avenue. While it lacks the draw of the Tosa Village's nightlight, West Allis offers excellent housing opportunities if you want to save a few bucks and don't need to live close to an upscale entertainment area.

Brookfield/Waukesha

As I-94 travels due west from downtown Milwaukee, it transitions from Milwaukee to Waukesha County. Much of the property adjoining or near the highway is filled with office parks and corporate campuses, creating a significant employer corridor with GE Healthcare and Fiserv as major employers.

Other major employers in the area include Generac, Waukesha Metal Products, ProHealth Care, and a slew of retailers at Brookfield Square and along Bluemound Road.

Brookfield

Single-family suburban homes dominate the leafy bedroom community of Brookfield, though one- and two-story apartments are available throughout the area. More commonly, apartments are available at newer, amenity-heavy apartment complexes, especially near the office complexes and I-94. Their location and amenities (e.g., pool, gym) make them more costly than those found closer to Milwaukee or in Waukesha. Nevertheless, their proximity to I-94 makes these apartment complexes easily accessible to the Wauwatosa Medical Complex or Downtown Milwaukee.

Waukesha

Once an independent city now consumed by suburban sprawl, Waukesha offers a mix of housing styles, prices, and communities available in the northern Midwest. The central city includes homes, duplexes, and apartments from the 1800s, as well as rental properties of all forms built since then. The city center offers a small-city/suburban feel, while the outlying areas are suburban, sometimes blending with agricultural areas.

Downtown Waukesha has a small-town commercial feel, with newer loft-style buildings and a lower-key vibe than Wauwatosa or Milwaukee. The area is highly walkable with scenic walkways along the Fox River.

Summing It Up

The Milwaukee metro area offers a wide range of communities and offerings near its major employer clusters. Those looking for denser, higher-traffic areas will prefer Milwaukee's downtown neighborhoods, while those seeking quieter locations will find them farther west. Those looking to spend less on their apartments are best off looking south or along I-94, or in Waukesha, where there are excellent choices with fewer nearby entertainment options.