Milwaukee Area Info and Weather Forecast

Overview

Milwaukee is a major league city, the business, cultural, sports and technical base of a four-county metropolitan market of 1.5 million people. It is an affordable, comfortable place to live, do business and raise a family, big enough to be exciting and uncongested enough to get around in easily. It is safe (according to FBI statistics), friendly and clean.

Milwaukee 's many neighborhoods have much charm and its beautiful parks are world-famous. Its lakefront downtown is busy, noted for its old world charm and modern buildings.

Location

Metro Milwaukee is located 90 miles north of Chicago on Lake Michigan 's western shore. Milwaukee 's central location makes it a natural marketing hub. Over seventy million people and one-third of U.S. manufacturing volume are located within 600 miles of Milwaukee .

Climate

Metro Milwaukee offers a four seasons way of life ? white winters, green springs and summers, and colorful falls. Average monthly temperatures range from 21 degrees Fahrenheit in January, to 72 in July. Average annual precipitation is 35 inches, while snowfall averages 53 inches annually, yet both vary considerably from season to season. Population

Milwaukee (City), population 593,920, is the nation's 22nd largest city. The four-county metro area (Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties) has over 1.5 million people, making it the mation's 36th largest metro area. By area, the City of Milwaukee covers 96 square miles, Milwaukee County 242 square miles and the metro area 1,460 square miles.

Among metro area counties, Milwaukee County is the most heavily populated with a 2004 estimated population of 939,358. Waukesha (373,339), Washington (123,587) and Ozaukee (85,160 follow in order. Over the 2000 to 2004 period, Washington County posted the largest estimated percentage increase in population, up 5.2%. Waukesha and Ozaukee counties both registered 3.5% gains, while Milwaukee County recorded a small decline (-0.1%). Population growth metro-wide measured 1.4% over this period.

Milwaukee's ethinic and racial heritage is rich and diverse. Metro Milwaukee's African-American population totaled 235,033 in 2000 representing 16% of the area's total, while Hispanic/Latino persons numbered 94,511 or 5% of the population. Significant Asian and Native American populations are also represented in the Milwaukee area.

Corporate Center

Milwaukee 's central location and high quality of life lend itself to corporate headquarter operations. Fourteen Fortune 1000 companies are headquartered in metro Milwaukee , while more than 50 Fortune 1000 companies have major Milwaukee operations. Companies headquartered in the Milwaukee area are national leaders in industries such as air travel, banking, data processing, insurance, law, manufacturing, mutual funds, retail department stores and securities.

Fortune 1000 Corporations Headquartered in Metro Milwaukee (Billion $ Plus in Revenue)

Johnson Controls, Inc. ($26.6 bil./control systems/414-524-1200)
Northwestern Mutual ($17.8 bil./life insurance/414-271-1444)
Manpower Inc. ($14.9 bil./temporary employment services/414-961-1000)
Kohl's Corp. ($11.7 bil./department stores/262-703-7000)
Harley-Davidson, Inc. ($5.3 bil./motorcycles/414-342-4680)
Roundy's Inc. ($4.8 bil./wholesale & retail grocer/414-231-5000)
Rockwell Automation ($4.5 bil./industrial automation prod./414-212-5200)
Wisconsin Energy Corp. ($3.9 bil./electric & gas utility/414-221-2345)
Fiserv, Inc. ($3.5 bil./data processing services & software/262-879-5000)
Marshall & Ilsley Corp. ($3.1 bil./banking/414-765-7700)
Briggs & Stratton Corp. ($1.9 bil./small engines/414-259-5333)
A.O. Smith Corp. ($1.7 bil./electric motors & water heaters/414-359-4000)
MGIC Investment Corp. ($1.6 bil./mortgage insurance/414-347-6480)
Joy Global Inc. ($1.4 bil./mining machinery/414-319-8500)

Finance

Milwaukee is a leading money management center. One of the nation's largest banks (Marshall & Ilsley Corp.) and life insurance companies (Northwestern Mutual) are headquartered in the metro area. Area banks and savings associations have deposits of over $38.5 billion.

Economy

Nonfarm employment levels in the metro area numbered 832,300 in 2004. Since 1990 (1990 to 2004), the metro area has added over 74,800 jobs. Eighty percent of metro area jobs fall in the service-providing sector, with 20% in the goods-producing sector. Approximately 16% of all metro employment falls in the manufacturing sector (part of the goods-producing sector), the second highest such proportion among major U.S. metro areas.

While known as a manufacturing center, activity in Milwaukee 's service and high-technology sectors have grown increasingly important in recent years. Over the 1990 to 2004 period, the service-providing sector added 97,300 jobs, a 17.2% increase, exceeding the 9.9% gain recorded overall. High tech business establishments in the area number over 2,500 and employ over 78,200 people.

Overall, there are 39,731 private sector business establishments (with payroll) in metro Milwaukee (2002 figure). Of the total number, most (36,876) have less than 50 employees. Conversely, 129 area establishments have more than 500 employees.

Total personal income for the metro Milwaukee area reached $53.2 billion in 2003, which translates into a per capita personal income of $35,133. The per capita figure is 11.6% higher than that for the United States as a whole, and ranks 35th among the nation's 361 metropolitan areas.

Metro industrial firms produce more than $31 billion worth of manufactured products annually. Metro Milwaukee 's annual wholesale business is over $26 billion, while retail sales surpass $14 billion.

Labor Force

Milwaukee and Wisconsin are noted for having a well-educated workforce with a strong work ethic. Eighty-five percent of metro Milwaukee 's working age population are high school graduates, while 27% are college graduates ? both higher than national averages.

Industrial diversity has kept the metro area's economy on an even keel. No single industry accounts for more than 7% of all metro area employees. This diversity has helped keep annual unemployment rates for the metro area generally under those posted nationally. In the past ten years (1995 to 2004), metro Milwaukee 's unemployment rate averaged 0.9 percentage points under the U.S. rate.

Occupationally, Milwaukee 's workforce reflects its strong manufacturing background but also its increasingly important white-collar sector. Production, transportation and material moving occupations total 17% of the workforce according to 2000 census estimates, while construction, extractive and maintenance workers represent 7.1%. Conversely, skilled white-collar workers in management and professional occupations number nearly 260,000 or 35% of all workers.

Education

Milwaukee and Wisconsin have a long tradition of educational excellence at all levels. The metro area's 51 public school districts enroll over 245,000 students and produce roughly 15,000 high school graduates annually. In addition, students in private schools in metro Milwaukee total nearly 58,000 and generate 2,600 high school graduates per year. Wisconsin high school students have consistently ranked among the top states in performance on ACT and SAT tests. The average composite college entrance exam score (ACT) for metro Milwaukee high school students ranks higher than the national average.

Likewise, Wisconsin is a recognized leader in post-secondary education. Milwaukee institutions of higher learning enroll nearly 90,000 students and grant over 14,000 degrees and certificates annually. Metro Milwaukee is home to eight colleges, two major research universities, two specialty graduate institutions, and two two-year colleges. In addition, Wisconsin 's vocational education system - the nation's first and one of its finest - maintains three area voc-ed colleges.

Transportation

Air Service
Mitchell International Airport (414-747-5300)
Located eight miles south of Milwaukee 's business center, Mitchell International is the region's primary commercial airport. Mitchell's 15 airlines offer roughly 230 daily departures and serve approximately 90 locations with nonstop or direct service. Mitchell International served 6.7 million passengers and handled 190.7 million pounds of freight in 2004. Midwest Airlines, rated America 's best airline by OAG, Travel+Leisure Magazine and the Zagat Airline Survey, is headquartered in metro Milwaukee and uses Mitchell International as its primary hub. Metro Milwaukee is served by four other general aviation airports.

Port Facilities
Port of Milwaukee (414-286-3511)
Location on Lake Michigan , one of the five Great Lakes , provides Milwaukee with a direct route to the oceans, via the St. Lawrence Seaway . The Port serves both domestic and international locations with waterborne commerce totaling over 3 million tons per year.

Railroads
Amtrak (800-872-7245)
Amtrak passenger service is available from Milwaukee to all of the U.S. and Canada . Seven round trips daily are available between Milwaukee and Chicago . Freight rail service is provided principally by four railroads with service to other important cities throughout the Midwest and North America .

Highways
The metro Milwaukee area is accessible by 151 miles of expressways. Highways include Interstates I-43 and I-94 and U.S. Highways 41, 45 and 18. Commute times in the metro area average 22.1 minutes (one-way), among the shortest commutes for major U.S. metro areas.

Mass Transit
Milwaukee County Transit System (414-344-6711)
Mass transit needs are provided principally by the Milwaukee County Transit System. Its 75 routes place nearly 90% of Milwaukee County residents within one-quarter mile of bus service. Commuter bus service is available to selected areas of outlying counties.

Cost of Living

Milwaukee 's ACCRA Cost of Living Index for 2005s first quarter was 101.8, with the U.S. city average equal to 100. Thus Milwaukee 's cost of living, excluding taxes, is slightly above the U.S. average. Grocery, utility and health care items cost less than average. Conversely, cost associated with housing, transportation and miscellaneous goods & services ranked above the average. Versus larger U.S. metro areas, Milwaukee 's overall cost of living compares favorably. Milwaukee 's cost of living falls below 60% of participating metros with a population of 2 million or more.

Housing

The metro Milwaukee area has over 618,000 housing units. Of these units, 58% are owner occupied, 37% are renter occupied and 5% are vacant. The median sales price of an existing single-family home in metro Milwaukee was $197,100 in 2004, according to the National Association of Realtors. This compares to Chicago at $246,300, New York at $395,800 and Los Angeles at $446,400.

Taxes

Taxes collected in Wisconsin consist primarily of property taxes collected by local units of government, and income and sales taxes collected by the state. These taxes account for a majority of all taxes collected. See below for a summary of selected state and local taxes. For more information on state taxes contact the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (414-227-4000).

State personal income tax:

Taxable income - married persons filing jointly
$0 to $11,480                                                                               4.60%
$11,481 to $22,960                                                                       6.15%
$22,961 to $172,200                                                                     6.50%
More than $172,200                                                                      6.75%

Taxable income - filing as single
$0 to $8,610                                                                                 4.60%
$8,611 to $17,220                                                                         6.15%
$17,221 to $129,150                                                                     6.50%
More than $129,150                                                                      6.75%

State/county sales tax :
5.6% ( Milwaukee , Ozaukee, and Washington counties); 5.1% ( Waukesha County )

State corporate income tax :
7.9% of net income.

Local property taxes :
Among area municipalities, property taxes range from $14.73 to $30.29 per $1,000 of a property's full value. There is no property tax on non-business personal property. Manufacturing machinery & equipment, and computers & related equipment are exempt from property taxation.

Capital gains treatment :
60% exclusion for assets held for more than 12 months.

Utilities

Electricity
We Energies (800-242-9137)
Electric power is supplied by We Energies. A good balance of fuel resources used in the production of electricity results in electric rates that compare favorably with national averages. For Wisconsin utilities, revenue per kilowatt hour of electricity averaged 10.5% lower than the national average in 2003.

Gas Service
We Energies (800-242-9137)
We Energies provides natural gas service to the greater Milwaukee area. Rates for Wisconsin utilities are competitive with national averages. For residential customers, the price per thousand cubic feet of natural gas was 2.6% lower than the U.S. average in 2003.

Water & Sewer
Milwaukee Water Works (414-286-2830)
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (414-272-5100)
Milwaukee Water Works services most of Milwaukee County , while several cities tap directly into Lake Michigan . Sewerage treatment service for much of the area is provided by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Telephone
SBC (800-924-1000)
SBC is the metro area's largest local service provider. SBC provides state-of-the-art business services, including electronic fiber connectivity and a fiber optic ring network in downtown Milwaukee .

Auto & Voter Registration

Vehicle Registration
After establishing residency, new residents must register any motor vehicle driven on the highway with the Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles. Applications for registration and certificates of title are available at seven metro area motor vehicle stations. The auto registration fee (license plate) is $55 a year. For more information contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (414-266-1000).

Vehicle Emissions
To reduce air pollution in the metro area, a tail pipe emissions inspection is required every second year for specified motor vehicles. Inspection is required just prior to renewal of vehicle registration. Vehicles may be tested at any area vehicle emission testing station. For more information contact the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (414-266-1000).

Driver's License
All drivers are required to be licensed in Wisconsin after state residency is established. New residents with out-of-state licenses need a proof of identity (such as your current out-of-state drivers license) and a proof of residency (such as a pay check/stub or utility bill). An $18 fee is charged for an original (first time issuance) 4-year Wisconsin driver's license. Renewals of the original license are $24 for an 8-year period. For more information contact the Wis. Depart. of Transportation (414-266-1000).

Voter Registration
To vote in federal, state and local elections in Wisconsin , you must be 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen and be a resident in the voting district for 10 days prior to the election. Voters may register by mail or in person anytime prior to election at their city, village or town hall. Registration may also be done on Election Day at the polling place with proof of residence.