Storm Signal Co.
Wauwatosa
Dashboard
2024
Download The Report
KEY FIGURES
3.2%
Vacancy Rate
The city’s apartment vacancy rate is low - meaning the apartment housing stock is largely occupied. This drives up rents. A healthy vacancy rate is between 5-8%.
32%
Your tax bill supports city services
Only 32% of your total property tax bill pays for city services. The remainder go to the Wauwatosa School District, Milwaukee County, MMSD, and MATC.
104% solar output
The solar panels on Public Works’ building offset our electric energy usage. In fact, we produced more kilowatt-hours than we used.
WAUWATOSA BY THE NUMBERS
HOUSING
On a regular basis, the city monitors vacancy rates for apartment buildings with four or more units. Vacancy rates are one of the key statistics the National Association of Home Builders track to judge the health and direction of the housing market.
As of August 2024:
4 – 26 units vacancy rate = 3.2%
26+ units vacancy rate = 4.3%
The city’s apartment vacancy rate is low - meaning the apartment housing stock is largely occupied and a small number of the total units are available for rent. Low stock and high demand drive up rent costs. For general comparison, the median rental vacancy rate in the United States has hovered around 6.5% in recent years and an average annual vacancy rate between 5-8 % is considered a healthy range.
VALUE OF YOUR TAX DOLLARS
For an average Wauwatosa home (valued at $273,000), the monthly bill for city services is $168.12. This means for $168.12 per month, you get fire protection and police response in the event you need it.
You get your trash and recycling collected, leaf and yard waste collection (which some other cities don’t offer), public health services, parks to play in, access to books, media, and programming at the library, well-maintained streets to drive on, and plowed streets to get you where you need to go in the winter.
Wauwatosa Library
Items Checked Out per Capita
#2
in the Nation*
*In 2022, among single-branch libraries serving populations between 40,000-60,000 residents, the Wauwatosa Library ranked #2 in the nation in children’s material circulation.
SUSTAINABILITY
In 2023, the solar panels on Public Works’ building offset our electric energy usage. In fact, we produced more kilowatt-hours than we used. Check out this dashboard to see the solar panels' output and efficiency at both Public Works and City Hall.
Wauwatosa’s 2020 Energy Resolution set a goal for the city to obtain at least 25% of energy for municipal operations from local, renewable sources. Solar panels on top of city buildings are helping us meet this goal. We’re also exploring the use of hybrid and electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions.
613
City crews planted 613 trees in 2023.
Trees provide shade for our houses and buildings, improve our air quality, and are an important tool for keeping stormwater out of our rivers and lakes. Wauwatosa is proud to have earned the Tree City USA distinction for our efforts.
FINANCIAL SNAPSHOT
General Fund Revenues
$76.9 million
Revenue by Source
- Property taxes make up 67% of City revenue but are capped.
- Increases in property tax revenue are limited to the growth of net new construction.
- The cost of doing business goes up each year, like bills from WE Energies, the cost of gasoline for city vehicles. We cannot raise our revenue to match those increases. The only way to raise revenue to keep up inflation is through development.