The Town FilesOak Creek, Wisconsin
City in Milwaukee County · population 36,497 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $331,700
- Household income
- $96,555
- Jan low / Jul high
- 16° / 80°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 39.4
Oak Creek is a city of 36,497 people in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The median home is worth $331,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). It ranks more vibrant than 96% of Wisconsin towns, better for young professionals than 91% of Wisconsin towns, more walkable than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
How Oak Creek ranks
Percentile among Wisconsin towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Wisconsin towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Oak Creek is worth $331,700, above the typical Wisconsin town ($256,000). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $96,555, which is more affordable than 37% of Wisconsin towns. Median rent is $1,452 a month. 57.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Oak Creek | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $331,700 | $256,000 |
| Median rent | $1,452 | $951 |
| Median household income | $96,555 | $82,217 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.1× |
| Homeownership | 57.5% | 86.8% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1978 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.3% | — |
Who lives in Oak Creek
| People | Oak Creek | Typical Wisconsin town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.4 | 45.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.1% | 21.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 39.4% | 23.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 7.2% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 12.1% | — |
| Work from home | 11.7% | 10.9% |
| Average commute | 23.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 93.1% | 89.1% |
Weather in Oak Creek
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 15.9°F. About 36.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.7 inches of snow (typical Wisconsin town: 45.7 in). Expect about 7 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 124 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oak Creek since 1950, compared with 15 for the typical Wisconsin town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 25, 1975 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 73 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on August 2, 2015.
Severe weather in Milwaukee County since 1996
Milwaukee County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 30, 2026 | Flood | DR-4923: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| September 11, 2025 | Flood | DR-4892: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Mudslides |
| April 4, 2020 | Biological | DR-4520: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3454: Covid-19 |
| March 11, 2020 | Flood | DR-4477: Severe Winter Storm And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Milwaukee County
Milwaukee County had 469,055 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $69,142 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Oak Creek itself the ACS puts it at 1.3%.
Public schools in Oak Creek
11 public schools with 6,527 students, about 16.3 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oak Creek High | 9-12 | 2,223 | 18.1 |
| Oak Creek East Middle | 6-8 | 895 | 14.0 |
| Oak Creek West Middle | 6-8 | 537 | 15.3 |
| Forest Ridge Elementary | PK-5 | 422 | 14.6 |
| Shepard Hills Elementary | PK-5 | 421 | 16.8 |
| Carollton Elementary | PK-5 | 385 | 16.0 |
| Edgewood Elementary | PK-5 | 382 | 15.9 |
| Deerfield Elementary | PK-5 | 372 | 13.8 |
| Meadowview Elementary | PK-5 | 311 | 15.6 |
| Cedar Hills Elementary | PK-5 | 307 | 14.0 |
| Early Learning Academy | PK-PK | 272 | 38.9 |
Towns near Oak Creek
- South Milwaukee, WI3.0 mi · 20,795 people · home $235,700
- Cudahy, WI5.0 mi · 18,204 people · home $216,500
- Caledonia, WI5.7 mi · 25,361 people · home $303,400
- Franklin, WI5.7 mi · 36,816 people · home $364,200
- St. Francis, WI6.5 mi · 9,161 people · home $234,500
- Greendale, WI6.7 mi · 14,854 people · home $314,200
- Greenfield, WI7.8 mi · 37,803 people · home $261,100
- Raymond, WI7.9 mi · 3,926 people · home $389,700
Oak Creek questions
Is Oak Creek, Wisconsin a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Oak Creek scores better for retirees than 7% of Wisconsin towns and quieter than 6%. 15.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.4).
How much does a house cost in Oak Creek?
The median owner-occupied home in Oak Creek is valued at $331,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,555, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,452 a month.
What is the weather like in Oak Creek?
July highs average 80.2°F and January lows 15.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 36.6 inches of precipitation a year and 48.7 inches of snow.
Does Oak Creek get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Oak Creek since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 25, 1975. The typical Wisconsin town has had 15.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)