The Safest Neighborhoods In Milwaukee: 2022's Ultimate List

Most known for its beer and bratwurst, Milwaukee is a city that is loved by both residents and visitors. While it may be a slightly underrated gem, there is so much to discover about this midwestern locale. With significant influence from its German immigrants, as well as Italian, Polish, and Irish folks, modern-day Milwaukee has preserved a strong sense of European charm. There’s also a bit of a coastal vibe that you might not particularly expect in the Midwest, with its beaches, sailing, and numerous activities to partake in on Lake Michigan.

The safest neighborhood in Milwaukee is North Granville where there are 59 property crimes per 100k residents. Mill Valley, Marquette, Red Oak Heights, Heritage Heights, Alcott Park, and Clayton Crest are also the safest neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Mount Olivet, Ridgeview, and Dretzka Park rank amongst the top 10 neighborhoods with low crime rates in Milwaukee.

Though it is often overlooked as Chicago’s “little brother,” Milwaukee is packed with culture in a much smaller area. The city is home to nearly 600K diverse residents who get to enjoy abundant green space, annual events that celebrate their LGBTQ+ community, Summerfest (the World’s Largest Music Festival), a relatively low cost of living, and plentiful job opportunities. Given its prime location, the entire Greater Milwaukee area is full of possibilities.

Milwaukee is considered a blue-collar town and you’ll find that its residents really hustle. Though Milwaukeeans may work hard, they also play hard, as they only receive a few short months of nice weather a year and really like to take advantage of their recreational time. Known as the City of Festivals, Milwaukee hosts more than 40 festivals annually between the months of June and September. These cover everything from large scale music and ethnic festivals to small community gatherings.

If you’re considering a relocation to Milwaukee, choosing to live in this city will reward you in immeasurable ways. With over 75 named neighborhoods in the city, you’ll have plenty of options to choose from when selecting your new home.

When moving to a new city, it can be overwhelming to find the right place to settle down. The neighborhood that is best for suited you is generally dictated by your particular needs, lifestyle, and desire for safety. Just like most other populous cities, Milwaukee does have some high crime rates. However, that’s not to say that the city doesn’t have safe neighborhoods.

To further prove this point, we’ve assembled a list of the safest communities across Milwaukee. By analyzing FBI crime statistics, we were able to draw an unbiased opinion on the top ten safest neighborhoods in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

Located on the northwest side of Milwaukee, North Granville is home to approximately 2,208 residents. It is a largely rural community with few through streets nestled between the major arteries. The area consists of some forested areas and working farms, while most of the housing is large apartment complexes and condo villages.

Nearly 95 percent of North Granville’s current population are renters, and 20 percent of them are employed in the hospitality industries, twice the Milwaukee average. Residents enjoy a local farmers market for fresh produce from the local farmers, along with an annual Fourth of July celebration, and year-round swimming at an indoor pool.

With a total crime rate that is 98% lower than the city average, North Granville earns the title of the safest neighborhood in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people come in at 23 and property crime per capita is 59 for 2020.

Also situated on Milwaukee’s northwest side Mill Valley is a sparsely populated neighborhood with just 899 residents. It is one of the least populated communities in the city and is home to a diverse group of primarily middle-class individuals. Nearly 40 percent of the population possess degrees above high school, making Mill Valley a very well-educated area.

Mill Valley is a very hill community, with steep inclines, gentle rolling, and winding streets. Housing in this neighborhood is primarily condominiums north of Mill Road, with a small number of single-family dwellings including colonials, mid-20th century ranches, and older bungalows. This area has no definable business district.

Residents of Mill Valley enjoy an annual art festival, Fourth of July celebration, and year-round open swim at a nearby indoor pool. Mill Valley takes the second spot on our list of the safest neighborhoods in Milwaukee. The violent crime rate per 100K people comes in at 29 and property crime is 311 for 2020.

The Marquette neighborhood is found in the downtown Milwaukee area and the campus of Marquette University infiltrates a very large section of the community. Other structures in the area include two-story wood-frame homes from the early 20th century and older apartment complexes. One prominent feature in Marquette is the Pabst Mansion, constructed in 1890 for Milwaukee’s famous beer baron Caption Frederic Pabst.

Residents of Marquette are almost entirely students of the university and all are renters. As you might expect, jobs held in the neighborhood are primarily in education, food service, administration, and personal care. With a total crime rate that is 92% lower than the city average, Marquette is considered the third safest neighborhood in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people are 169 and property crime sits at 186 for 2020.

Positioned on the southern border of Milwaukee, Red Oak Heights is a predominantly residential neighborhood with moderate population density. It is home to roughly 1,000 residents and is considered the eighth wealthiest neighborhood in the city. Occupations cited most often by locals include those in production, law enforcement, management, education, and administration.

Red Oak Heights is mainly flat with few gentle rolling hills. Homes in this area include mainly mid-20th-century ranches, with a few bungalows, Cape Code style houses from the 1920s and 1930s, and bungalows. The community does not feature any green spaces but residents enjoy many annual festivals nearby including Croatianfest, Dan Jansen Family Fest, and National Night Out.

Based on our calculations, Red Oak Heights is the fourth safest neighborhood in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people come in at 94 and property crime is 337 for 2020.

Heritage Heights is located in the northwest section of Milwaukee and is home to around 1,905 residents. It is primarily residential with most of the homes being recently built single-family colonials. The business district of Heritage Heights is concentrated in the northwestern corner of the neighborhood and features mainly car dealerships and auto parts stores.

Residents of Heritage Heights enjoy a number of annual festivals, farmers markets, and a local indoor pool for year-round swimming. Most of the population is employed in the fields of management, sales, and administration, and incomes place them in the lower-middle-class level.

Heritage Heights earns the fifth spot on our list of the safest neighborhoods in Milwaukee. This community experiences 89% less crime than average in the city. Violent crimes per 100K people come in at 40 and property crime per capita is 463 for 2020.

Alcott Park can be found southwest of the Milwaukee city center and is home to around 1,764 residents. The neighborhood is named after its park by the same name, Alcott Park, a 16-acre commons with a wading pool and tot lot. This extensive green space takes up a large portion of the western half of the community.

Residents of Alcott Park are largely middle-class and there are more than four times the number of people employed in law enforcement than other areas of the city. Housing styles in this neighborhood come in a wide array of options including older bungalows, ranch-style homes from the late 20th century, and Tudor houses from the early 20th century. There isn’t very much in the way of a commercial district, with just a few small businesses on West Howard Avenue.

Based on statistics, Alcott Park is considered the sixth safest neighborhood in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people sit at 58 and property crime is 513 for 2020.

The Clayton Crest neighborhood is in the far south side of Milwaukee and is among many neighborhoods that make up today’s Garden District. Clayton Crest’s some 2,006 residents are well-educated and many of them are health technicians. Gardening tends to be a major hobby among residents, as it was based down from when the community was once a part of the Town of Lake.

Architectural styles in this neighborhood consist of mostly 1950s to 1970s ranches and recently constructed duplexes, with a few older Tudor style houses scattered throughout. Clayton Crest’s business district, along South 27th Street, is one the most extensive in the city. Locals have access to a number of strip malls, fast-food restaurants, and car dealerships.

With a total crime rate that is 85% less than the city average, Clayton Crest earns its spot as the seventh safest neighborhood in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people come in at 38 and property crime is 601 for 2020.

The Mount Olivet neighborhood is occupied almost entirely by the Mt. Olivet Cemetery and Mausoleum. However, there are a few residential blocks south of the cemetery and the area is home to around 785 people. Named after its cemetery, this neighborhood did internments at the cemetery well before settles started to build homes.

Residents of Mount Olivet are placed in the lower-middle-class bracket, are highly educated and many of them have jobs in education, sales, administration, law enforcement, or food service. They enjoy movies at the Southgate Cinema, visits to the nearby Milwaukee Fire Museum, and a number of annual festivals, concerts, and farmers markets.

Mount Olivet takes the eighth spot on our list of the safest neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people come in at 261 and property crime per capita is 466 for 2020.

With just around 551 residents, Ridgeview is a sparsely populated neighborhood and one of Milwaukee’s smallest communities. Residents exist in the lower-middle-class income bracket and many of them work in transportation, administration, or production. The area is home to the former Northridge Shopping Center, which was reclaimed by the city and now lays abandoned after a few failed business start-ups.

There are very few residences in Ridgeview and most of the neighborhood is wooded area, open fields, and gentle rolling hills. When it comes to safety, the total crime rate in Ridgeview is 70% lower than the national average and 83% less than the city average. Therefore, Ridgeview earns the title of the ninth safest neighborhood in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people sit at 372 and property crime per capita is 391 for 2020.

Rounding out our list is the small community of Dretzka Park, located on the northwestern side of Milwaukee. Dretzka Park is named after a park of the same name, that takes up the majority of the neighborhood. It is a 326-acre park with walking, jogging, and horseback riding trails, along with an extensive golf course.

Home to roughly 793 people, Dretzka Park’s residential housing is mostly new constructions, found south of West Brown Deer Road and north of the park. Residents are considered lower-middle-class and many of them are occupied in the field of farming. They enjoy an abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities at the park, along with many annual festivals, a local indoor pool for year-round open swim, and more.

With significantly low crime rates, when compared to both city and national averages, Dretzka Park takes the tenth spot on our list of the safest neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Violent crimes per 100K people come in at 97 and property crime is 679 for 2020.