ZIP reports / WI / 53213
ZIP rental intelligence · 2026-06

ZIP 53213, Wauwatosa, WI

Asking rent, household capacity, housing stock and local context—kept at their original geographic and measurement scopes.

Direct local rent answer

What does rent cost in ZIP 53213?

The latest Zillow ZORI for ZIP 53213 is $1,778 per month in 2026-06. It is a typical observed asking-rent index across rental types—not an arithmetic average, signed lease or quote for one property.

Zillow asking-rent index$1,7782026-06 · up 3.1% year over year
ACS median gross rent$1,319ACS 2024 5-year survey · ±$113 margin of error
HUD two-bedroom standard$1,338Administrative FMR/SAFMR · not asking rent
Bedroom-level rent benchmarks in ZIP 53213
BedroomsModelled asking-rent lensHUD standardHow to use it
Studio$1,365ZORI scaled by the local HUD bedroom ladder$1,027HUD FMR/SAFMR administrative benchmarkCompare with current same-bedroom listings; do not average these two measures.
1 bedroom$1,487ZORI scaled by the local HUD bedroom ladder$1,119HUD FMR/SAFMR administrative benchmarkCompare with current same-bedroom listings; do not average these two measures.
2 bedrooms$1,778ZORI scaled by the local HUD bedroom ladder$1,338HUD FMR/SAFMR administrative benchmarkCompare with current same-bedroom listings; do not average these two measures.
3 bedrooms$2,190ZORI scaled by the local HUD bedroom ladder$1,648HUD FMR/SAFMR administrative benchmarkCompare with current same-bedroom listings; do not average these two measures.
4 bedrooms$2,371ZORI scaled by the local HUD bedroom ladder$1,784HUD FMR/SAFMR administrative benchmarkCompare with current same-bedroom listings; do not average these two measures.

Bedroom estimates are modelled, not observed rents. Zillow, Census ACS and HUD describe different housing universes and remain separate throughout this report.Zillow pulled 2026-08-08

Median household income$101,688ACS 2024 5-year · ±$9,043 MOE
Renter share40.2%5,064 renter households
Rent burden 30%+37.2%1,885 observed households
Housing vacancy2.8%368 of 12,958 units
Six views · one local decision

Read the measures together, without merging them

ZORI tracks observed asking rent, ACS describes occupied renter homes, and HUD publishes an administrative benchmark. The charts preserve those differences and add wider context only where the geography is named.

Three definitions of rent

Useful as a spread, not interchangeable observations.

Three rent measures for ZIP 53213Zillow asking-rent index$1,778ACS median gross rent$1,319HUD two-bedroom standard$1,338

Affordability screen

Annual income implied by 30% of the current ZIP ZORI.

Income screen for ZIP 53213ACS median household income$101,688Income at 30% of ZIP ZORI$71,120

Bedroom ladder

Modelled from ZIP ZORI using the local HUD ladder.

Modelled bedroom rent ladder for ZIP 53213Studio$1,365One bedroom$1,487Two bedrooms$1,778Three bedrooms$2,190Four bedrooms$2,371

Observed renter burden

ACS ZCTA households with computable gross-rent burden.

Observed renter cost burden in ZCTA 5321330% or more of income1,885 householdsBelow 30%3,179 households

ZIP versus wider rent context

Each bar retains its own ZIP, city, county or metro scope.

Asking-rent context for ZIP 53213ZIP 53213$1,778Wauwatosa city$1,722Milwaukee County county$1,520Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro$1,552

Monthly asking-rent history

Direct Zillow ZORI observations over the latest five years. Missing months remain visible gaps.

Five-year direct Zillow asking-rent history for ZIP 53213; missing months remain gaps$1,851$1,678$1,506$1,3342021-062023-122026-06
Five-year change
27.9%exact same-month endpoints
Largest observed drawdown
2.5%peak to a later observed month
Annualized monthly variability
2.7%65 consecutive returns
Monthly coverage
100.0%66 of 66 months
Decision brief

What the evidence says for ZIP 53213

The clearest current tension in this ZIP is firmer resale pricing alongside a still-rising but slower asking-rent path. In June 2026, Zillow's ZIP ZORI is $1,778 per month, up 3.11% from a year earlier. ZORI is a typical observed asking-rent index blended across rental types, not a lease record or a quote for an individual unit. The direct Redfin rolling-three-month ZIP resale observation reports a $459,896 median sold price, up 4.52% year over year. Both measures increased, but the resale price change exceeds the current rent change. This is a present-data tension rather than evidence that one market caused the other, and Redfin describes for-sale transactions, not rental transactions.

The longer ZORI record puts the apparent slowing in context. Through the stated history endpoint, exact same-month annualized changes were 3.11% over 1 year, 3.34% over 3 years, and 5.04% over 5 years. Recent direction therefore confirms, rather than breaks from, the longer upward path, although the latest pace is lower than both longer-horizon measurements. Annualized monthly-return variability was 2.72%, maximum drawdown was -2.45%, and series coverage was 100%. Those backward-looking measurements support qualified confidence in a ZIP-level current snapshot rather than certainty about a particular listing. Transparent national discovery ranks among history-eligible ZIPs were 894 for momentum, 1,085 for stability, and 644 for balanced results; a lower rank is higher. The history is measurement only, not a forecast or investment recommendation.

Scope is essential when interpreting rent levels. The five-digit 53213 label is both Zillow's ZIP market identifier and a matched Census ZCTA; a ZCTA is a statistical area and is not identical to a USPS delivery ZIP. The matched ACS 2024 five-year survey reports a $1,319 median gross rent for occupied renter homes, and gross rent includes selected utilities. It describes established occupied renter households across the ZCTA, whereas Zillow measures a contemporary typical asking-rent index for the ZIP market. The sources consequently represent different populations, timing, and rent concepts. Their level difference is a cross-universe contrast, not a conflict and not a substitute for a specific available unit's asking rent.

HUD supplies a separate rent universe. Its local FMR/SAFMR ladder is an administrative, bedroom-specific standard rather than asking rent; its two-bedroom standard is $1,338. Scaling ZIP ZORI using that local HUD ladder produces modelled monthly ZIP estimates of $1,365 for a studio, $1,487 for one bedroom, $1,778 for two bedrooms, $2,190 for three bedrooms, and $2,371 for four bedrooms. These are modelled estimates, never measured bedroom rents, and they do not become rental comparables merely because the two-bedroom estimate equals the ZIP index. The ladder is useful for consistent bedroom scaling, while its administrative standard remains distinct from observed asking rent.

Stock and burden evidence belong to the ACS ZCTA universe, not to a listing feed. The matched survey records 12,958 housing units and 368 vacant units, a 2.84% vacancy rate. It reports 1,885 renter households, or 37.22%, with gross-rent burdens at or above the 30% threshold. Separately, annualizing the current ZORI and applying that threshold produces a $71,120 required-income screen, against a $101,688 median household income. That required-income screen is arithmetic, not advice or an applicant qualification rule, and the household-income statistic is not renter-specific. Vacancy and burden are area-level counts and shares: neither proves availability, price, utilities, or affordability for a particular unit.

Broader geographic comparisons also point to a higher ZIP index, but they are not substitutes for ZIP evidence. For wider context only, the Wauwatosa city rental context is $1,722, the Milwaukee County rental context is $1,520, and the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metro rental context is $1,552. Each is below the ZIP ZORI. The city, county, and metro values describe their respective wider scopes; none establishes a building-level or unit-level rent inside the ZIP. They also do not supersede the ACS ZCTA survey or the HUD standard. The comparison supplies orientation across named geographies only, while the ZIP asking-rent index remains the local current-market reading.

Resale liquidity detail must remain in Redfin's direct ZIP for-sale universe. In its rolling-three-month observation, 117 homes sold, median marketing time was 31 days, inventory was 55 homes, and months of supply were 1.4. Average sale-to-list was 106.27%, while 77.27% of homes sold above list. Those signals apply to resale listings and completed sales, not to rental transactions or rent comparables. Annualized ZIP ZORI divided by the median sold price is 4.64%, a cross-source screening ratio only, not a measure of property-level economics. The resale price increase and sale signals confirm an upward resale direction, but their faster pace than current rent growth challenges any assumption that the rental and for-sale measures move at identical speeds.

Several limits prevent these aggregates from functioning as property facts. ZORI blends rental types; ACS covers occupied renter homes and selected utilities; HUD supplies an administrative ladder; and Redfin covers resales over a rolling window. Different endpoints, geographic definitions, and populations constrain direct comparisons, while historical changes describe past measurements rather than a forecast. For a concrete property-level check, verify the advertised rent, bedroom count, unit type, lease term, included utilities, and current availability against the source each item actually represents. Where a purchase is under review, separately verify the direct recent resale record, list-to-sale outcome, and marketing details rather than extending the rental index to the property. Does the specific listing's evidence align with these distinct datasets rather than with a ZIP-wide average?

Decision signals

What deserves a closer property-level check

Rent direction is positive, but the latest pace is slower

Zillow's June 2026 ZIP ZORI is $1,778, and the direct history records positive exact same-month changes at 1, 3, and 5 years. The latest 3.11% pace is below the 3.34% and 5.04% longer-window rates. Historical variability informs confidence in a ZIP snapshot, but neither the index nor its path establishes a rent for a particular advertised unit.

Zillow, ACS, and HUD measure distinct rent concepts

ZORI, ACS, and HUD answer different questions. The Zillow index represents typical observed asking rents blended across rental types; ACS median gross rent reflects occupied renter homes in the matched ZCTA and includes selected utilities; HUD uses bedroom-specific administrative standards. The studio-through-four-bedroom figures are modelled by applying the HUD ladder to ZIP ZORI, so they are estimates rather than measured bedroom rents or rental comps.

The income screen and burden statistic are separate readings

The 30% income figure is an arithmetic screen: annualizing $1,778 produces $71,120 in annual income at that share. It is neither advice nor an applicant qualification rule. Separately, ACS reports 37.22% of renter households burdened at 30% or more. That broad ZCTA household statistic cannot prove that a vacancy or any specific available unit is affordable or unaffordable.

Resale signals are stronger than current rent acceleration

Redfin's rolling-three-month ZIP resale series is direct for-sale evidence, showing a $459,896 median sale price, 117 sales, 31 days of marketing, and 1.4 months of supply. It is not a rental dataset. The 4.64% annualized-ZORI-to-sale-price calculation is strictly a cross-source screening ratio and does not represent property-level economics. Faster resale price growth than current ZORI growth is a tension, not a causal conclusion.

  • ZORI blends rental types and reports a ZIP-level typical asking-rent index, so the level can differ from a live listing because unit type, bedroom count, lease terms, and included utilities are unspecified.
  • The Census result is a five-year ZCTA survey of occupied renter homes and includes selected utilities; it is not a contemporaneous inventory of advertised rentals or a measure of a particular unit.
  • HUD bedroom standards are administrative rather than asking rents, and applying their ladder to ZORI creates modelled estimates. Those estimates should not replace measured bedroom rents, landlord quotes, or lease-specific utility terms.
  • Redfin describes a rolling-three-month resale window, not rental transactions. Its ZORI-to-price calculation combines separate sources and does not address expenses, financing, physical condition, lease performance, or future results for an individual property.
Direct ZIP resale evidence

For-sale liquidity inside ZIP 53213

Redfin reports these as a rolling three-month ZIP observation through 2026-06-30. They describe the for-sale market, not rental vacancy or the rent of a particular property.

Median sale price$459,896+4.5% year over year
Homes sold117rolling three-month observation
Median days on market31 daysfor-sale listing absorption
Months of supply1.4resale inventory relative to sales pace

Activity and available supply

Direct ZIP counts remain separate because each describes a different stage of the resale funnel.

Direct resale activity for ZIP 53213Active listings178Inventory55Pending sales130Homes sold117

Counter-signals before underwriting

A price alone does not reveal how quickly buyers are absorbing available homes.

Inventory direction

55 observed inventory · -7.1% year over year.

Price realization

106.3% average sale-to-list ratio · 77.3% sold above original list.

Early absorption

69.7% went off market within two weeks; compare this with 31 median days on market.

Measurement boundary

Small ZIP samples can move sharply. This rolling period smooths monthly noise but does not replace current address-level sale and rent comparables.

Redfin Data Center · updated 2026-07-03 · exact five-digit ZIP key. Implausible source values are withheld as n/a rather than repaired or inherited from a broader geography.

Wider market evidence

Listing and rental liquidity around the ZIP

These measures are not ZIP observations. They are labelled county or metro context so they can challenge the local story without being copied into it.

Milwaukee County listing conditions

1,688 active Realtor.com listings · 33 median days on market · 14.1% price-reduced share · 2026-06.

Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI resale supply

2.1 months of supply · 38 median days on market · 15.6% listings with price drops · Redfin 2026-05-01.

Apartment List metro liquidity

5.2% reported apartment vacancy · n/a. These are direct metro observations and do not describe a particular ZIP unit.

Property-level next step

Compare live same-bedroom listings, concessions, utilities, condition and days listed inside ZIP 53213. The report frames the market; it does not replace a rent roll, lease review or address-level comparable set.

Questions this report can answer

Scope-aware answers

Why does the report show a lower ACS rent than Zillow's current rent?

ACS reports median gross rent among occupied renter homes in the matched ZCTA over a five-year survey and includes selected utilities. Zillow ZORI is a current ZIP-level typical asking-rent index blended across rental types. Timing, covered homes, and utility treatment differ, so the figures are complementary source-universe measures rather than competing quotes.

Are the bedroom rent figures observed rents for studios through four-bedroom homes?

No. HUD supplies a bedroom-specific administrative ladder, while ZORI supplies the ZIP-wide asking-rent index. The report scales the index by that local HUD ladder to create estimates for each bedroom category. Because no observed bedroom rent series is supplied, the outputs are modelled estimates, not measured rents or actual listing quotes.

What does the annualized ZORI-to-sale-price figure show?

Redfin reports ZIP for-sale and resale outcomes over a rolling three-month window, including sales, price, marketing time, supply, and sale-to-list outcomes. Those are not rental transactions. Dividing annualized ZORI by median sold price creates only a cross-source screen, so it cannot state property expenses, performance, or any return.

What property-level facts need separate confirmation?

First confirm the actual advertised rent, bedroom count, unit type, lease terms, and included utilities. Then distinguish a live listing from ZIP ZORI, occupied-home ACS results, and HUD standards. If evaluating a sale, separately verify direct recent resale records and marketing details; ZIP averages cannot confirm conditions or availability for that property.