Comparing the Suburbs Between Milwaukee and Chicago
We compare suburbs on things you can measure — taxes, home prices, commute times, school report-card data and amenities — so you can build your own short list.
Beatrice Yunck, Real Estate Consultant, Queen Bea Realty Group
Wisconsin license 98118-94 · Illinois license 475.210497 · 4 years in the area
Speaks: English, Po polsku, Deutsch, Español
How we compare suburbs
Every comparison on this site uses the same measures: property and sales tax, median home price, commute time to major employers, published school report-card data and amenities. We never describe or recommend a place by who lives there.
Wisconsin property tax rates on this page are effective full-value rates for the 2025 levy (collected in 2026). Drive times are typical off-peak estimates; train times come from Metra and Amtrak timetables.
Milwaukee’s North Shore
Effective property tax rates: Whitefish Bay 1.39%, Shorewood 1.98%, Fox Point 2.03%. Sales tax is 5.9% (Milwaukee County).
School districts: Whitefish Bay School District; Shorewood School District; Fox Point-Bayside School District with Nicolet Union High School. About 10–15 minutes by car to downtown Milwaukee.
Typical home value: Whitefish Bay $662,000 · Shorewood $548,000 · Fox Point $553,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Lake Country
Effective property tax rates: Delafield 0.91%, Oconomowoc 1.03%, City of Pewaukee 0.85% and Village of Pewaukee 1.01%, Hartland 0.89%. Waukesha County has no county sales tax, so sales tax is 5%.
School districts: Kettle Moraine and Lake Country with Arrowhead Union High School (Delafield, Hartland), Oconomowoc Area School District, Pewaukee School District. About 25–35 minutes by car to downtown Milwaukee.
Typical home value: Delafield $766,000 · Oconomowoc $553,000 · Pewaukee $571,000 · Hartland $672,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Brookfield and Elm Grove
Effective property tax rates: Brookfield 1.06%, Elm Grove 1.10%. The Waukesha County average is 0.99%, compared with 1.90% in Milwaukee County. Sales tax is 5%.
Both are served mainly by the Elmbrook School District. About 20 minutes by car to downtown Milwaukee.
Typical home value: Brookfield $528,000 · Elm Grove $697,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Mequon and Cedarburg
Effective property tax rates: Mequon 1.10%, Cedarburg 1.26%; Ozaukee County average 1.12%. Sales tax is 5.5%.
School districts: Mequon-Thiensville School District; Cedarburg School District. About 25–30 minutes by car to downtown Milwaukee.
Typical home value: Mequon $660,000 · Cedarburg $566,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Kenosha, Pleasant Prairie and Racine
Effective property tax rates: Kenosha 1.54%, Pleasant Prairie 1.22% (Kenosha County average 1.35%); Racine 2.22%, Mount Pleasant 1.57% (Racine County average 1.55%). Sales tax is 5.5%.
School districts: Kenosha Unified; Racine Unified. Metra’s Union Pacific North line runs from Kenosha to Chicago’s Ogilvie Transportation Center in about 1 hour 32–42 minutes, and the Amtrak Hiawatha stops at Sturtevant, near Racine.
Typical home value: Kenosha $285,000 · Pleasant Prairie $470,000 · Racine $223,000 · Mount Pleasant $350,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Lake County, Illinois
Metra to downtown Chicago: Lake Forest 56–66 min (UP-N) or 51–65 min (MD-N); Highland Park 46–56 min; Deerfield 45–59 min; Libertyville 62–76 min.
Source: Metra timetables (October 2026)
School districts: Lake Forest SD 67 and CHSD 115; North Shore SD 112 and Township HSD 113 (Highland Park); Deerfield SD 109 and Township HSD 113; Libertyville SD 70 and CHSD 128.
Typical home value: Lake Forest $1,248,000 · Highland Park $808,000 · Deerfield $662,000 · Libertyville $635,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Wauwatosa vs. Brookfield
- Property tax (effective, 2025 levy): Wauwatosa 1.80% · Brookfield 1.06%
- Sales tax: 5.9% · 5%
- Drive to downtown Milwaukee: about 15 min · about 20 min
- School district: Wauwatosa School District · Elmbrook School District
Typical home value: Wauwatosa $428,000 · Brookfield $528,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Mequon vs. Whitefish Bay
- Property tax (effective, 2025 levy): Mequon 1.10% · Whitefish Bay 1.39%
- Sales tax: 5.5% · 5.9%
- Drive to downtown Milwaukee: about 25 min · about 15 min
- School district: Mequon-Thiensville School District · Whitefish Bay School District
Typical home value: Mequon $660,000 · Whitefish Bay $662,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Lake Forest vs. Libertyville
- Sales tax: 8.25% · 8.75%
- Metra to downtown Chicago: 51–66 min · 62–76 min
- School districts: Lake Forest SD 67 and CHSD 115 · Libertyville SD 70 and CHSD 128
Typical home value: Lake Forest $1,248,000 · Libertyville $635,000Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
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