How many people live in subsidized housing in Waukesha County, WI?
In 2025, about 3,700 people lived in subsidized housing in Waukesha County, WI. This was equivalent to about 1.5 people per unit. Subsidized housing options vary by location, ranging from high-rise or garden-style apartments to single-family dwellings, duplexes, and more. On average, residents in 2025 have lived in their units for 7 years and 11 months.
In 2025
3.71K
people lived in subsidized housing in Waukesha County, WI
In 2025
0.89%
of the Waukesha County, WI population lived in subsidized housing
Federally subsidized rental housing began with 1937’s US Housing Act, which created the United States Housing Authority and provided financial assistance to state and local governments for housing low-income people. Since then, the government has provided housing assistance to low-income renters through programs overseen by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
In Waukesha County, 0.89% of people live in subsidized housing versus the Wisconsin average of 1.9%.
Share of population living in subsidized housing, by county (2025)
How much do people living in subsidized housing earn?
People who live in subsidized housing share one thing: incomes low enough to qualify for housing assistance. In 2025, HUD classified 97% of households in subsidized housing as very low income and 75% as extremely low income.The average household in subsidized housing earned $19,795 in annual income. Across all subsidized housing, 96% of households earned less than $40,000.
32% of households with subsidies earned $10K to <$15K in annual income.
Waukesha County, WI households in subsidized housing, by annual income (2025)
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What are the main sources of income for people in subsidized housing?
Renters living in subsidized housing earn income from different sources. Wages, salaries, and business income is the main income source for 13% of households. Another 84% of households earn the majority of their income from other sources, a broad category that includes Social Security payments; insurance benefits; pensions; interest or dividends; and payments in lieu of salary like worker’s compensation, severance, unemployment, or disability. Finally, welfare — which according to HUD and the Census Bureau includes the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, general assistance, or emergency assistance payments — is not the primary source of income for any households in Waukesha County, WI. The remaining 3% is unaccounted for in the data.Welfare assistance programs were the primary source of income for 0% of households in subsidized housing.
Sources of income for Waukesha County, WI households in subsidized housing (2025)
Households living in subsidized housing contribute to their rent. In 2025, households living in subsidized housing in Waukesha County, WI paid average monthly rent of $470, which translates to an average of $5,640 per year, or 28.5% of the average household’s annual income. HUD contributed $699 per household per month, on average.
Who lives in subsidized housing?
Households that qualify for subsidies have a variety of family structures. HUD data focuses on homes with children, female-headed households, and households that include people with disabilities. In 2025:- 19% of households had one or more children under 18 years, and about 94.7% of these were headed by single parents.
- 72% of households were headed by women, and 18% were headed by women with children.
- 37% of all people living in subsidized housing had a disability.
Fifty-two percent of households living in subsidized housing are headed by people age 62 and older, the youngest age when people can qualify for Social Security. People aged 25 to 50 are considered “prime-age workers,” and households led by this group make up 30% of all households in subsidized housing.
Subsidized households were most often headed by those 62 and older.
Waukesha County, WI households in subsidized housing, by householder age (2025)
Keep exploring
- How does the government support people with Section 8 housing? - The Department of Housing and Urban Development offers two rental assistance programs for low-income Americans under Section 8 housing — Project-Based Rental Assistance and Housing Choice Vouchers.
- How many subsidized housing units are available in Waukesha County, WI?
- How did the COVID-19 pandemic change America, according to new Census data? - The percentage of people working from home tripled between 2019 and 2021, while housing got more expensive relative to income.
- How many vacant homes are there in the US? - Over 15 million American homes — approximately 10% of the country’s housing inventory — were vacant in 2024.
Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
