Jobs, pay and daily life in Grafton, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Grafton is a city in Wisconsin with 12,445 residents. The median household earns $89,861 a year and the median rent is $1,310 a month, which is 17.5% of the median household income. It is part of the Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area, where BLS counts 820,780 jobs.
How Grafton compares. Among the 80 largest places in Wisconsin, Grafton is #78 by population, #73 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #21 for college degrees (#1 = most), #56 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Ozaukee County, is #11 of 72 counties for average pay ($58,909).
Grafton has 12,445 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Wisconsin. It covers 5 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,335 people per square mile. The median age is 41.5, 3% older than the state median (41.5 against 40.2).
The median gross rent is $1,310 a month (rent plus utilities), 21% above the state median ($1,310 against $1,087). Over a year that is 17.5% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $328,800, which is 3.7 times the median household income ($89,861); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 61.3% of households own their home, 10% below the state average (61.3% against 67.8%).
The Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area has 820,780 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $51,160 a year, about the same as the national median ($51,160 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (89,880 jobs, median $48,440); transportation and material moving (71,880 jobs, median $44,820); sales and related (70,510 jobs, median $41,770). The area is most specialised in production (1.5 times) and healthcare support (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($128,250) and legal ($100,570). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Ozaukee County was 2.7%. 68.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Ozaukee County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.5% walk, 15.0% work from home. 14.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 39% above the state average (14.1% against 10.2%).
47.2% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41% above the state share (47.2% against 33.4%). 3.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 27% below the state share (3.8% against 5.2%). The poverty rate is 3.7%, 65% below the state rate (3.7% against 10.6%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 72°F (22.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 19°F (-7.3°C). About 900 mm (35 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (119 mm) and Jan the driest (38 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Cedarburg (3 miles, rent 15% lower); Port Washington (5 miles, rent 23% lower); Mequon (8 miles, rent 65% higher); Brown Deer (10 miles, rent 10% lower). Rent differences are against Grafton; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Wisconsin (285) →State guide: WisconsinCountry guideOzaukee CountyWisconsin rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 285 federal postings open in Wisconsin (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 30,090 | 1.32 | $37,020 | $27,930 | $39,150 | +3% |
| Registered Nurses | 22,400 | 1.26 | $97,360 | $78,730 | $119,490 | -0% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 19,810 | 1.27 | $44,840 | $34,840 | $57,530 | +11% |
| Retail Salespersons | 18,850 | 0.92 | $34,410 | $27,850 | $47,700 | -3% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 17,490 | 0.86 | $28,440 | $22,530 | $36,850 | -9% |
| Cashiers | 15,050 | 0.92 | $30,400 | $23,320 | $37,510 | -8% |
| Office Clerks, General | 14,820 | 1.14 | $44,040 | $24,960 | $60,970 | -2% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 14,380 | 1.23 | $36,620 | $29,600 | $47,740 | -1% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 14,080 | 1.03 | $47,840 | $33,910 | $66,390 | +7% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 12,020 | 0.80 | $34,470 | $29,210 | $48,250 | -8% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 10,790 | 1.65 | $73,880 | $40,370 | $133,810 | +2% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 10,520 | 1.42 | $45,770 | $36,470 | $59,720 | +3% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,480 | 0.57 | $125,490 | $61,420 | $260,040 | +19% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 10,250 | 0.94 | $59,580 | $45,300 | $77,940 | +2% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,020 | 0.84 | $30,330 | $17,920 | $61,890 | -14% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 8,270 | 1.02 | $56,320 | $36,390 | $76,920 | +14% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 7,960 | 1.04 | $80,290 | $60,340 | $132,150 | -4% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 7,930 | 0.88 | $48,480 | $37,440 | $62,730 | +2% |
| Nursing Assistants | 7,880 | 1.03 | $45,690 | $38,850 | $49,160 | +8% |
| Bartenders | 7,330 | 1.84 | $25,970 | $16,930 | $40,250 | -24% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 2,390 | 1.32 | $411,200 | $232,480 | $478,990 | +55% |
| Emergency Medicine Physicians | 500 | 2.87 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | ≥ $239,200 | n/a |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 2,520 | 0.71 | $161,220 | $102,710 | $230,000 | -8% |
| Financial Managers | 5,160 | 1.16 | $156,100 | $92,060 | $269,270 | -6% |
| Dentists, General | 830 | 1.27 | $155,940 | $117,460 | $283,800 | -9% |
| Pharmacists | 1,760 | 1.04 | $153,340 | $120,600 | $180,910 | +9% |
| Sales Managers | 3,240 | 0.96 | $144,560 | $78,960 | $229,400 | -3% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 1,610 | 1.38 | $143,570 | $103,100 | $209,240 | -16% |
| Human Resources Managers | 1,190 | 1.02 | $136,530 | $96,770 | $225,010 | -9% |
| Physician Assistants | 1,220 | 1.43 | $135,040 | $97,090 | $169,360 | -1% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,450 | 0.85 | $134,350 | $109,350 | $168,760 | +2% |
| Computer Network Architects | 790 | 0.83 | $134,070 | $92,190 | $169,890 | +0% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 2,320 | 0.74 | $133,270 | $95,170 | $332,860 | +8% |
| Lawyers | 4,040 | 1.02 | $131,100 | $78,970 | $436,120 | -18% |
| Marketing Managers | 1,580 | 0.76 | $130,700 | $81,980 | $216,350 | -22% |
| Managers, All Other | 3,280 | 1.00 | $129,300 | $79,120 | $203,090 | -9% |
| Purchasing Managers | 610 | 1.38 | $127,950 | $83,250 | $202,010 | -14% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,480 | 0.57 | $125,490 | $61,420 | $260,040 | +19% |
| Software Developers | 6,170 | 0.69 | $123,730 | $77,740 | $164,660 | -9% |
| Construction Managers | 1,680 | 0.84 | $119,170 | $77,170 | $169,000 | +4% |
These figures are for the whole Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $51,160 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.2% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.2% |
| Manufacturing | 21.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.7% |
| Retail trade | 12.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 6.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 6.6% |
| Wholesale trade | 5.2% |
| Construction | 3.8% |
| Public administration | 2.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 1.8% |
| Other services | 1.8% |
| Information | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Grafton lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ozaukee County | 92,966 | $7,073 million | $76,087 | 41,266 | 3,167 | $58,909 | +1.2% | 2.7% | 50,406 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,036 | 21.9% | $74,408 | 2.37 |
| Health care and social assistance | 6,914 | 18.8% | $61,978 | 1.17 |
| Retail trade | 4,595 | 12.5% | $34,751 | 1.11 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,956 | 10.8% | $21,130 | 1.05 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,430 | 6.6% | $76,489 | 0.85 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,736 | 4.7% | $45,700 | 0.71 |
| Educational services | 1,617 | 4.4% | $32,919 | 1.90 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,445 | 3.9% | $93,885 | 0.89 |
| Construction | 1,394 | 3.8% | $67,936 | 0.64 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,204 | 3.3% | $127,150 | 0.72 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,185 | 3.2% | $40,667 | 0.95 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,050 | 2.9% | $23,534 | 1.51 |
| Management of companies | 419 | 1.1% | $203,397 | 0.60 |
| Real estate and rental | 411 | 1.1% | $49,733 | 0.64 |
| Information | 294 | 0.8% | $92,417 | 0.38 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 78.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.5% |
| Work from home | 15.0% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 14.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $89,861 |
| Income per person | $47,360 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,310 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.5% |
| Median home value | $328,800 |
| Homeowners | 61.3% |
| Poverty rate | 3.7% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 96.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $51,160 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 7.65%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 41.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 97.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 47.2% |
| Born abroad | 3.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 68.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -7.3 | 19 | 38 |
| Feb | -6.2 | 21 | 39 |
| Mar | 0.2 | 32 | 56 |
| Apr | 6.2 | 43 | 93 |
| May | 12.4 | 54 | 106 |
| Jun | 18.4 | 65 | 119 |
| Jul | 22.0 | 72 | 89 |
| Aug | 21.3 | 70 | 94 |
| Sep | 17.1 | 63 | 84 |
| Oct | 9.5 | 49 | 80 |
| Nov | 2.6 | 37 | 52 |
| Dec | -4.0 | 25 | 50 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedarburg | WI | 3 mi | 12,605 | $84,896 | $1,116 |
| Port Washington | WI | 5 mi | 12,645 | $81,948 | $1,008 |
| Mequon | WI | 8 mi | 25,270 | $144,051 | $2,157 |
| Brown Deer | WI | 10 mi | 12,564 | $93,974 | $1,183 |
| Germantown | WI | 11 mi | 20,962 | $100,231 | $1,355 |
| Glendale | WI | 13 mi | 13,656 | $78,092 | $1,432 |
| West Bend | WI | 14 mi | 32,030 | $74,076 | $1,076 |
| Menomonee Falls | WI | 14 mi | 39,539 | $100,238 | $1,313 |
| Whitefish Bay | WI | 15 mi | 14,665 | $157,109 | $1,335 |
| Richfield | WI | 15 mi | 11,755 | $143,963 | $1,388 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
12,445 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,310 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.5% of the median household income.
$89,861 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
2.7% (BLS county, Ozaukee County (latest month 2026M09)).
Wisconsin. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.