The Milwaukee metropolitan area (also known as Metro Milwaukee or Greater Milwaukee) is a major
metropolitan area located in Southeastern
Wisconsin, consisting of the city of
Milwaukee and some of the surrounding area. There are several definitions of the area, including the Milwaukee–Waukesha–West Allis metropolitan area and the Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha combined statistical area. It is the largest metropolitan area in Wisconsin, and the 39th largest metropolitan area in the
United States.
The city of Milwaukee is the hub of the metropolitan area. The eastern parts of Racine County, eastern parts of Waukesha County, southern part of Ozaukee County, southeastern part of Washington County, and remainder of Milwaukee County are the most urbanized parts of the outlying counties.
The Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha
Combined Statistical Area is made up of the Milwaukee–Waukesha–West Allis
Metropolitan Statistical Area (Milwaukee, Waukesha, Washington and Ozaukee counties), the Racine Metropolitan Statistical Area (
Racine County), the Beaver Dam Micropolitan Statistical Area (
Dodge County), the Watertown-Fort Atkinson Micropolitan Area (
Jefferson County), and the Whitewater-Elkorn Micropolitan Area (
Walworth County) according to the U.S. Census.[9] Updated definitions released in February 2013 added Dodge, Jefferson and Walworth Counties to the Milwaukee CSA.
Kenosha, despite being just 32 miles from
Milwaukee and 50 miles from
Chicago, is included as part of the
Chicago CSA, as Kenosha has more residents who commute to the Chicago area. As of the 2019 census estimates, the Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha
Combined Statistical Area population was 2,047,966, the largest in Wisconsin and the
33rd largest in the United States.[8]
Counties
There are eight
counties in the U.S. Census Bureau's Milwaukee–Racine–Waukesha Combined statistical area.[1]
Although each county and its various municipalities are self-governing, there is some cooperation in the metropolitan area. The
Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) is a state-chartered government agency which serves 28 municipalities in the five counties.
At the same time, some in the area see the need for more consolidation in government services. The
Kettl Commission and former Wisconsin Governor
Scott McCallum have supported initiatives to do this. However, full consolidation has faced unsubstantiated criticism as a means of diluting
minority voting power.