Wauwatosa is a city located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. As of the 2004 census estimate, the city had a total population of 45,602. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area. It is named after the Algonquian word for firefly.
Wauwatosa contains Milwaukee County's Regional Medical Center (which contains one of two level one trauma centers in the state), the Milwaukee County Grounds and the Milwaukee County Zoo.
Wauwatosa is located at 43°3'32" North, 88°1'34" West (43.058862, -88.026162).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 34.3 km2 (13.2 mi2). 34.3 km2 (13.2 mi2) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water except the Menomonee River.
Eastern Wauwatosa is also known for its homes and residential streets, at one time just a short streetcar ride away from downtown Milwaukee. Prior to the arrival of Dutch elm disease, many of Wauwatosa's older residential streets had large gothic colonnades of American Elm trees. In Wauwatosa, the Menomonee Valley made it easier to quarry portions of the Niagara Escarpment, which provided the necessary materials for sturdy cream colored bricks and stout limestone foundations used in many homes and public buildings throughout the region.
As of the census estimate of 2004, there are 45,602 people, 20,388 households, and 12,314 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,378.5/km2 (3,570.5/mi2). There are 20,917 housing units at an average density of 610.0/km2 (1,579.9/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 93.97% White, 2.04% African American, 0.27% Native American, 1.94% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.54% from other races, and 1.17% from two or more races. 1.72% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 20,388 households out of which 28.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.0% are married couples living together, 7.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.6% are non-families. 33.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 15.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.27 and the average family size is 2.96.
In the city the population is spread out with 23.3% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 31.2% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 18.2% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 39 years. For every 100 females there are 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 81.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $54,519, and the median income for a family is $68,030. Males have a median income of $46,721 versus $35,289 for females. The per capita income for the city is $28,834. 3.8% of the population and 2.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 3.9% of those under the age of 18 and 5.5% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The lush Menomonee River Valley of the Wauwatosa area provided a key overland gateway between the rich glacial farmland of southeastern Wisconsin and the Port of Milwaukee.
In 1849 the Watertown Plank Road was constructed through Wauwatosa. In 1851 Wisconsin's first railroad (later becoming The Milwaukee Road) established Wauwatosa as its western terminus. One of the world's first airliners constructed by Alfred Lawson and Vincent Brunelli took its maiden flight in 1919 from what is now Currie Park. In the 1950s, Wauwatosa was able to annex large parcels of land on its northwestern side which became the home to several large cold storage and regional food distribution terminals. Industrial plants owned by firms including Harley-Davidson and Briggs & Stratton were also constructed.
In the past forty years, western Wauwatosa has become an edge city with an important commercial and retail district built up along Milwaukee's beltline Highway 100 and anchored by the Mayfair Mall.
Wauwatosa received some national attention in 1992 when the Wauwatosa Common Council, threatened with a lawsuit, decided to remove a cross from the City's seal adopted in 1957.
Source:
WauwatosaWisconsin.com
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