About Milwaukee

Milwaukee ( mil-WAW-kee) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and the fifth-largest city in the Midwestern United States. The seat of Milwaukee County, the city is located on Lake Michigan's southwestern shore, and was incorporated in 1846. As of the 2020 census, Milwaukee had a population of 577,222, a decrease from 594,833 in 2010. It is the 31st largest city in the United States and the fourth-largest city situated along one of the Great Lakes. It is the main cultural and economic center of the Milwaukee metropolitan area, the fourth-most densely populated metropolitan area in the Midwest. Milwaukee is considered a "Gamma −" global city, as categorized by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network, with a regional GDP of over $107 billion.Today, Milwaukee is one of the most ethnically and culturally diverse cities in the United States, as well as one of the most segregated cities in America. Its history was heavily influenced by German immigrants in the 19th century, and it became well known for its brewing industry. In recent years, Milwaukee has been undergoing its largest construction boom since the 1960s. Major new additions to the city in the past two decades include the Milwaukee Riverwalk, the Wisconsin Center, American Family Field, The Hop (streetcar system), an expansion to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee Repertory Theater, the Bradley Symphony Center, and Discovery World, as well as major renovations to the UW–Milwaukee Panther Arena. Fiserv Forum opened in late 2018, and hosts sporting events and concerts.