Sales tax in Milwaukee, WI
The combined sales tax rate in Milwaukee, WI is 7.9%, effective 2024-01-01.
Last verified
- ZIP codes
- 31 on file · 9 wholly inside the city limits
- Levied by
- Wisconsin and Milwaukee
How the combined rate in Milwaukee, WI is made up
Each government below levies its own share. A seller collects them together at the till and passes each share to the authority that levied it.
| Jurisdiction | Type | Rate | Effective | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | state | 5% | Jan 1, 1980 | Current jurisdiction rate and boundary files |
| Milwaukee | county | 0.9% | Jan 1, 2024 | Current jurisdiction rate and boundary files |
| Milwaukee | city | 2% | Jan 1, 2024 | Current jurisdiction rate and boundary files |
| Combined rate | 7.9% | |||
ZIP codes in Milwaukee
31 on file — 9 wholly inside the city limits and 22 crossing them. Each has its own page.
9 ZIP codes wholly inside Milwaukee
Every address in these is inside the city limits, so all of them pay Milwaukee's rate.
| ZIP code | Combined rate | Also reaches |
|---|---|---|
| 53203 | ~7.9% | no other city |
| 53204 | 7.9% | no other city |
| 53205 | ~7.9% | no other city |
| 53206 | ~7.9% | no other city |
| 53216 | 7.9% | no other city |
| 53218 | ~7.9% | no other city |
| 53224 | ~7.9% | no other city |
| 53233 | 7.9% | no other city |
| 53295 | 7.9% | no other city |
22 ZIP codes crossing the city line
Part of each of these lies outside Milwaukee. An address in one may be taxed at a neighbour's rate instead, and the figure shown is the most likely one across the whole ZIP code.
| ZIP code | Combined rate | Also reaches |
|---|---|---|
| 53154 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Oak Creek |
| 53202 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | no other city |
| 53207 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Cudahy |
| 53208 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Wauwatosa |
| 53209 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Brown Deer, Glendale and River Hills |
| 53210 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Wauwatosa |
| 53211 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Shorewood and Whitefish Bay |
| 53212 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Glendale |
| 53213 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Wauwatosa |
| 53214 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | West Allis and West Milwaukee |
| 53215 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | West Milwaukee |
| 53217 | ~7.9% (5.5%–7.9%) | Bayside, Brown Deer, Fox Point, Glendale, River Hills and Whitefish Bay |
| 53219 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Greenfield, West Allis and West Milwaukee |
| 53220 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Greendale and Greenfield |
| 53221 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Franklin and Greenfield |
| 53222 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Wauwatosa |
| 53223 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Brown Deer |
| 53225 | ~7.9% (5%–7.9%) | Menomonee Falls and Wauwatosa |
| 53226 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Wauwatosa and West Allis |
| 53227 | ~7.9% (5%–7.9%) | Greenfield, New Berlin and West Allis |
| 53228 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | Greenfield, Hales Corners and West Allis |
| 53235 | ~7.9% (5.9%–7.9%) | St. Francis |
What can change the tax you pay in Milwaukee, WI
- ZIP codes shared with a neighbour. 21 of Milwaukee's 31 ZIP codes are also reached by Wauwatosa, Greenfield, West Allis and Brown Deer and 15 other places, so an address in one of them can owe a neighbour's rate instead of Milwaukee's.
- What you are buying. Categories are not taxed alike. The calculator switches between general merchandise, prepared food and lodging, which are the categories we hold rates for here.
How Milwaukee compares with the rest of Wisconsin
Milwaukee's 7.9% is the highest combined rate on file in Wisconsin. Of the state's 894 ZIP codes with a figure, 31 land on the same one, 863 carry a lower figure and 0 a higher one. Across Wisconsin the combined rate runs from 5% to 7.9%. See every city in Wisconsin.
| Combined rate | ZIP codes | Which is this city |
|---|---|---|
| ~5.5% | 792 | |
| ~5% | 56 | |
| ~7.9% | 31 | Milwaukee |
| ~5.9% | 15 |
Counted from ZIP-code figures. A tilde marks a band where some ZIP codes cross a tax boundary and are counted at their most likely rate.
How sales tax is collected
The seller generally collects the tax from the buyer at the point of sale and passes it to the authorities that levied it. In most states it is added at the till rather than included in the advertised price. Read how sales tax works, including sourcing rules, online purchases and who is required to collect.
Rates last verified: Sep 4, 2026. This is when the source was last read, not when this page was last edited.
TaxAndTips provides informational estimates from published tax-rate data. Actual tax treatment can depend on the product or service, the exact address, the transaction, exemption status and applicable law. For official obligations, consult the taxing authority or a qualified tax professional.
Why you can rely on these figures
- Published rates
- State and local rates compiled from the tax authorities that levy them.
- Every figure sourced
- See the jurisdiction breakdown and the document each rate came from.
- No signup
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- Missing means missing
- Where a rate is not verified we say so instead of showing a short total.