Analysis of Milwaukee Births: Diversity and Concentration

Abstract

The Employment and Training Institute analyzed the city of Milwaukee annual birth data to assist planning by Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent Gregory Thornton. A total of 106,767 children were born to mothers living in the city of Milwaukee over the ten-year period from 1999 through 2008. All race/ethnicity data refer to the mother’s identity. Annual births to Milwaukee residents remained stable at around the 10,500 level from 1999 through 2005, and then increased to 11,372 in 2007 and 11,131 in 2008. Milwaukee births reflect a highly diverse city. A 16% decline in the number of white births over the 10-year period has been more than offset by a 49% increase in Hispanic births. African Americans showed a modest 2.4% increase in births in 2008 compared to 1999. Hmong births showed a 6.5% increase.