Neighborhood Indicators of Employment and Economic Family Well-Being for Zipcode 53206: Executive Summary

Abstract

The 53206 zipcode neighborhood serves as a bellwether for poverty changes in Milwaukee and nationally. In the 1990s prior to welfare reform in Wisconsin it had the largest number of families receiving AFDC. In the 2000 Census it showed the largest number of families in poverty among Milwaukee zipcodes. The 2007 neighborhood indicator analyses showed substantial movement in a negative direction, particularly in the last 4-5 years as the number of men incarcerated from and released to these neighborhoods has risen dramatically and residents have been targeted by subprime lenders for refinancing mortgages. Assets were identified, including the relatively high rate of home ownership for single family houses, untapped retail spending (much of which is now leaving the neighborhood), the growth of child care businesses, increases in individuals reporting full or partial self-employment, and government economic supports for families (including child care subsidies, the federal and state earned income tax credits, FoodShare benefits, and medical assistance coverage).