Like the New York neighborhood it shares a name with, Milwaukee's Lower East Side is a hip, walkable urban neighborhood that “has its own heartbeat,” says Elizabeth Hill, a real estate agent with The Realty Company who sells throughout the Milwaukee area. "It's vibrant, lively, and colorful; there's so much to do. It’s a really cool neighborhood.”
Lower East Side's biggest draw is Brady Street, one of the neighborhood's main thoroughfares lined with a vast array of restaurants, bars, coffee shops, bakeries and boutiques. There are no big box stores in the neighborhood — the closest is Whole Foods, which is just north of East North Avenue — so residents pick up groceries at family-owned markets like Glorioso’s Italian Market, which has been serving bakery and deli items to the area for over 70 years. For dining out, Ma Fischer’s is a go-to for diner classics and is another long-time favorite. For a night out with friends, locals head to Wolski’s Tavern, which has been operating since 1908 and offers a cozy, divey vibe. Residents must head a few miles down Interstate 94 to get to retailers like Target and Home Depot, but if they need something quickly, Walgreens is conveniently located at East Brady Street and North Warren Avenue.
Most of the housing in the neighborhood comes in the form of renovated condos that sit in tall complexes, many overlooking Lake Michigan, with rooftop decks that are optimal for summer cookouts and watching the Lakefront Fireworks. Prices range from $110,000 for one bedroom and bathroom to $1.6 million for a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom penthouse with water views. It's also possible to find single-family homes in the Lower East Side, squat bungalows, or tall Queen Ann homes built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Many have been turned into duplexes, but the ones that remain single-family are often recently renovated and offer the same walkability to Brady Street and the lake as condos. Lot sizes are small, and many single-family homes are surrounded by apartment and condo complexes. Regarding crime, Lower East Side has a 5 out of 10 on the CAP Index, one point higher than the national average.
There are multiple green spaces in and around the Lower East Side, including Pulaski Park, which is tucked into the neighborhood's north end and features a softball field, tennis courts, and a children's playground. Lower East Side is also bordered on the shores of Lake Michigan to the east by Juneau Park, Veterans Park, and McKinley Park, which together offer walking trails, tennis courts, fishing, and a marina for boating and sailing enthusiasts.
Each September, the annual Holiday Folk Faire International is a multicultural music festival that features food, music, dance and art. The Milwaukee Comedy Festival takes place at various venues over several days each October. Farmers’ markets throughout the city are busy during the summer, featuring local produce, crafts and more. Fishing, boating, skiing and other water sports are popular at Lake Michigan, just east of the neighborhood.
Students can begin their education at Cass Street School, which serves prekindergarten through eighth grade and has a C-minus on Niche. From there, they can attend Bradley Technology and Trade, a high school serving about 1,000 ninth through 12th-grade students. Bradley Tech partners with MATC and offers college-credit classes in career pathways that include construction, design, manufacturing, and pre-engineering. It has a C-minus on Niche. Families considering private education can pick from several faith-based schools in the area.
Residents must leave the neighborhood to hop on the highway, but Interstates 43 and 794 are within a few miles' drive and connect to the rest of the city and the suburbs. Those taking public transportation can pick up The Hop, a free light-rail train that runs along East Ogden Avenue and traverses the neighborhood, or they can grab the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) bus from its many stops throughout the area.
May Vang
Premier Point Realty LLC
(414) 966-7920
57 Total Sales
1 in Lower East Side
$259,900 Price
Bill Minett
The Real Estate Company Lake & Country
(262) 500-4104
138 Total Sales
1 in Lower East Side
$345,000 Price
Chris Corley
Corley Real Estate
(414) 800-9280
136 Total Sales
16 in Lower East Side
$260K - $1.3M Price Range
Missy Buttrum
HomeWire Realty
(262) 592-8708
264 Total Sales
1 in Lower East Side
$418,500 Price
William Lauer
Keller Williams Realty-Milwaukee North Shore
(414) 667-6897
97 Total Sales
4 in Lower East Side
$275K - $375K Price Range
JJ Hausmann
Compass RE WI-Lake Country
(262) 333-5707
458 Total Sales
3 in Lower East Side
$185K - $315K Price Range
| 1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime | Lower East Side | US |
|---|---|---|
| Homicide | 6 | 4 |
| Sexual Assault | 5 | 4 |
| Assault with Weapon | 5 | 4 |
| Robbery | 4 | 4 |
| Burglary | 5 | 4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 5 | 4 |
| Larceny | 5 | 4 |
| Crime Score | 4 | 4 |
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
On average, homes in Lower East Side, Milwaukee sell after 26 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Lower East Side, Milwaukee over the last 12 months is $322,000, down 4% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
$1,519 - $5,398 per month
$1,246 - $4,019 per month
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A young, trendy and walkable neighborhood along the Milwaukee River
Bustling downtown with condos, nightlife and performance venues near Lake Michigan
Young professionals, students and families renting landlord-owned duplexes
A distinctly suburban-style neighborhood in the center of the city
Historically African American community with a massive Juneteenth celebration
Renters, families and retirees find their place in the east side's melting pot
