History

Founded in 1955, the City of Oak Creek, Wisconsin is located along the western shore of Lake Michigan in the southeast corner of Milwaukee County and adjacent to the City of Milwaukee, Oak Creek, with its 28.4 square miles of area, enjoys an enviable location in the Midwest. Not only is Oak Creek a part of the Milwaukee Metropolitan area, but it is only 85 miles from the heart of Chicago and 330 miles from Minneapolis both via Interstate 94.

Many of our residents have moved here to enjoy the suburban and rural atmosphere while, at the same time, taking advantage of the urban services provided by the City, as well as the professional sports and cultural activities provided within the metropolitan area. This is reflected in the City’s motto, “Where City Meets the Country”.

Oak Creek continues to be one of the fastest growing cities in Milwaukee County. From 2000 to 2010 the population grew from 28,456 to 34,451 people, an increase of over 20 percent. In addition to population growth, over the last 10 years the City has seen significant retail and industrial growth. The City also has aggressively been working on plans for redeveloping former industrial properties within the City including the former Delphi Automotive plant and the Lakefront.

Neighbors

The City is divided up into 22 distinct, named neighborhoods that contain diverse characteristics, which makes each one unique. This diversity is either based on its location in the City, its physical and cultural features or the existing and planned land uses within it.

All of the residential neighborhoods are serviced by one of the six (6) elementary (K-5) schools, two (2) middle schools, and Oak Creek High School of the Oak Creek-Franklin Joint School District. These facilities also serve the neighborhoods for other cultural, recreational and social activities.

The neighborhoods exhibit the City’s goal of housing diversity. The vast majority of the City’s housing stock has been constructed since the City’s incorporation in 1955. Surges in single family home construction were seen in the 1960’s, 1970’s and throughout the 1990’s and 2000’s. Apartments and condominium growth has also surged over the past 20 years. While some neighborhoods may contain a majority of older housing, most display a mix of not only age, but type as well. Some of the residential neighborhoods are comprised of all single family homes; while others include not only single family homes, but also duplexes, mobile homes, condominiums and apartments. The value of housing also exhibits a great deal of diversity from entry-level homes around $175,000 to one over a million dollars. Rental housing also varies greatly based on the age and amenities of the complex.