Winter Home Emergency Index · 2026 edition
Milwaukee, WI: 28th of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches
Milwaukee has 16.4 typical December–February searches for furnace, frozen-pipe and emergency plumber help per 1,000 households, 1.3x the median city (12.3). That's less than its normal winter cold predicts (0.90x), 61st of 99 cities on this measure.
Winter in Milwaukee
- Search demand typically peaks in January, when it runs 2.26x the city's yearly average.
- 16% of winter searches are for urgent problems: burst or frozen pipes, no heat, emergency furnace repair.
- Emergency plumber searches add up to about 13.8 per 1,000 households a year.
- A normal December–February brings 3,429 heating degree days at Milwaukee Mitchell Airport.
Homes in Milwaukee
- The median home was built in 1952.
- 85% of homes were built before 1980.
- 79% of households heat with gas and 17% with electricity.
- 42% of households own their home.
- 231,084 households in city limits (ACS 2023).
Milwaukee ranks 73rd in the Summer AC Emergency Index. See Milwaukee's summer page.
About these numbers
Search demand from Google Ads, Oct 2022 to Sep 2026, for 30 heating and plumbing terms. Each month uses the median of that calendar month across four years. "Milwaukee" is the location as Google Ads defines it; households are city limits. This measures searches, not breakdowns or claims. Full methodology.
Cite: Home Stats Data, "Milwaukee, WI ranks 28th of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches," October 24, 2026, https://homestatsdata.com/plumbing/frozen-pipe-statistics/milwaukee-wi/