Elmbrook School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on Elmbrook School District

Elmbrook School District serves a cluster of suburbs west of Milwaukee, drawing students from Brookfield, Elm Grove, and a small share of surrounding communities. The district is a single coherent system with ten schools, including two comprehensive high schools, two middle schools, and several elementary schools, plus a special-purpose school. It is a full PK-through-12 public district, and its size places it among the larger suburban systems in Waukesha County.

The academic profile here is consistently strong. Across grades three through eight, proficiency rates on the Wisconsin Forward exam sit well above state averages in every tested subject. In math, the share of students scoring proficient or advanced runs in the high seventy to low eighty percent range across grade levels, with the lowest point at eighth grade and the highest at fifth. In English language arts, the pattern is similar, with most grades landing in the upper seventy to low eighty percent range. Science and social studies, tested in fourth and eighth grades, also show strong results, with about three-quarters or more of students reaching proficiency. The district’s overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among Waukesha County’s districts, meaning it is in the stronger half of a generally high-performing county. The district’s chronic absenteeism rate is among the best in the county, a mark of consistent student attendance that supports those academic results.

Because the district has its own high schools, the graduation rate data would normally be a key signal, but the reporting did not include a graduation rate for this cycle. A parent moving into the area for high school years may want to ask the district directly for that figure. Publicly reported sources note that both high schools have been ranked among the top ten in Wisconsin for ACT performance and participation, and the district is frequently listed among the top five in the state on standardized achievement data. Those are external claims, not independently verified here, but they align with the strong proficiency numbers seen in earlier grades.

The student body is predominantly White, with Asian students making up the next largest share, followed by Hispanic, multiracial, and Black students. The district serves a relatively small English learner population, and data on students with disabilities was not available in this set, so a family whose child receives special education services may want to contact the district for more detail on supports. Free and reduced-price lunch data was also missing, which is unusual for a Wisconsin district; that may reflect a change in reporting rather than a policy of not participating.

Housing in the district is expensive relative to the state and national medians. Home values in the main zip codes are well above the Wisconsin benchmark, and rents are also high. The affordability gap between renting and owning means that a mortgage payment on a median-priced home is notably higher than the median rent, so the cost of entry is a real factor for families considering relocation. The county housing market remains active, with a moderate inventory of homes for sale and a median listing price that has held steady in recent months. The area’s economy is strong, with a low unemployment rate and median household income above the national figure.

The district completed a facility upgrade in 2022, remodeling the swimming pools at both high schools as part of a larger capital project approved by voters. That kind of investment signals that the community has supported maintaining its school infrastructure. No recent major curriculum overhaul or boundary change was identified in the available records, so the academic program appears to have been stable in the near term.

For a family weighing this district, the picture is one of consistently high academic performance, a well-resourced set of schools, and a relatively expensive housing market. The peer environment is academically driven, with a student body that is mostly White and Asian and with very low chronic absence. The district sits in a group of strong suburban systems, and it performs at the upper end of that group. A parent whose priorities include a rigorous academic pathway and a stable, well-funded district will find this one fits. A family needing more information on special education, English learner services, or high school graduation rates will need to supplement what is here with a direct call to the district office.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

7,863

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 7%

Black 3%

White 69%

Asian 15%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

56%

86%

Gr 4

52%

80%

Gr 5

52%

81%

Gr 6

55%

85%

Gr 7

58%

81%

Gr 8

49%

77%

Math

Gr 3

65%

86%

Gr 4

54%

82%

Gr 5

73%

86%

Gr 6

52%

84%

Gr 7

64%

83%

Gr 8

51%

80%

Science

Gr 4

41%

77%

Gr 8

46%

73%

Social studies

Gr 4

70%

85%

Gr 8

65%

84%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

63%

84%

Gr 4

48%

77%

Gr 5

48%

79%

Gr 6

52%

81%

Gr 7

67%

76%

Gr 8

53%

72%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

58%

82%

Gr 4

59%

81%

Gr 5

59%

81%

Gr 6

55%

84%

Gr 7

60%

82%

Gr 8

51%

78%

Schools in this District

10 schools are officially reported under this district.

Brookfield Central High

Brookfield East High

Brookfield Elementary

Burleigh Elementary

Fairview South

Tonawanda Elementary

Wisconsin Hills Middle

Swanson Elementary

Pilgrim Park Middle

Dixon Elementary

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

84%

Grade 3

80%

Grade 4

84%

Grade 5

82%

Grade 6

81%

Grade 7

77%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

83%

Grade 3

78%

Grade 4

78%

Grade 5

83%

Grade 6

78%

Grade 7

75%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

74%

Grade 4

70%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

83%

Grade 4

83%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$539,365

Year-over-year change+5.1%

Range across 6 ZIP codes$435K to $678K

vs. state typical1.62x

vs. national typical1.46x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (6 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
53005	Brookfield	$506K	+5.0%	45.8%
53045	Brookfield	$546K	+4.9%	37.3%
53122	Elm Grove	$678K	+5.9%	10.2%
53072	Village of Pewaukee	$543K	+6.2%	5.2%
53151	New Berlin	$455K	+4.5%	1.4%
53051	Menomonee Falls	$435K	+5.3%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$2,208/mo

Range across 5 ZIP codes$1,900 to $3,281/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (5 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
53005	Brookfield	$2,062	—	45.8%
53045	Brookfield	$2,096	—	37.3%
53122	Elm Grove	$3,281	—	10.2%
53072	Village of Pewaukee	$2,274	—	5.2%
53151	New Berlin	$1,900	—	1.4%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,722/mo

Home price / national median income6.4x

Annual rent / national median income31.6%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$514/mo

Market Activity: Waukesha County

Median listing price$584,900

Median listing price YoY+1.7%

Median price per sq ft$253

Median price per sq ft YoY+2.4%

Median days on market36.0 days

Median days on market YoY+24.1%

Active listings1,005

Active listings YoY+4.0%

New listings568

New listings YoY-2.1%

Pending listings194

Pending listings YoY+7.8%

Hotness: median listing price$584,450

Hotness: median listing price YoY+1.6%

Supply score86.2

Supply score YoY-7.9%

Demand score91.2

Demand score YoY-4.0%

Median listing price (12 months)

Median price per sq ft (12 months)

Median days on market (12 months)

Active listings (12 months)

New listings (12 months)

Pending listings (12 months)

Hotness: median listing price (12 months)

Supply score (12 months)

Demand score (12 months)

Comparison

State typical home value$333,909 (+5.4% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.