Brown Deer School District, WI

Original Research by School Decision on Brown Deer School District

The Brown Deer School District serves a single community, the Village of Brown Deer, located in Milwaukee County. It is a full PK through 12 district composed of two schools: an elementary school and a combined middle/high school. The enrollment is substantial for a district of this configuration, and the student body is diverse. The largest racial or ethnic group is Black or African American, followed by Asian students and White students; Hispanic and multiracial students each make up a noticeable share of the population.

State testing results from the Forward assessment show a mixed picture that parents will want to examine grade by grade. In math, performance at grade 3 stands out as a clear strength, with a high share of students meeting or exceeding the bar. That early strength is not sustained in the middle grades; proficiency in math drops considerably by grade 6 before recovering to a moderate level in grades 7 and 8. In English language arts, the pattern is flatter across grades, with a moderate share of students proficient, though the district’s strongest ELA result is in grade 3. Science results, which are tested only in grades 4 and 8, show a low share of students at proficiency, a soft spot a family may want to discuss with the school. Social studies results are in a moderate range at both the 4th and 8th grade levels.

Putting these performance figures into context, the district’s overall proficiency index lands below the midpoint among Milwaukee County’s districts, while its chronic absenteeism rate, which is high, also sits below the midpoint. The district’s per-pupil current spending falls in the middle range, lower half of county peers. A graduation rate for the district was not available in the data, so that key measure for the high school is a gap a parent would need to verify directly with the school.

Housing in the areas served by the district shows a wide spread. Most of the district’s housing weight falls in the Milwaukee ZIP codes that include the village, where home values and rents are notably lower than the state median and below the national median. A very small sliver of the district’s ZIP code geography reaches into a more expensive area, but the district-weighted figures indicate an accessible market compared to the broader region. Rents are moderate relative to the national median household income, and the typical monthly mortgage is lower than the typical rent, which is an unusual pattern that may reflect down payment requirements as much as outright affordability.

The district brief turned up no specific recent parent-relevant changes such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or strategic plan updates. That absence means a family looking at Brown Deer should approach the district as one that has not been in the news for major shifts, but it also means there is little public documentation of what the district’s immediate academic or facility priorities are. A parent or resident would need to seek that directly from the board or administration.

This district offers a straightforward structure with a single elementary feeding into a combined middle and high school, which means a student will move through the system with a consistent peer group. The academic data suggests a district that has a bright spot in early elementary math and more variable results in other subjects and later grades. The higher-than-average chronic absenteeism rate is worth a close look, as it can affect classroom pace and school culture. For a family prioritizing a diverse student body and a suburban setting with relatively affordable housing close to Milwaukee, Brown Deer is a logical option, but the academic and attendance data point to areas where engagement with the school would be important.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

1,647

Grades

PK–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 8%

Black 55%

White 14%

Asian 15%

Two+ 8%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

48%

82%

Gr 4

33%

61%

Gr 5

37%

50%

Gr 6

33%

49%

Gr 7

32%

60%

Gr 8

47%

56%

Math

Gr 3

74%

87%

Gr 4

41%

58%

Gr 5

40%

50%

Gr 6

21%

40%

Gr 7

41%

64%

Gr 8

48%

58%

Science

Gr 4

22%

32%

Gr 8

29%

33%

Social studies

Gr 4

38%

68%

Gr 8

41%

51%

source_specific:read

Gr 3

45%

74%

Gr 4

41%

65%

Gr 5

38%

50%

Gr 6

36%

53%

Gr 7

34%

55%

Gr 8

44%

source_specific:wri

Gr 3

49%

79%

Gr 4

36%

52%

Gr 5

37%

44%

Gr 6

29%

47%

Gr 7

30%

64%

Gr 8

45%

64%

Schools in this District

2 schools are officially reported under this district.

Brown Deer Middle/High

Brown Deer Elementary

Academic Performance

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

Mathematics

6 grades reported

78%

Grade 3

46%

Grade 4

44%

Grade 5

29%

Grade 6

50%

Grade 7

52%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

60%

Grade 3

41%

Grade 4

41%

Grade 5

39%

Grade 6

42%

Grade 7

50%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

25%

Grade 4

30%

Grade 8

Social Studies

2 grades reported

47%

Grade 4

44%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

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

Home Values

Typical home value$218,999

Year-over-year change+4.9%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$168K to $571K

vs. state typical0.66x

vs. national typical0.59x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
53223	Milwaukee	$231K	+5.3%	79.9%
53209	Milwaukee	$168K	+2.9%	20.0%
53217	Fox Point	$571K	+5.7%	0.2%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,472/mo

Year-over-year change+7.1%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$1,341 to $2,028/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
53223	Milwaukee	$1,504	—	79.9%
53209	Milwaukee	$1,341	+7.1%	20.0%
53217	Fox Point	$2,028	+6.4%	0.2%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,105/mo

Home price / national median income2.6x

Annual rent / national median income21.1%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$367/mo

Market Activity: Milwaukee County

Median listing price$279,900

Median listing price YoY+1.8%

Median price per sq ft$202

Median price per sq ft YoY+3.6%

Median days on market34.0 days

Median days on market YoY+17.2%

Active listings1,669

Active listings YoY+20.7%

New listings912

New listings YoY+3.2%

Pending listings309

Pending listings YoY+24.1%

Hotness: median listing price$269,900

Hotness: median listing price YoY-0.9%

Supply score89.5

Supply score YoY-4.4%

Demand score66.2

Demand score YoY-8.3%

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.