The Great Migration came late to Milwaukee, and ever since, its political culture has lagged about 20 years behind prevailing national trends. Today, Scott Walker’s home turf stands out for racial and political divisions that are more extreme than those of nearly any other Midwestern or Northern city. Here, with maps produced by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and polling supplied by Marquette University, we illustrate the polarized landscape of urban Milwaukee and Walker’s base in the suburban counties of Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington (WOW for short).

Population Density by Ethnicity

Metro Milwaukee vs. Other Midwestern Cities