# Does commercial permits by number of businesses show a pattern in Milwaukee?

Milwaukee neighborhoods that have more businesses got more commercial permits: a strong pattern across 176 neighborhoods, correlation 0.86.

The quarter of neighborhoods that have fewer businesses average 0.3, and the quarter that have more businesses average 4.0. Mitchell West is furthest from the pattern, at 12 with 117 on the other measure.

Metric: Commercial building permits. Period: Permits on file; Records on file today. Source: [City of Milwaukee residential and commercial permit work data](https://data.milwaukee.gov/dataset/buildingpermits).

## City of Milwaukee neighborhoods

| Order | Neighborhood | Commercial building permits | Business records |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Juneau Town](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/juneau-town) | 23 | 594 |
| 2 | [Bay View](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/bay-view) | 17 | 395 |
| 3 | [Kilbourn Town](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/kilbourn-town) | 14 | 399 |
| 4 | [Mitchell West](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/mitchell-west) | 12 | 117 |
| 5 | [Lower East Side](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lower-east-side) | 11 | 401 |
| 6 | [Walker's Point](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/walkers-point) | 9 | 353 |
| 7 | [Riverwest](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/riverwest) | 7 | 160 |
| 8 | [Avenues West](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/avenues-west) | 6 | 150 |
| 8 | [Southgate](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/southgate) | 6 | 101 |
| 10 | [Menomonee River Valley](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/menomonee-river-valley) | 5 | 110 |
| 10 | [Town of Lake](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/town-of-lake) | 5 | 50 |
| 10 | [Yankee Hill](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/yankee-hill) | 5 | 79 |
| 13 | [Brynwood](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/brynwood) | 4 | 27 |
| 13 | [Burnham Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/burnham-park) | 4 | 79 |
| 13 | [Harambee](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/harambee) | 4 | 117 |
| 13 | [Lincoln Creek](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lincoln-creek) | 4 | 71 |
| 13 | [Williamsburg](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/williamsburg) | 4 | 65 |
| 18 | [Cold Spring Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/cold-spring-park) | 3 | 16 |
| 18 | [Dineen Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/dineen-park) | 3 | 62 |
| 18 | [Harbor View](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/harbor-view) | 3 | 83 |
| 18 | [Historic Mitchell Street](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/historic-mitchell-street) | 3 | 232 |
| 18 | [Lincoln Village](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lincoln-village) | 3 | 122 |
| 18 | [Menomonee River Hills East](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/menomonee-river-hills-east) | 3 | 73 |
| 18 | [Morgandale](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/morgandale) | 3 | 81 |
| 18 | [Muskego Way](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/muskego-way) | 3 | 102 |
| 18 | [Old North Milwaukee](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/old-north-milwaukee) | 3 | 93 |
| 18 | [Timmerman West](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/timmerman-west) | 3 | 95 |
| 18 | [Washington Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/washington-heights) | 3 | 97 |
| 29 | [Arlington Gardens](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/arlington-gardens) | 2 | 56 |
| 29 | [Arlington Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/arlington-heights) | 2 | 38 |
| 29 | [Brewer's Hill](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/brewers-hill) | 2 | 80 |
| 29 | [Calumet Farms](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/calumet-farms) | 2 | 9 |
| 29 | [Gra-Ram](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/gra-ram) | 2 | 18 |
| 29 | [Havenwoods](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/havenwoods) | 2 | 9 |
| 29 | [Historic Third Ward](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/historic-third-ward) | 2 | 309 |
| 29 | [Lindsay Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lindsay-park) | 2 | 17 |
| 29 | [Midtown](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/midtown) | 2 | 77 |
| 29 | [Miller Valley](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/miller-valley) | 2 | 18 |
| 29 | [Northpoint](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/northpoint) | 2 | 55 |
| 29 | [Park Place](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/park-place) | 2 | 43 |
| 29 | [Silver Spring](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/silver-spring) | 2 | 59 |
| 29 | [Silver Swan](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/silver-swan) | 2 | 35 |
| 29 | [Tippecanoe](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/tippecanoe) | 2 | 45 |
| 29 | [Tripoli Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/tripoli-park) | 2 | 20 |
| 29 | [Washington Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/washington-park) | 2 | 80 |
| 46 | [Alverno](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/alverno) | 1 | 9 |
| 46 | [Amani](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/amani) | 1 | 85 |
| 46 | [Bluemound Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/bluemound-heights) | 1 | 86 |
| 46 | [Bradley Estates](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/bradley-estates) | 1 | 10 |
| 46 | [Cambridge Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/cambridge-heights) | 1 | 23 |
| 46 | [Cannon Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/cannon-park) | 1 | 25 |
| 46 | [Capitol Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/capitol-heights) | 1 | 161 |
| 46 | [Castle Manor](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/castle-manor) | 1 | 38 |
| 46 | [Clarke Square](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/clarke-square) | 1 | 96 |
| 46 | [Clayton Crest](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/clayton-crest) | 1 | 23 |
| 46 | [Cooper Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/cooper-park) | 1 | 16 |
| 46 | [Downer Woods](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/downer-woods) | 1 | 55 |
| 46 | [Estabrook Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/estabrook-park) | 1 | 40 |
| 46 | [Fair Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/fair-park) | 1 | 31 |
| 46 | [Fairfield](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/fairfield) | 1 | 41 |
| 46 | [Florist Highlands](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/florist-highlands) | 1 | 3 |
| 46 | [Forest Home Hills](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/forest-home-hills) | 1 | 50 |
| 46 | [Goldman Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/goldman-park) | 1 | 16 |
| 46 | [Grasslyn Manor](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/grasslyn-manor) | 1 | 31 |
| 46 | [Green Moor](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/green-moor) | 1 | 16 |
| 46 | [Hawley Farms](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/hawley-farms) | 1 | 6 |
| 46 | [Holler Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/holler-park) | 1 | 19 |
| 46 | [Jackson Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/jackson-park) | 1 | 49 |
| 46 | [Lincoln Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lincoln-park) | 1 | 23 |
| 46 | [Long View](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/long-view) | 1 | 46 |
| 46 | [Marquette](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/marquette) | 1 | 50 |
| 46 | [Martin Drive](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/martin-drive) | 1 | 24 |
| 46 | [Menomonee River Hills](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/menomonee-river-hills) | 1 | 32 |
| 46 | [Merrill Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/merrill-park) | 1 | 32 |
| 46 | [Mitchell Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/mitchell-park) | 1 | 8 |
| 46 | [Mount Mary](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/mount-mary) | 1 | 31 |
| 46 | [North Division](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/north-division) | 1 | 68 |
| 46 | [Northridge](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/northridge) | 1 | 39 |
| 46 | [Parkway Hills](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/parkway-hills) | 1 | 10 |
| 46 | [Riverside Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/riverside-park) | 1 | 33 |
| 46 | [Saint Joseph](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/saint-joseph) | 1 | 43 |
| 46 | [Saveland Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/saveland-park) | 1 | 11 |
| 46 | [St. Amelian's](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/st-amelians) | 1 | 25 |
| 46 | [Story Hill](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/story-hill) | 1 | 65 |
| 46 | [Thurston Woods](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/thurston-woods) | 1 | 17 |
| 46 | [Town & Country Manor](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/town-and-country-manor) | 1 | 16 |
| 46 | [Triangle North](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/triangle-north) | 1 | 52 |
| 46 | [Uptown](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/uptown) | 1 | 101 |
| 46 | [Valley Forge](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/valley-forge) | 1 | 1 |
| 46 | [Wahl Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/wahl-park) | 1 | 14 |
| 46 | [West View](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/west-view) | 1 | 26 |
| 46 | [Wick Field](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/wick-field) | 1 | 28 |
| 46 | [Wilson Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/wilson-park) | 1 | 39 |
| 94 | [Alcott Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/alcott-park) | 0 | 3 |
| 94 | [Baran Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/baran-park) | 0 | 4 |
| 94 | [Borchert Field](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/borchert-field) | 0 | 15 |
| 94 | [Brown Deer Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/brown-deer-park) | 0 | 3 |
| 94 | [Clock Tower Acres](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/clock-tower-acres) | 0 | 29 |
| 94 | [College Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/college-heights) | 0 | 17 |
| 94 | [Columbus Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/columbus-park) | 0 | 37 |
| 94 | [Concordia](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/concordia) | 0 | 30 |
| 94 | [Copernicus Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/copernicus-park) | 0 | 8 |
| 94 | [Dretzka Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/dretzka-park) | 0 | 7 |
| 94 | [Enderis Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/enderis-park) | 0 | 26 |
| 94 | [Euclid Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/euclid-park) | 0 | 17 |
| 94 | [Fairview](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/fairview) | 0 | 13 |
| 94 | [Fernwood](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/fernwood) | 0 | 20 |
| 94 | [Franklin Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/franklin-heights) | 0 | 52 |
| 94 | [Freedom Village](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/freedom-village) | 0 | 12 |
| 94 | [Garden Homes](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/garden-homes) | 0 | 33 |
| 94 | [Golden Valley](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/golden-valley) | 0 | 14 |
| 94 | [Graceland](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/graceland) | 0 | 12 |
| 94 | [Grantosa](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/grantosa) | 0 | 14 |
| 94 | [Granville Station](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/granville-station) | 0 | 22 |
| 94 | [Granville Woods](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/granville-woods) | 0 | 7 |
| 94 | [Grover Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/grover-heights) | 0 | 8 |
| 94 | [Halyard Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/halyard-park) | 0 | 62 |
| 94 | [Hampton Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/hampton-heights) | 0 | 26 |
| 94 | [Harder's Oaks](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/harders-oaks) | 0 | 1 |
| 94 | [Hawthorne Glen](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/hawthorne-glen) | 0 | 10 |
| 94 | [Haymarket](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/haymarket) | 0 | 26 |
| 94 | [Heritage Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/heritage-heights) | 0 | 15 |
| 94 | [Highwood Estates](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/highwood-estates) | 0 | 9 |
| 94 | [Hillside](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/hillside) | 0 | 36 |
| 94 | [Hilltop Parish](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/hilltop-parish) | 0 | 1 |
| 94 | [Honey Creek Manor](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/honey-creek-manor) | 0 | 19 |
| 94 | [Johnson's Woods](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/johnsons-woods) | 0 | 16 |
| 94 | [King Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/king-park) | 0 | 21 |
| 94 | [Kops Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/kops-park) | 0 | 12 |
| 94 | [Lake Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lake-park) | 0 | 32 |
| 94 | [Layton Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/layton-park) | 0 | 64 |
| 94 | [Lenox Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lenox-heights) | 0 | 18 |
| 94 | [Lyons Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/lyons-park) | 0 | 12 |
| 94 | [Maitland Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/maitland-park) | 0 | 17 |
| 94 | [Maple Tree](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/maple-tree) | 0 | 9 |
| 94 | [McGovern Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/mcgovern-park) | 0 | 16 |
| 94 | [Melody View](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/melody-view) | 0 | 2 |
| 94 | [Metcalfe Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/metcalfe-park) | 0 | 37 |
| 94 | [Mill Valley](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/mill-valley) | 0 | 1 |
| 94 | [Morgan Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/morgan-heights) | 0 | 15 |
| 94 | [Murray Hill](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/murray-hill) | 0 | 91 |
| 94 | [Nash Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/nash-park) | 0 | 30 |
| 94 | [National Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/national-park) | 0 | 20 |
| 94 | [New Coeln](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/new-coeln) | 0 | 18 |
| 94 | [North Granville](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/north-granville) | 0 | 23 |
| 94 | [Northridge Lakes](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/northridge-lakes) | 0 | 10 |
| 94 | [Park Knoll](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/park-knoll) | 0 | 9 |
| 94 | [Park View](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/park-view) | 0 | 1 |
| 94 | [Pheasant Run](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/pheasant-run) | 0 | 1 |
| 94 | [Pollber Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/pollber-heights) | 0 | 1 |
| 94 | [Polonia](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/polonia) | 0 | 85 |
| 94 | [Red Oak Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/red-oak-heights) | 0 | 4 |
| 94 | [River Bend](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/river-bend) | 0 | 20 |
| 94 | [Riverton Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/riverton-heights) | 0 | 1 |
| 94 | [Rolling Green](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/rolling-green) | 0 | 6 |
| 94 | [Roosevelt Grove](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/roosevelt-grove) | 0 | 93 |
| 94 | [Root Creek](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/root-creek) | 0 | 8 |
| 94 | [Rufus King](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/rufus-king) | 0 | 32 |
| 94 | [Schlitz Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/schlitz-park) | 0 | 31 |
| 94 | [Servite Woods](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/servite-woods) | 0 | 12 |
| 94 | [Sherman Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/sherman-park) | 0 | 62 |
| 94 | [Silver City](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/silver-city) | 0 | 63 |
| 94 | [Southpoint](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/southpoint) | 0 | 66 |
| 94 | [Sunset Heights](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/sunset-heights) | 0 | 47 |
| 94 | [The Valley/Pigsville](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/the-valley-pigsville) | 0 | 3 |
| 94 | [Triangle](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/triangle) | 0 | 10 |
| 94 | [Upper East Side](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/upper-east-side) | 0 | 22 |
| 94 | [Valhalla](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/valhalla) | 0 | 22 |
| 94 | [Vogel Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/vogel-park) | 0 | 19 |
| 94 | [Walnut Hill](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/walnut-hill) | 0 | 38 |
| 94 | [Wedgewood](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/wedgewood) | 0 | 4 |
| 94 | [Whispering Hills](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/whispering-hills) | 0 | 3 |
| 94 | [White Manor](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/white-manor) | 0 | 10 |
| 94 | [Woodland Court](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/woodland-court) | 0 | 12 |
| 94 | [Woodlands](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/woodlands) | 0 | 8 |
| 94 | [Wyrick Park](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/wyrick-park) | 0 | 10 |

To be counted, a neighborhood has to meet the floor on both measures. Neighborhoods under that are in the table with their numbers and the reason, and aren't in the correlation.

## Suburbs

| Order | Neighborhood | Commercial building permits | Business records |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | [Wauwatosa](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/wauwatosa) | 1 | 765 |
| 2 | [Bayside](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/bayside) | 0 | 50 |
| 2 | [Brown Deer](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/brown-deer) | 0 | 68 |
| 2 | [Cudahy](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/cudahy) | 0 | 104 |
| 2 | [Fox Point](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/fox-point) | 0 | 58 |
| 2 | [Franklin](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/franklin) | 0 | 244 |
| 2 | [Glendale](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/glendale) | 0 | 205 |
| 2 | [Greendale](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/greendale) | 0 | 100 |
| 2 | [Greenfield](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/greenfield) | 0 | 379 |
| 2 | [Hales Corners](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/hales-corners) | 0 | 86 |
| 2 | [Oak Creek](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/oak-creek) | 0 | 336 |
| 2 | [River Hills](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/river-hills) | 0 | 11 |
| 2 | [Shorewood](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/shorewood) | 0 | 122 |
| 2 | [South Milwaukee](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/south-milwaukee) | 0 | 101 |
| 2 | [St. Francis](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/st-francis) | 0 | 83 |
| 2 | [West Allis](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/west-allis) | 0 | 569 |
| 2 | [West Milwaukee](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/west-milwaukee) | 0 | 107 |
| 2 | [Whitefish Bay](https://littlemilwaukee.com/neighborhoods/whitefish-bay) | 0 | 67 |

## How it was measured

We plot each City neighborhood on both measures and compute the Pearson correlation across the 176 that meet the floors. Sources: City of Milwaukee residential and commercial permit work data; Little Milwaukee business records, from public licenses, filings and OpenStreetMap.

## What would change the answer

This shows a pattern across neighborhoods. It doesn't show that one thing causes the other, and it says nothing about any one person. A correlation near 0 means no straight-line pattern, and one or two unusual neighborhoods can move it.