Independent living is housing, not care. Age-restricted apartments or cottages with dining, transportation, activities and maintenance handled — for adults who do not need help with daily activities.
We list 3 verified independent living options in Milwaukee.
What to watch for with independent living in Milwaukee
- Independent living is typically not licensed by Wisconsin DHS as a care facility, because no personal care is provided — the licensing chapters (CBRF, RCAC, adult family home, nursing home) all require care services to trigger licensure.
- Several Milwaukee-area campuses combine independent living with assisted living or nursing on the same campus, so a resident can move between levels without leaving the community.
- If help with daily activities is already needed, independent living is the wrong category, even when a community offers to arrange outside caregivers.
Full guide to independent living →
Verified independent living in Milwaukee
| Community | Care type | Address | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saint John's on the Lake | Independent Living | 1840 North Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Milwaukee, OH 53202 | Milwaukee |
| Wilson Commons | Independent Living | 1400 W. Sonata Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53221 (independent living); 1500 W. Sonata Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53221 (assisted living, adjacent building, same campus) Milwaukee, OH 53221 | Milwaukee |
| Ovation Chai Point | Independent Living | 1400 N. Prospect Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202 Milwaukee, OH 53202 | Milwaukee |
Independent Living elsewhere in the region
Families in Milwaukee sometimes place a parent one city over, especially when a specific care level is needed.
| Community | Care type | Address | County |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Camillus Life Plan Community | Independent Living | 10100 W. Bluemound Rd, Wauwatosa, WI 53226 Wauwatosa, OH 53226 | Milwaukee |
| Clement Manor | Independent Living | 3939 S 92nd St, Greenfield, WI 53228 Greenfield, OH 53228 | Milwaukee |
| Tudor Oaks Senior Living Community | Independent Living | S77 W12929 McShane Drive, Muskego, WI 53150 Muskego, OH 53150 | Waukesha |
| Newcastle Place | Independent Living | 12600 N. Port Washington Road, Mequon, WI 53092 Mequon, OH 53092 | Ozaukee |
| Cedar Community | Independent Living | 5595 County Road Z, West Bend, WI 53095 West Bend, OH 53095 | Washington |
| Harwood Place | Independent Living | 8220 Harwood Avenue, Wauwatosa, WI 53213 Wauwatosa, OH 53213 | Milwaukee |
The Milwaukee market specifically
Milwaukee has the deepest senior-housing supply in the metro, spread across neighborhoods from the lakefront East Side to the near-South Side. Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Ascension Columbia St. Mary's Milwaukee and Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center all discharge patients into the city's assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing communities, and Milwaukee County Transit System's fixed-route buses and Transit Plus paratransit make it the most transit-served part of the metro.
Because Milwaukee has the most verified communities in the metro, it is also where most families start their search even when they eventually choose a suburb closer to where they themselves live — the city's supply sets the comparison point for the rest of the metro.
