St. Francis is a city located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 8,662. It is the smallest fully incorporated city in Milwaukee County.
St. Francis is located at 42°58'11" North, 87°52'36" West (42.969615, -87.876745).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.6 km2 (2.5 mi2). 6.6 km2 (2.5 mi2) of it is land and none of the area is covered with water. It is located directly south and east of the City of Milwaukee, directly west of Lake Michigan, and directly north of Cudahy, Wisconsin. Milwaukee's primary airport, General Mitchell International Airport, is bordered on one side by St. Francis.
As of the census of 2000, there are 8,662 people, 4,050 households, and 2,158 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,321.9/km2 (3,421.7/mi2). There are 4,193 housing units at an average density of 639.9/km2 (1,656.4/mi2). The racial makeup of the city is 93.77% White, 0.97% African American, 0.88% Native American, 1.05% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.50% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. 4.53% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 4,050 households out of which 21.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% are married couples living together, 8.7% have a female householder with no husband present, and 46.7% are non-families. 40.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 13.9% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.11 and the average family size is 2.88.
In the city the population is spread out with 19.3% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $36,721, and the median income for a family is $49,896. Males have a median income of $37,013 versus $27,129 for females. The per capita income for the city is $21,837. 6.5% of the population and 2.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.6% of those under the age of 18 and 14.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
The founders of St. Francis broke the city away from the Town of Lake, a now defunct entity that covered much of Milwaukee's far southside and some of the southern/southwestern suburbs in Milwaukee County, in order to keep revenues from the South Shore Power Plant for themselves. The importance of the power plant to St. Francis' economy in the middle of the 20th century shows in the city's former logo, with the familiar smoke stacks holding a prominent position. The plant closed in the late 1980s, moving to Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The land on Lake Michigan's coast that the electric utility owned for the plant has, after over a decade of lying unused, recently been developed with high-priced condominiums. These condos are especially valuable because they are built on some of the only undeveloped lakefront land in the metropolitan Milwaukee area.
How best to make use of the lakeshore property has generated much controversy over the years, with many suggesting that the city should preserve it as open space for the enjoyment of all. A petition drive was mounted proposing that the land be annexed into the Milwaukee County park system. County executive William O'Donnell decided, however, to defer the annexation due to budgetary constraints and other concerns. Subsequently the land was acquired by Chicago-based developers. After a plan to develop the land as a Native American casino was rejected after massive public opposition, the condo development plan was ultimately approved instead despite community misgivings. The project was approved in line with a stated goal of the city government to improve the tax base and generate increased revenue. Since the primary selling point for the condos is the view of Lake Michigan, the project is commonly referred to by local residents as "pay-per-view".
Today, businesses in St. Francis include Supreme Meats, Foamation (manufacturer of the world-famous 'Cheeseheads' worn by Wisconsin sports fans, especially to Green Bay Packers football games), and EZ Paintr, among other small manufacturers and service companies. Many residents work in the City of Milwaukee or in other municipalities in the Milwaukee area.
Source:
stfranciswisconsin.com
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