What it's like to live in Holmen
Holmen is a small city in Wisconsin with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Holmen deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 46" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Holmen compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Holmen
Based on Holmen's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,350
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,000 a year
- 45% of Holmen renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$57,180
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $28,590
- Homes cost 3.6× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 17% below US
$1,175/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,175 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $285,900. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $285,900 · 45% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
2.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in La Crosse County is 2.8%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
La Crosse County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 90% below US
33 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 387/100k · Holmen Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.6 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 14°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforceNear US average
33% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 33% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Effigy Mounds National Monument (62 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Holmen's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,175/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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