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Living in
La Crosse.
About
Life in La Crosse
The job market is solid with unemployment at 3.0%, driven by healthcare, education, and manufacturing sectors that provide stable employment. Your commute will likely be short—the average is just 16 minutes—and the downtown has had a real resurgence with farmers' markets, specialty shops, and restaurants that feel genuinely revitalized rather than contrived. The arts scene is surprisingly robust for a city this size, with over 30 active arts organizations, theaters, and regular festivals.
La Crosse at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
21.4%
Foreign-Born
2.7%
Broadband Internet
88.4%
of households
Population Growth
-3.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.7% foreign-born, most often from Laos
Who lives in La Crosse: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In La Crosse, the largest foreign-born group is from Laos (21.2%), and 2.7% of residents speak Other Asian/Pacific at home.
Under 18
14.6%
of residents
65 and Older
17.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
18.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.9%
of households
Married Couples
27.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.05
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% below WI average
Rent, home values, and income in La Crosse
In La Crosse, rent runs 7% below the WI average, and home values are 21% below the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
45.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
22.8%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,854
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
46.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1965
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.9%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $282,230 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for WI
Unemployment in La Crosse
Unemployment in La Crosse is close to the WI average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What La Crosse Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.9 min avg
How La Crosse residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In La Crosse, most residents drive alone to work (69%), and 88% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE)
Regional airport · few flights44k passengers boarded in 2025
- 123 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 30% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in La Crosse runs 30% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
428.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,485.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
La Crosse Police Department
Natural DisastersFlood most common — 10 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
80.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
La Crosse County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In La Crosse County, which includes La Crosse, the most common type is flood, with 10 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 10 | Winter Storm | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 16 | Winter Weather | $900,000 |
| 2023 | 17 | Winter Weather | $610,000 |
| 2022 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $506,000 |
| 2021 | 20 | Hail | $366,000 |
| 2020 | 14 | Thunderstorm Wind | $47.8M |
| 2019 | 19 | Flood | $312,000 |
| 2018 | 17 | Flood | $1.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
La Crosse County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in La Crosse County, which includes La Crosse, is typically good.
Median AQI
37
La Crosse County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 12°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
La Crosse has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 12°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
55°/36°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
57°/40°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
27°/12°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
37.5"
Annual Snowfall
54.2"
Hot Days/Year
3
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
148
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
129
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 8°F | 1.12" |
| Feb | 29°F | 13°F | 1.13" |
| Mar | 41°F | 24°F | 1.93" |
| Apr | 55°F | 36°F | 4.02" |
| May | 67°F | 48°F | 4.91" |
| Jun | 76°F | 58°F | 5.29" |
| Jul | 80°F | 62°F | 4.26" |
| Aug | 78°F | 60°F | 4.47" |
| Sep | 71°F | 52°F | 4.00" |
| Oct | 58°F | 40°F | 2.91" |
| Nov | 42°F | 28°F | 1.94" |
| Dec | 29°F | 15°F | 1.49" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 4.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in La Crosse
La Crosse has 2 hospitals, averaging 4.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
4.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
4.5 / 5
Mayo Clinic Health System-franciscan Medical Center Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education10.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in La Crosse
La Crosse's student/teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 34.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
18
within city limits
Private Schools
10
within city limits
College Degree Rate
34.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
10.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in La Crosse
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Public · 4-year · 9,277 students · in-state tuition $10,534 · 70% graduate · median earnings $65,850 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,249 students · in-state tuition $35,790 · 68% graduate · median earnings $65,641 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Effigy Mounds National Monument, 51 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for La Crosse
La Crosse has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Effigy Mounds National Monument (51 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Effigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
51 mi awayIce Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
84 mi awayPublic Libraries in La Crosse
La Crosse Public Library
800 Main St., La Crosse
North Community Branch
1552 Kane St., La Crosse
South Community Branch
1307 16th St. S., La Crosse
Cities Near La Crosse
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to La Crosse?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
La Crosse FAQ
Is La Crosse, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
La Crosse's median rent is $1,010/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $55,866/year. Median home value is $210,100.
Is La Crosse, Wisconsin safe?⌄
La Crosse's violent crime rate was 428 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3486 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in La Crosse, Wisconsin?⌄
La Crosse has an unemployment rate of 3.0%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in La Crosse, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in La Crosse is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,010/month and median household income is $55,866/year. The median home value is $210,100. About 45% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in La Crosse, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in La Crosse is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from