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Living in
Onalaska.
About
Life in Onalaska
Living in Onalaska means settling into a stable, quietly prosperous community where you're close enough to La Crosse for big-city amenities but far enough removed to actually feel like you have breathing room. The median household income sits at nearly $85,000 with unemployment hovering around 2.6%, so there are genuine job opportunities here—this isn't a place people move to and then scramble to find work. The community itself skews toward families and established residents (median age is 40.7 years), with about half of households being married couples, so you'll find solid schools, youth activities, and the kind of neighborhood stability that keeps people rooted here for decades.
Onalaska at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.7 yrs
Poverty Rate
6.0%
Foreign-Born
3.9%
Broadband Internet
88.2%
of households
Population Growth
+7.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.9% foreign-born, most often from Laos
Who lives in Onalaska: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Onalaska, the largest foreign-born group is from Laos (21.0%), and 4.5% of residents speak Other Asian/Pacific at home.
Under 18
19.4%
of residents
65 and Older
20.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
22.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.3%
of households
Married Couples
46.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.13
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 about average for WI
Rent, home values, and income in Onalaska
In Onalaska, home values are 8% above the WI average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
37.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
13.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
91.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,326
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.1%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1991
median year built
Vacant Homes
1.3%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $364,870 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below WI average
Unemployment in Onalaska
Unemployment in La Crosse County, which includes Onalaska, is 0.4 percentage points lower than the WI average.
Unemployment rate
Onalaska: La Crosse County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
La Crosse County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Onalaska Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute17.3 min avg
How Onalaska residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Onalaska, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 86% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 1 mi
La Crosse Regional Airport (LSE)
Regional airport · few flights44k passengers boarded in 2025
- 120 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 83% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Onalaska runs 83% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
54.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,028.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Onalaska 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 Onalaska, 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 Onalaska, is typically good.
Median AQI
37
La Crosse County, county-wide
Climate83°F summers, 14°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Onalaska has warm summers (avg high 83°F) and very cold winters (avg low 14°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
59°/38°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
83°/62°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
61°/42°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
31°/14°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
35.2"
Annual Snowfall
46.3"
Hot Days/Year
17
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
141
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 11°F | 1.25" |
| Feb | 33°F | 14°F | 1.19" |
| Mar | 46°F | 26°F | 2.04" |
| Apr | 60°F | 38°F | 3.75" |
| May | 72°F | 50°F | 4.33" |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 5.08" |
| Jul | 85°F | 65°F | 4.23" |
| Aug | 83°F | 62°F | 3.90" |
| Sep | 76°F | 54°F | 3.63" |
| Oct | 62°F | 42°F | 2.49" |
| Nov | 46°F | 30°F | 1.85" |
| Dec | 33°F | 18°F | 1.49" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Onalaska
Uninsured
4.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Onalaska's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Mayo Clinic Health System-franciscan Medical Center Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6 mi away · La Crosse
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.8 mi away · La Crosse
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.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Onalaska
Onalaska's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 41.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
6
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
41.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Onalaska (within 15 miles)
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
5.2 mi awayPublic · 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, 56 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Onalaska
Onalaska has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Effigy Mounds National Monument (56 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Effigy Mounds National Monument
National Monument
56 mi awayIce Age National Scenic Trail
National Scenic Trail
82 mi awayPublic Libraries in Onalaska
Onalaska Public Library
741 Oak Ave. S., Onalaska
Cities Near Onalaska
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Onalaska?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Onalaska FAQ
Is Onalaska, Wisconsin affordable?⌄
Onalaska's median rent is $1,130/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $85,867/year. Median home value is $288,900.
Is Onalaska, Wisconsin safe?⌄
Onalaska's violent crime rate was 55 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2028 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Onalaska, Wisconsin?⌄
La Crosse County, which includes Onalaska, has an unemployment rate of 2.8%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Onalaska, Wisconsin?⌄
The cost of living in Onalaska is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,130/month and median household income is $85,867/year. The median home value is $288,900. About 38% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Onalaska, Wisconsin?⌄
The average commute in Onalaska is 17 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