Population 120,488 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in La Crosse County
Household size in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.43 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.41 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.30 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.12 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
La Crosse County is a place of small households, averaging 2.30 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.42 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the southwest.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.7 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.6 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in La Crosse County are younger than 39.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is younger than in Wisconsin overall, where the median age is 41.4. The median age has climbed from 37.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.9% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.2% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.8% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.1 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 7.8% of households in La Crosse County, well below the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged down 1.1 points, as it has nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in La Crosse County
Renters in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.9% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.2% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.0% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.8% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.9 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in La Crosse County rent their homes (37.8%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 42.3% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. The renter share has risen 3.9 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Wisconsin counties have a higher share of renters: only three of 72.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.2% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.1% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.7 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in La Crosse County than nationally: 6.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Vacancy has edged up 0.7 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell. La Crosse County has a lower vacancy rate than at least four in five Wisconsin counties.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1972 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1976 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1978 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in La Crosse County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1978, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1972 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the north, the oldest in the south.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $699 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $801 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $895 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,159 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$461 | +$380 | +$606 |
The median renter in La Crosse County pays $1,159 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $461 a month since 2006–10, up 66%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 27.7% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the northwest and lowest in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in La Crosse County
Bachelor's degrees in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.2% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 31.0% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.6% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 35.3% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in La Crosse County as nationally: 35.3% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the west.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.4% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.9% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.9% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 96.6% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.2 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in La Crosse County: 96.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.2 points, mirroring the country. Of Wisconsin's 72 counties, only five have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in La Crosse County
| Period | La Crosse County | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.7% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.1% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in La Crosse County has been strong: just 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
La Crosse County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse County | 2.30 | 39.6 | 7.8% | 37.8% | 6.1% | 1978 | $1,159 | 35.3% | 96.6% | 3.1% |
| Houston County | 2.28 | 45.7 | 7.6% | 16.6% | 7.4% | 1969 | $868 | 30.2% | 95.4% | 1.7% |
| Monroe County | 2.55 | 39.9 | 10.4% | 27.2% | 8.8% | 1979 | $938 | 21.4% | 90.5% | 3.1% |
| Juneau County | 2.28 | 46.2 | 8.8% | 21.9% | 21.2% | 1977 | $913 | 16.6% | 90.4% | 4.3% |
| Adams County | 2.17 | 54.4 | 5.7% | 13.8% | 39.9% | 1983 | $1,073 | 17.5% | 89.6% | 5.2% |
| Marquette County | 2.25 | 50.2 | 7.3% | 18.8% | 26.2% | 1976 | $826 | 16.3% | 92.1% | 2.7% |
| Green Lake County | 2.33 | 46.0 | 9.3% | 25.5% | 18.7% | 1969 | $797 | 22.6% | 91.4% | 2.7% |
| Fond du Lac County | 2.37 | 42.1 | 8.0% | 29.3% | 6.8% | 1969 | $975 | 22.4% | 92.9% | 3.2% |
| Watonwan County | 2.66 | 40.2 | 11.5% | 22.2% | 14.3% | 1961 | $831 | 17.3% | 86.2% | 5.6% |
| Sheboygan County | 2.36 | 42.4 | 8.6% | 28.5% | 6.6% | 1968 | $1,009 | 27.5% | 93.4% | 2.8% |
| Cottonwood County | 2.42 | 39.7 | 8.3% | 25.6% | 10.5% | 1961 | $822 | 23.5% | 94.1% | 2.7% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Robeson County, NC · Craighead County, AR · Delaware County, IN · Douglas County, KS · Douglas County, OR · Faulkner County, AR · Fayette County, GA · Fayette County, PA · Flagler County, FL · Allegan County, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up La Crosse County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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