Population 24,437 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Onalaska
Household size in Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.45 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.51 | 2.47 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.43 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.27 | 2.40 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.20 | −0.06 | −0.03 |
Households in Onalaska are small: just 2.27 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Household size has dropped from 2.47 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.5 | 38.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 40.5 | 39.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.5 | 40.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 41.4 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Onalaska is 42.2 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 39.5, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the east.
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 Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 10.4% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 10.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.3% | 10.0% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 7.0% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.6 pts | −0.6 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Onalaska: 7.0% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has fallen 1.6 points since 2006–10, 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 Onalaska
Renters in Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.5% | 30.5% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.0% | 33.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.6% | 32.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +1.6 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over three in ten households in Onalaska rent their homes (31.6%), a little below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. More than four in ten owners (45.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the west; owners are most common in the east. The renter share has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 10.5% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.2% | 10.6% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.5% | 10.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 4.4% | 9.2% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.5 pts | −1.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Only 4.4% of homes in Onalaska are vacant, far below the national rate of 9.6%, which usually means strong demand for housing. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.5 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
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 Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1970 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1971 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1974 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
The housing in Onalaska is younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1986, against 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the west has the oldest housing.
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 Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $724 | $758 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $883 | $821 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $991 | $904 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,198 | $1,139 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$474 | +$380 | +$606 |
Rent in Onalaska runs $1,198 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Still, rents here are higher than in Wisconsin as a whole ($1,139). Rent has climbed $474 a month since 2006–10, up 66%, roughly in step with the nation. The typical renter here spends 25.9% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Onalaska
Bachelor's degrees in Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.1% | 26.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.7% | 28.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.4% | 30.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 40.4% | 33.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +7.0 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Onalaska than nationally: 40.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 6.3 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 Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.0% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.4% | 90.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.1% | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.0% | 93.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +3.8 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Onalaska: 98.0% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 2.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 200 Wisconsin cities with 5,000+ people, only 19 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 Onalaska
| Period | Onalaska | Wisconsin | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.0% | 6.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.5% | 7.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.2% | 3.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | −3.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Onalaska has been strong: just 3.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Wisconsin as a whole looks much the same. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Onalaska compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onalaska | 2.27 | 42.2 | 7.0% | 31.6% | 4.4% | 1986 | $1,198 | 40.4% | 98.0% | 3.2% |
| French Island | 2.18 | 48.4 | 7.0% | 22.7% | 4.8% | 1978 | $1,083 | 28.0% | 94.8% | 8.6% |
| Holmen | 2.55 | 41.2 | 7.3% | 28.9% | 3.7% | 1998 | $1,283 | 35.3% | 96.2% | 0.5% |
| La Crosse | 2.16 | 36.4 | 9.0% | 49.4% | 7.3% | 1967 | $1,096 | 34.0% | 96.4% | 3.4% |
| La Crescent | 2.27 | 47.9 | 7.6% | 13.7% | 6.8% | 1977 | $859 | 39.6% | 94.4% | 0.9% |
| West Salem | 2.64 | 42.0 | 6.9% | 19.7% | 7.2% | 1985 | $1,289 | 42.7% | 97.2% | 3.4% |
| Dakota | 2.33 | 48.9 | 3.0% | 6.8% | 12.6% | 1978 | $912 | 33.9% | 95.7% | 3.2% |
| New Amsterdam | 2.51 | 43.1 | 4.5% | 24.9% | 4.2% | 1995 | $1,620 | 30.0% | 96.2% | 0.6% |
| Stevenstown | 2.61 | 46.2 | 1.6% | 7.8% | 6.2% | 1988 | $1,730 | 26.1% | 95.6% | 1.1% |
| Nodine | 2.28 | 48.9 | 2.3% | 6.2% | 13.3% | 1978 | $910 | 30.1% | 96.0% | 3.2% |
| Shelby | 2.29 | 47.7 | 8.5% | 18.7% | 8.0% | 1991 | $977 | 37.0% | 94.8% | 1.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Biddeford, ME · Bardstown, KY · Barnegat, NJ · Basking Ridge, NJ · Bastrop, TX · Bay Point, CA · Beaver Falls, PA · Beckley, WV · Bedford, IN · Zion, IL
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 Onalaska. 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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