La Crosse County, Wisconsin Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
La Crosse County, WI Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 87% of counties in Wisconsin
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C
Income Below average
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B
Education Around averageBetter educated than 93% of counties in Wisconsin
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | La Crosse County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 120,486 | 5,910,864 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 251.0 | 90.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.31% | 0.34% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.5 | 40.4 | 37.3 |
| Households | 51,496 | 2,477,189 | 130,235,071 |
Population in La Crosse County grew by 8.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 120,486 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in La Crosse County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 27.1% of residents. That is 5.7 points above Wisconsin as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 32,654 27.1% +5.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 23,890 19.8% -1.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 21,818 18.1% -2.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 20,110 16.7% -1.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Wisconsin, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.1% of the people living in La Crosse County and men 48.9%.
- Women 51.1% Wisconsin 50.0%
- Men 48.9% Wisconsin 50.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in La Crosse County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
La Crosse County has a the economy index of C, which means it is somewhat prosperous.
| Metric | La Crosse County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $73,102 | $77,698 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.44% | 4.41% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.1% | 3.2% | 5.2% |
The median household income in La Crosse County is about 6% lower than in Wisconsin.
Housing
| Metric | La Crosse County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $167,812 | $170,479 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,058 | $1,087 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 62.2% | 67.8% | 65.2% |
The median home price in La Crosse County is about 13.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,058 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in La Crosse County spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 137 hours, about 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | La Crosse County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.4 | 18.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.9 | 37.5 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 137 | 156 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,243 | $4,846 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 11.6% | 13.1% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,871 | 6,703 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 969 | 811 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Wisconsin:
Ashland County (12.8 min), Door County (13.6 min), Eau Claire County (15.3 min).
Slowest:
Oconto County (26.4 min), St. Croix County (25.3 min), Waushara County (23.9 min).
The average commute time in La Crosse County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 19 minutes in Wisconsin.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
La Crosse County has a education index of B, which means it is quite educated.
| Metric | La Crosse County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.0% | 29.7% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.26 | 2.33 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.4), Ozaukee County (0.4), Waukesha County (0.4).
Lowest:
Clark County (0.2), Adams County (0.2), Juneau County (0.2).
Health
La Crosse County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | La Crosse County | Wisconsin Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.3 | 79.6 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 11.0% | 13.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 16.2% | 18.5% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Wisconsin:
Dane County (0.8), Waukesha County (0.8), Ozaukee County (0.8).
Lowest:
Menominee County (0.8), Clark County (0.8), Forest County (0.8).
La Crosse County, WI Compared With Nearby Counties
La Crosse County, WI is the largest of the 5 counties compared here, 120,486 residents against a local median of 29,683. Where La Crosse County, WI breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 89% above the local median of $88,862 at $167,812.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 16.4 min against a local median of 21.6 min, 24% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 24% below the local median it puts La Crosse County, WI at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $106,870 on median home price, so La Crosse County, WI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. La Crosse County, WI has the 2nd highest median home price of the 5 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse County, WI | 120,486 | $73,102 #2/5 | $167,812 #2/5 | 16.4 min #1/5 |
| Vernon County, WI | 31,046 | $71,656 | $61,875 | 22.0 min |
| Trempealeau County, WI | 28,321 | $75,990 | $67,667 | 21.9 min |
| Monroe County, WI | 46,191 | $68,992 | $110,057 | 17.2 min |
| Jackson County, WI | 20,977 | $67,993 | $168,745 | 21.3 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about La Crosse County, Wisconsin.
How big is La Crosse County, Wisconsin by population?
About 120,486 people live in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, in 51,496 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 38.5, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is La Crosse County, Wisconsin?
Averaged over its land area, La Crosse County, Wisconsin has 251 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 2.9 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in La Crosse County, Wisconsin?
The median home costs 2.3 times the median household income ($167,812 against $73,102), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,058 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in La Crosse County, Wisconsin?
Unemployment in La Crosse County, Wisconsin is only 3.1%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
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