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La Crosse, WI

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La Crosse, WI

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Demographics

Predominantly WhiteSimpson's Diversity Index: 24
Population51,791
Foreign Born1.0%
Population Density2,386people per mi²
Median Age30.3 yrs
Demographics Trajectory
StableSince 2010, this city has held a relatively stable population and racial composition.
Current Race / Ethnicity Breakdown
Population Trends

Quality of Life

Overall Quality Of Life
A
Great

A high quality of life with strong walkability, manageable living costs, healthy neighborhood signals, and solid amenity access.

Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.

Cost of Living

78/100

22% below national average

A+

The Real Cost of Living in La Crosse, Wisconsin

TierIndividualFamily (4)
Survival $16k$29k
Comfortable $38k$56k
Luxury $97k+$151k+
Elite (Top 5%) $124k+$193k+
Affordability Ratio

96%

The Hood Index™

A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.

A+
Hood Index scan area
Luxury Lean97%
RisksNeutralGrowth
Premium
40
Positive
21
Poor
1
Negative
2

Groceries

5 within 10 miles

3.3mi

Gas

20 within 10 miles

0.8mi

Hospital

2 within 20 miles

1.5mi

Airport

JFK — John F. Kennedy Memorial

188.8mi

Post Office

USPS — La Crosse, WI

1.4mi

Critical Amenities

Country Clubs

1 private club within 10 miles.

Golf4Nearest 1 mi
Camping9Nearest 12.1 mi
Marina1Nearest 1.9 mi
Winery0 
Ice Rink1Nearest 9.6 mi
Gun Range1Nearest 10 mi

Affluence Level

Overall Affluence Grade
C-
Average

A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.

Median HHI
$54k+3.8%
28% below US avg
Est. Avg Net Worth
$446k
32% below US avg
College Educated
34.8%
1% below US avg
WFH
10.0%
30% below US avg
Homeownership
46.1%
30% below US avg
Median Home
$197k
30% below US avg

Crime

Overall Crime Grade
C+
Moderate

Crime rates similar to the national median for U.S. locations.

Crime Rate
38.7
Incidents per 1,000 residents
5yr Trend
+23.0%
Overall crime change since 2020

Violent Crime

5yr+61.4%
Homicide
0.02 / 1k Residents43% below state avg
Robbery
0.36 / 1k Residents32% above state avg
Aggravated Assault
3.18 / 1k Residents94% above state avg

Property Crime

5yr−15.4%
Burglary
2.86 / 1k Residents227% above state avg
Larceny-Theft
30.24 / 1k Residents326% above state avg
Motor Vehicle Theft
1.32 / 1k Residents9% above state avg
Source: FBI Crime Data · 2025

Political Climate

Cook PVI: R+3Tilts Conservative

District shown is the primary district for this city’s centroid. Cities may span multiple districts.

Presidential history data unavailable.

Personal Sovereignty

Personal Sovereignty measures your capacity for self-reliance and independence with minimal government friction. Higher scores mean fewer barriers between you and the way you want to live... but it assumes you have the space you need and good neighbors.

Overall Sovereignty Grade
C+
Moderate

Moderate friction. Expect trade-offs in some aspect of personal liberty and independence.

State Policy

Tax Burden
C-
Weak10.9% of income
Property Rights
C-
FairIJ Grade C-
Firearm Rights
B-
GoodFPC Grade B-
Homeschooling
A-
GoodLow regulation

Energy independence: Importer (15% of energy produced in-state)

Personal Liberty

Raw Milk
A-
OpenFarm sales legal
Gambling Laws
D+
RestrictedTribal · Poker · Betting
Marijuana Laws
F
ProhibitedIllegal

Homesteading

Growing Season179 days217 frost-free
Annual Rainfall38.1"
Elevation633 ft

Strategic Assessment

Strategic Assessment grades tactical survivability using Joel Skousen's Strategic Relocation framework. Major population centers, blast zones, natural disasters, and border exposure all drive risk — lower exposure means a more defensible position in a crisis.

Learn more about Strategic Relocation ($)
Overall Strategic Grade
C+
Exposed

Meaningful friction. Expect exposure to either population pressure, blast zones, or natural disaster risk. Consider buying a retreat property.

Strategic Pillars

City Proximity
B-
Fair226 mi to nearest major city
Pop. Density
D-
Poor2,386/sq mi
Fallout Danger
B+
Good2 within ~30 mi
Natural Disaster
F
PoorInland Flooding, Cold Wave, Tornado, Hail, Heat Wave
Border / Coast
A+
Greatborder 296 mi · coast 876 mi
FEMA Expected Loss$53.7M/yrfor the county

* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-21T10:34:26.000Z

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