With 51,356 people, La Crosse is a city in Wisconsin. The median age is 30.5, younger than the US median of 38.9. Owners hold 46% of the housing stock. People stay put here: 74% were in the same home a year ago. 3% of residents were born outside the United States. The average commute runs 16 minutes.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $55,866, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 30.5
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about La Crosse
What changed most since 1990
White share93.2% → 86.6%(−6.6 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
La Crosse's population equals 43% of La Crosse County's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 74% of the county's. Its number of households without a car equals 62% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)20.5%(521)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30%(762)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.2%(867)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.1%(129)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.9%(23)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 2,538 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
La Crosse, decade by decade
La Crosse population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
51,003
$52,674
$127,204
21.4%
16.1
2000
51,818
$56,659
$151,562
24.1%
21.1
2010
51,320
$53,321
$179,821
26.9%
26.6
2020
52,680
$56,285
$182,412
36.5%
35.3
2024
51,356
$55,866
$210,100
34.9%
30.7
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
