United States › Wisconsin › Onalaska CITY
Onalaska Wisconsin · 20,297 residents (2025 est.) · 10.6 sq mi
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The short version
Onalaska is a city of 19,348 people in Wisconsin. 4,509 more people live here than in 2000. 4% of people here were born outside the United States. Getting to work takes 17 minutes on average. There are 1,823 people per square mile. Poverty is uncommon here, at 6.0% of people here.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
42% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 14,839 in 2000
20,297 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,823 / sq mi
+16%since 2009
from 1,565 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 13K 15K 18K 20K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Onalaska Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $85,867
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,800 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $24,066 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 36.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.414 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 5.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Education & health services 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.4%
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$288,900
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $105,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,130
+16%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $535 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 68.1% in 2000
36.9% rent
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.13 people
−11%since 2009
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 31.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 94.6%(14,040)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 84.6%(16,362)
Hispanic / Latino 2.6%(498)
from 22 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 22 more ancestry groups with data from 31.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 94.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 10.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 88.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 4.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 4.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 71.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 78.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 40.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 5.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 81.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 36.3%(2,821)
Women 15+
Never married 27.3%(2,318)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 5.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 64.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 14.5% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 81.5% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 36.3% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
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) 11.7%(128)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.3%(277)
Share of the 1,097 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Onalaska Head to head
Compare Onalaska to nearby cities ONALASKA VS
La Crosse
Income $55,866 −35%
Home value $210,100 −27%
Population 50,784 +150%
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ONALASKA VS
Holmen
Income $79,899 −7%
Home value $285,900 −1%
Population 12,105 −40%
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ONALASKA VS
Sparta
Income $64,973 −24%
Home value $180,600 −37%
Population 9,974 −51%
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ONALASKA VS
Winona
Income $56,337 −34%
Home value $201,800 −30%
Population 26,530 +31%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Onalaska, Wisconsin? Onalaska, Wisconsin has about 19,348 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Onalaska, Wisconsin? The typical household in Onalaska, Wisconsin earns about $85,867 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Onalaska, Wisconsin expensive? In Onalaska, Wisconsin, the median home is worth about $288,900, and the typical rent is about $1,130 a month.
How educated are people in Onalaska, Wisconsin? About 41.7% of adults age 25 and over in Onalaska, Wisconsin hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Onalaska, Wisconsin? About 6.0% of people in Onalaska, Wisconsin live below the federal poverty line.
Has Onalaska, Wisconsin grown since 1990? Yes, Onalaska, Wisconsin has grown since 1990. The population has added about 8,064 residents, a change of about 71 percent over that period.
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