La Crosse County · La Crosse-Onalaska · population 51,049
Where La Crosse stands
At or near all-time high. home values up 5.0% in the last year. population shrinking 0.8% per year.
Home value trajectory · last 10 years
Zillow ZHVI · monthlyLifestyle scores
Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.
Rent trajectory · last 5 years
Zillow ZORI · monthlyHome value vs rent · indexed to 100
Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)Rent vs buy
At a 22.1 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in La Crosse. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.
How the momentum score breaks down
methodology →La Crosse has held up across the cycle: home values at $285,124 with +6.3% 5-year CAGR. The bull case is structural — population, location, employer base — and holds even if next year's print is soft.
La Crosse's population is shrinking 0.8% per year. Housing demand has to come from somewhere — if people are leaving, the buyer pool is shrinking faster than the inventory. That eventually shows up in price.
About La Crosse
La Crosse is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 51,049. It anchors the La Crosse-Onalaska metro area. The population has contracted 0.8% per year on average since 2020. The median home value in La Crosse is $285,124 as of 2026-04, up 5.0% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +6.3% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in La Crosse average $1,073 per month, up 4.1% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.
▲ Bull case
▼ Bear case
About La Crosse (Wikipedia)
La Crosse is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. Positioned alongside the Mississippi River, La Crosse is the most populous city on Wisconsin's western border. The population was 52,680 at the 2020 census. The La Crosse–Onalaska metropolitan area has an estimated 140,000 residents.
Source: Wikipedia · this summary is contributed and licensed under CC-BY-SA.
City facts
Extracted from the Wikipedia infobox. Values may be slightly out of date relative to the latest sources.
Playbook
You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.
Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.
Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.
Local safety & alerts
No active National Weather Service alerts for La Crosse County right now.
Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. La Crosse County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.
Neighborhoods of La Crosse
4 tracked · ranked by median home valueCities like La Crosse
Run the numbers for La Crosse
Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.
Climate & natural-disaster risk
State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.
Current weather
Find rentals & listings
Open current La Crosse listings on the major real-estate sites.
Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.
Local news & community
Latest news
- Fazoli’s to close Onalaska fast Italian restaurantLa Crosse Tribune · 4h ago
- Ellen's Circle auxiliary group works to restore Hixon House's Visitor's CenterWXOW · 6h ago
- New direct flight coming to La Crosse Regional AirportWEAU · 1d ago
- Allegiant adds second Florida route from La Crosse airportnews8000.com · 1d ago
- UW-La Crosse and UW-Whitewater Fall In NCAA Baseball RegionalsWisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference · 3d ago
- Allegiant Air to add Southwest Florida route, starting at $79The News-Press · 1d ago
Updated 2026-05-21 from Google News + Reddit RSS. Headlines link to original sources.
Local sports teams
Major professional teams the La Crosse-Onalaska area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.
Local economy & environment
Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.
Cities similar to La Crosse
Explore other places with comparable momentum or affordability.