La Crosse County, Wisconsin: commercial real estate data.
La Crosse County, Wisconsin had an estimated 121,060 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 120,799, across 452 square miles. County output reached $9.93 bn in 2024, 3,151 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 170 7(a) approvals worth $90.2 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
La Crosse County
How many people live in La Crosse County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024120,488
- Households51,497
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$73,013
- Median age37.5
- Median gross rent$1,059 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$257,000
- Home value to household income3.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher36.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over78,820
- Population under 1823,330
- Share under 1819.4 percent
- Population 65 and over21,784
- Share 65 and over18.1 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6475,374
- Civilian labor force66,361
- Unemployment rate3.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.3 percent
- Rank by population among Wisconsin counties12th of 72
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included535th of 3,222
La Crosse County is the 12th largest of 72 Wisconsin counties by population. A median home costs 3.5 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 19.4 percent against 18.1 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
La Crosse County
Is La Crosse County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024121,060
- Census 2020 base population120,799
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.22 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024343
- Births, 20241,083
- Deaths, 20241,105
- Natural change, 2024-22
- Net domestic migration, 2024215
- Net international migration, 2024141
- Total net migration, 2024356
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-21
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1746th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.22 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
La Crosse County
Where are people moving to La Crosse County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,844
- People arriving, from those returns4,375
- Tax returns filed by households leaving3,107
- Net household movement-263
- Adjusted gross income arriving$190.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$7.1 m
- Average income of an arriving household$66,841
- Average income of a leaving household$58,902
- Largest single originMonroe County (231 households)
- Largest single destinationMonroe County (236 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County | 231 | 364 | $12.8 m |
| Vernon County | 163 | 255 | $9.4 m |
| Trempealeau County | 161 | 255 | $8.1 m |
| Dane County | 131 | 191 | $8.5 m |
| Houston County | 130 | 211 | $8.0 m |
| Winona County | 96 | 123 | $4.0 m |
| Hennepin County | 58 | 79 | $3.2 m |
| Olmsted County | 57 | 92 | $4.6 m |
Households arriving report $7,939 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Monroe County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
La Crosse County
What is the La Crosse County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$9.93 bn
- County GDP, 2023$9.51 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.4 percent
- GDP change over five years25.5 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Wisconsin areas BEA publishes11th of 72
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes442nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$82,450
Output grew 4.4 percent in the latest year and 25.5 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
La Crosse County
Employment by industry in La Crosse County
- Covered employment, annual average69,521
- Establishments reporting3,551
- Average annual pay$58,448
- Average weekly wage$1,124
- Health care and social assistance, employment15,578
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$71,513
- Retail trade, employment8,213
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,891
- Manufacturing, employment8,030
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$63,495
- Accommodation and food services, employment6,435
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$20,556
- Transportation and warehousing, employment3,111
- Wholesale trade, employment3,106
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 15,578 | 671 | $71,513 |
| Retail trade | 8,213 | 370 | $33,891 |
| Manufacturing | 8,030 | 148 | $63,495 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,435 | 341 | $20,556 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,111 | 101 | $63,678 |
| Wholesale trade | 3,106 | 174 | $77,744 |
| Construction | 2,929 | 306 | $73,743 |
| Other services, except public administration | 2,761 | 260 | $39,233 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 15,578 jobs, 22.4 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
La Crosse County
How many businesses are in La Crosse County?
- Establishments, all industries3,151
- Employment at those establishments66,633
- Annual payroll$3.75 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents26.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
La Crosse County
Building permits in La Crosse County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024478
- Declared construction value permitted$121.6 m
- Single family units authorized216
- Multifamily units authorized262
- Multifamily share of units54.8 percent
- Average declared value per unit$254,345
- Units authorized per 1,000 households9.3
Multifamily is 54.8 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
La Crosse County
SBA loans in La Crosse County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded170
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$90.2 m
- Average 7(a) approval$530,484
- Median 7(a) approval$170,000
- 10th percentile approval$35,900
- 90th percentile approval$1,555,880
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)2,217
- Jobs per approval13.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active30
- Distinct industries receiving approvals85
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.1 percent
- Loans on real estate terms24
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter140
- Franchise loans15
- Franchise share of approvals8.8 percent
- Most active lenderCitizens State Bank of La Crosse (37)
- 504 approvals recorded97
- 504 gross approval dollars$77.6 m
- Average 504 approval$799,907
- Median 504 approval$574,000
- Distinct CDCs active7
- 504 jobs per approval6.7
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved8.4
- Most active CDCWBD, Inc. (85)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$167.8 m
The average approval of $530,484 sits well above the median of $170,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 14.1 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
La Crosse County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in La Crosse County
Do SBA loans in La Crosse County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded51
- Paid in full47
- Charged off4
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans7.8 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure104
- Status: Paid in full47
- Status: Cancelled7
- Status: Charged off4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed8
Of the 51 loans that have reached a final outcome, 7.8 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
La Crosse County
SBA lending by place in La Crosse County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending9
- La Crosse, approvals97
- Holmen, approvals27
- Onalaska, approvals27
- West Salem, approvals9
- Mindoro, approvals5
- Stoddard, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| La Crosse | 97 | $46,080,800 |
| Holmen | 27 | $19,247,100 |
| Onalaska | 27 | $13,159,200 |
| West Salem | 9 | $5,021,000 |
| Mindoro | 5 | $526,100 |
| Stoddard | 2 | $4,749,000 |
| Coon Rapids | 1 | $729,000 |
| Genoa | 1 | $630,000 |
| 1 other borrower city | 1 | $40,000 |
La Crosse accounts for 97 approvals against 27 in Holmen. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
La Crosse County
How large is La Crosse County?
- Land area452 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Wisconsin counties61st of 72
- Width, east to west25.4 mi
- Height, north to south24.5 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land267
- Establishments per square mile6.97
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
La Crosse County
Flood risk in La Crosse County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community La Crosse County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 550217
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book7
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 10
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in La Crosse County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated La Crosse County (community 550217), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places La Crosse County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 10, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a La Crosse County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a La Crosse County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024120,488
- Households51,497
- Average household size2.34
- Median household income$73,013
- Median age37.5
Common questions
La Crosse County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in La Crosse County, Wisconsin?
The Census Bureau estimates 121,060 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 120,488, in 51,497 households, ranking 12th of 72 Wisconsin counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is La Crosse County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.22 percent since the 2020 census base of 120,799, to 121,060 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 1,083 births against 1,105 deaths, with net migration of 356. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in La Crosse County?
$73,013. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $257,000, which is 3.5 times income, and median gross rent is $1,059 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in La Crosse County?
3,151 establishments, employing 66,633 people with an annual payroll of $3.75 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in La Crosse County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 15,578 jobs, 22.4 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 69,521 jobs at an average annual pay of $58,448, or $1,124 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in La Crosse County?
170 7(a) approvals totaling $90.2 m since FY2020, across 30 lenders, with a median approval of $170,000, plus 97 504 approvals worth $77.6 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in La Crosse County get paid back?
Of the 51 loans that have reached a final outcome, 47 were paid in full and 4 charged off, a charge-off rate of 7.8 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in La Crosse County?
478 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $121.6 m. Multifamily was 54.8 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for La Crosse County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to La Crosse County come from?
The largest single origin is Monroe County, with 231 households. Arriving households report an average income of $66,841 against $58,902 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for La Crosse County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for La Crosse County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
La Crosse County
Cities and places in La Crosse.
10 Census places lie wholly or partly in La Crosse County. All 10 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse | city | 51,356 | 97 | Wholly in this county |
| Onalaska | city | 19,348 | 27 | Wholly in this county |
| Holmen | village | 11,372 | 27 | Wholly in this county |
| West Salem | village | 5,330 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| French Island | CDP | 4,188 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brice Prairie | CDP | 1,782 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bangor | village | 1,517 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rockland | village | 745 | None recorded | 89.5 percent here, 10.5 percent Monroe County |
| St. Joseph | CDP | 548 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mindoro | CDP | 225 | 5 | Wholly in this county |
A further 5 of the county's 170 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in La Crosse County, the largest being Stoddard (2), Coon Rapids (1), Genoa (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
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