La Crosse County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At the 2020 census, the county's population was 120,784. Its county seat is the city of La Crosse. La Crosse County is included in the La Crosse–Onalaska, WI–MN Metropolitan Statistical Area with a population of 170,341 and is the most populous county on Wisconsin's western border.

Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.9%) is water.

Major highways

Interstate 90 U.S. Highway 14 U.S. Highway 53 U.S. Highway 61 Highway 16 (Wisconsin) Highway 33 (Wisconsin) Highway 35 (Wisconsin) Highway 108 (Wisconsin) Highway 157 (Wisconsin) Highway 162 (Wisconsin)

Railroads Amtrak BNSF Canadian Pacific La Crosse station

Buses La Crosse MTU Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit

Airport LSE – La Crosse Regional Airport

Adjacent counties Trempealeau County – northwest Jackson County – northeast Monroe County – east Vernon County – south Houston County, Minnesota – southwest Winona County, Minnesota – west

Climate La Crosse County's location in the United States' upper midwest gives the area a temperate, continental climate. The warmest month of the year is July, when the average high temperature is , with overnight low temperatures averaging . January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging , with the overnight low temperatures around .

Demographics

Racial and ethnic composition +La Crosse County, Wisconsin – Racial and ethnic compositionRace / ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)Pop 1980 Pop 1990Pop 2000Pop 2010 Pop 2020% 1980% 1990% 2000% 2010% 2020White alone (NH)89,88293,954100,332104,417105,30798.71%95.97%93.66%91.08%87.19%Black or African American alone (NH)1714059751,5531,9270.19%0.41%0.91%1.35%1.60%Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)2693324104384400.30%0.34%0.38%0.38%0.36%Asian alone (NH)2612,5453,3494,7275,5990.29%2.60%3.13%4.12%4.64%Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH)x included in the Asian category in the 1980 Censusx included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census182716xx0.02%0.02%0.01%Other race alone (NH)1292860853850.14%0.03%0.06%0.07%0.32%Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)x not an option in the 1980 Censusx not an option in the 1990 Census9861,6504,059xx0.92%1.44%3.36%Hispanic or Latino (any race)3446409901,7413,0510.38%0.65%0.92%1.52%2.53%Total91,05697,904107,120114,638120,784 100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 120,784. The median age was 37.0 years. 20.0% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.2 males age 18 and over.

There were 50,088 households in the county, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.8% were married-couple households, 20.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 27.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 32.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

The population density was . There were 52,774 housing units at an average density of , of which 5.1% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 62.0% were owner-occupied and 38.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%.

The racial makeup of the county was 88.0% White, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 4.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.9% from some other race, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population.

81.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 18.1% lived in rural areas.

According to 2014–2018 ACS estimates, the median household income was $55,479 and the median family income was $67,388. Males had a median income of $48,675 and females $38,714. The per capita income was $26,065. About 9.1% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census

At the 2010 census, there were 114,638 people, 46,137 households and 27,373 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 46,137 housing units at an average density of . The racial make up was 92.1% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.9% were of German, 20.3% Norwegian and 7.9% Irish ancestry. In 2017, there were 1,188 births, giving a general fertility rate of 47.9 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the fifth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.

Government Board Chair: Tina Tryggestad District Attorney: Tim Gruenke (D) Sheriff: John Siegel (D) County Clerk: Ginny Dankmeyer (D) County Treasurer: Amy Twitchell (D) Register of Deeds: Robin Kadrmas (D) Board of Supervisors: (30 members) (D Majority) County Administrator: Jane Klekamp

Politics

La Crosse County has voted for the Democratic nominee in every presidential election since 1988. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ranked La Crosse County as one of Wisconsin's most Democratic counties. As a result of the 2020 presidential election, La Crosse County continued its Democratic trend by about 4% with a 13% lead over Republicans. In the 2022 United States elections Democrats won every contested race in La Crosse County and flipped the Sheriff's race for the first time in recent history.

La Crosse County is within the Wisconsin State Senate district 32, represented by Brad Pfaff (D). It also contains Wisconsin State Assembly districts 94 Steve Doyle (D), 95 Jill Billings (D), and 96 Tara Johnson (D). Democrats also hold a majority of seats on the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors.

Communities Cities La Crosse (county seat) Onalaska

Villages Bangor French Island Holmen Rockland West Salem

Towns

Bangor Barre Burns Farmington Greenfield Hamilton Holland Medary Onalaska Shelby Washington

Census-designated places Brice Prairie, part of the Town of Onalaska and an urban reserve area of the City of Onalaska French Island Mindoro St. Joseph

Unincorporated communities

Barre Mills Burns Burns Corners Burr Oak Council Bay Medary Middle Ridge Midway New Amsterdam Newberg Corners Shelby Stevenstown West La Crosse

See also National Register of Historic Places listings in La Crosse County, Wisconsin Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge

References

Further reading Biographical History of La Crosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892. Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892. History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1881. Bryant, Benjamin F. (ed.). Memoirs of La Crosse County. Madison, Wis.: Western Historical Association, 1907. Wisconsin Jubilee: Proceedings of the Celebration by the County and City of La Crosse on Wisconsin having achieved fifty years of statehood. La Crosse, Wis.: Republican and Leader Print, 1898.

External links La Crosse County La Crosse County Health and Demographic Data La Crosse County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation