La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
moderate
Price to income
3.31×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Wisconsin
- 3.08×
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.12
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
19.7%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Wisconsin
- 19.4%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-3.6
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
tight
Cap rate proxy
3.87%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Wisconsin
- 3.95%
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
shrinking
Net migration
-0.23%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Wisconsin
- 0.01%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
normal
Permit pipeline
3.71
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Wisconsin
- 3.58+0.13
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+0.19
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
very tight labor market
Unemployment
2.9%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Wisconsin
- 2.7%
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%-1.0
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+52.3%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+6.4%
Median home value
$235,300
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $889 | $10,668 | 15.0% |
| 2 BR | $1,166 | $13,992 | 19.7% |
| 3 BR | $1,515 | $18,180 | 25.6% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
2.9%
Median household income
$71,009
What's being built
Total TTM
516
+62.7% YoY
Single-family
337
2–4 unit
36
5+ unit
143
All 3 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse County | 120,216 | $243,200 | $70,704 | 390 | +83.1% |
| Vernon County | 30,811 | $210,600 | $69,556 | 87 | +3.6% |
| Houston County | 18,826 | $226,300 | $77,087 | 39 | -9.3% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★La Crosse | 139,042 | $71,009 | 3.31× | 3.87% | +52.3% | 3.71 | 2.9% |
| Rapid City, SD | 140,356 | $71,985 | — | — | +57.7% | — | 2.2% |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 137,008 | $70,455 | — | — | +52.3% | — | 3.6% |
| Harrisonburg, VA | 135,689 | $72,145 | — | — | +48.7% | — | 3.1% |
| Flagstaff, AZ | 144,705 | $69,748 | — | — | +64.4% | — | 4.9% |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | 149,113 | $72,027 | — | — | +47.8% | — | 3.5% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
-323
-0.23% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| La Crosse County, WI | 329 |
| Monroe County, WI | 297 |
| Dane County, WI | 169 |
| Vernon County, WI | 163 |
| Trempealeau County, WI | 161 |
| Winona County, MN | 143 |
Who lives in La Crosse
- Median age
- 39
- Bachelor's+
- 33.0%
- Owner-occupancy
- 68.2%
- Vacancy rate
- 6.7%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 41.3%
- Median household income
- $71,009
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.