Living in La Crosse, WI
Small city in Wisconsin
La Crosse is a small city in Wisconsin, home to about 52,000 people, with 170,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly apartments.
Is La Crosse a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Mild summers: highs around 78°F
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $272k and rents for $1,520 a month
- Dog-friendly: 5 dog parks within 9 mi
- Strong healthcare: 2 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
👎 Cons
- Smaller job market: about 170,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Higher taxes: about $1,734 state income tax per resident, 2.02% property tax
- Fewer graduates: 35% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how La Crosse ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in La Crosse: common questions
What is the cost of living in La Crosse?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $272k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,520 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 92, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in La Crosse?
Wisconsin collects about $1,734 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.02% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is La Crosse safe?
Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.6× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in La Crosse?
La Crosse has long, snowy winters: winter days average around 27°F and summer days around 78°F, with roughly 54″ of snow a year.
Does La Crosse get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from cold waves, flooding and tornadoes: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.7 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to La Crosse?
The nearest major airport is MSP, about 122 mi away.
How La Crosse scores
Each bar compares La Crosse with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is La Crosse right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.