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City · 51,356 residents · La Crosse County, Wisconsin

La Crosse , Wisconsin

In La Crosse, a typical home is worth $210,100 and typical rent is $1,010 a month. Compared with all of La Crosse County, typical household income is 23% lower, the typical home value is 18% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 16 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $210,100

    18% below the county

    21% below Wisconsin

    • La Crosse
    • County
    • Wisconsin

  • Typical rent

    $1,010a month

    5% below the county

    7% below Wisconsin

    • La Crosse
    • County
    • Wisconsin

  • Typical household income

    $55,866a year

    23% below the county

    28% below Wisconsin

    • La Crosse
    • County
    • Wisconsin

  • Households that own their home

    46%

    16 points below the county

    22 points below Wisconsin

    • La Crosse
    • County
    • Wisconsin

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$282,230
4.4% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,346 a month
5.9% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

La Crosse is in La Crosse County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of La Crosse County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets La Crosse apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. La Crosse has the 8th lowest homeownership rate of the 156 cities in Wisconsin with more than 5,000 people (46%).

  2. The typical household income in La Crosse is $55,866, 23% less than in La Crosse County as a whole ($73,013).

  3. Nearby, in Tomah, the typical home value is $174,300: 17% less than in La Crosse ($210,100).

  4. The typical home in La Crosse is worth $210,100, 18% less than in La Crosse County as a whole ($257,000).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in La Crosse

What homes there are in La Crosse, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In La Crosse there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (48%); in La Crosse County, 59%.

Year built

Homes in La Crosse are older: the typical year built is 1965; in La Crosse County, 1978.

Homes in La Crosse are smaller: 42% have 3 bedrooms or more; in La Crosse County, 57%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

The FHA loan limit for La Crosse County is $541,287, and about 96% of owner-occupied homes in La Crosse are worth less than that.

Monthly rent with utilities

By rent, most homes in La Crosse cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($1,343): about 72%.

With a mortgage

$1,469 a month

La Crosse County: $1,698 a month

Without a mortgage

$654 a month

La Crosse County: $656 a month

Owners with a mortgage

60%

La Crosse County: 59%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in La Crosse is $1,469 a month, less than in La Crosse County ($1,698); without one, $654.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Much as in La Crosse County, the typical home value in La Crosse rose 47% since 2015–2019.

Rents in La Crosse rose at about the same pace as in La Crosse County: 27% since 2015–2019, against 27%.

Housing prices ran ahead of income in La Crosse: typical income rose 24%, against +47% for home values and +27% for rent.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureLa CrosseLa Crosse CountyWisconsinUnited States
Rental vacancy 3.4%2.9%4.5%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0.5%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.2%1.0%1.7%3.4%
People per household 2.052.252.332.53
Drive alone 69%76%74%69%
Carpool 8%7%7%9%
Public transit 2%1%1%3%
Walk or bike 8%4%3%3%
Work from home 12%12%13%15%
Other means 1%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

Open rentals in La Crosse look like those in La Crosse County: the rental vacancy rate is 3.4%.

More than one person per room: that is how 1.2% of households in La Crosse live, near the figure in La Crosse County (1.0%).

Fewer people live in each home here: 2.05 on average, against 2.25 in La Crosse County.

Many here get to work on foot or by bike: 8%, more than in La Crosse County (4%).

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in La Crosse?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in La Crosse, worth $210,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 41% of the typical household income in La Crosse, which is $55,866 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $81,359 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of La Crosse County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in La Crosse. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $7,354 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,898

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$206,294
Total interest
$296,809
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,548 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,304 a month

  • Tight

    $1,304 to $1,676 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,676 a month

    Your payment · 41%

Compared with the typical household income in La Crosse ($55,866 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,898
Principal & interest$1,398
Property tax$320
Home insurance$88
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$93

You need at least $7,354 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

La Crosse and La Crosse County

La Crosse is in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

La Crosse's own numbers

Typical home value
$210,100
Typical monthly rent
$1,010
Typical yearly household income
$55,866
Households that own their home
46%
Effective property tax rate
1.83%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of La Crosse County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,343
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+50%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.8%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of La Crosse County.

Everything about La Crosse County

Buying

Buying a home in La Crosse

A typical home in La Crosse is worth $210,100: 18% below the county and 21% below Wisconsin. With the typical household income in La Crosse ($55,866 a year), a typical home costs 3.8 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • La Crosse 3.8 years
  • County 3.5 years
  • Wisconsin 3.4 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in La Crosse County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in La Crosse County rose 87% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of La Crosse County.

Period County Wisconsin U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.6% +5.4% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +50% +57% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +87% +96% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

La Crosse next to La Crosse County, Wisconsin and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • La Crosse $210,100
  • County $257,000
  • Wisconsin $266,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • La Crosse $1,010
  • County $1,059
  • Wisconsin $1,087
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • La Crosse $55,866
  • County $73,013
  • Wisconsin $77,485
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
La Crosse next to La Crosse County and Wisconsin
Measure La Crosse La Crosse County Wisconsin U.S.
Typical home value $210,100 $257,000 $266,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,010 $1,059 $1,087 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $55,866 $73,013 $77,485 $80,734
Households that own their home 46% 62% 68% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $3,854 $3,947 $3,792 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.83% 1.54% 1.42% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 47% 44% 44% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below La Crosse County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in La Crosse

For a typical $210,100 home in La Crosse, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, La Crosse's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,898a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,354
    Cash to close
    $13,657
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $93

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,860a month

    Down payment
    $10,505
    Cash to close
    $16,808
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $100

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,547a month

    Down payment
    $42,020
    Cash to close
    $48,323
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,741a month

    Down payment
    $31,515
    Cash to close
    $37,818
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for La Crosse and for La Crosse County.

Property tax

Effective rate in La Crosse

1.83%of the home’s value each year

$3,854 a year for the typical owner in La Crosse.

  • La Crosse 1.83%
  • County 1.54%
  • Wisconsin 1.42%

What Wisconsin publishes Lottery and Gaming Credit for your primary residence (Wisconsin Department of Revenue)

Exemptions and deadlines in Wisconsin

Flood risk in La Crosse County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of La Crosse County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.8%
956
Of those, with NFIP insurance
31%
County Wisconsin U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.8% 1.4% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 31% 19% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in La Crosse

Typical rent in La Crosse is $1,010 a month: 5% below the county. In La Crosse, 47% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of La Crosse County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,343 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $25.83 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of La Crosse County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $935 $17.98 $37,400
1 bedroom $1,027 $19.75 $41,080
2 bedrooms $1,343 $25.83 $53,720
3 bedrooms $1,721 $33.10 $68,840
4 bedrooms $2,167 $41.67 $86,680

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in La Crosse

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). La Crosse has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,210 in 54603 to $1,400 in 54601.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for La Crosse County ($1,343).

  • 54601 $1,400$1,790
  • 54603 $1,210$1,550

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for La Crosse when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in La Crosse

HUD lists 16 buildings with rents for lower incomes in La Crosse. These are the largest.

  • Stokke Tower 1025 Liberty St, La Crosse 54603 401 homes, 383 low-income · Run by La Crosse Housing Authority · Average payment: $397 a month · Average wait: 17 months (608) 782-2264
  • Schuh Homes 1402 Saint James St, La Crosse 54603 210 low-income homes · Run by La Crosse Housing Authority · Average payment: $508 a month · Average wait: 50 months (608) 782-2264
  • Forest Park Apartments 1230 Badger St, La Crosse 54601 111 low-income homes · For older adults (608) 782-2264
  • Ping Manor 1311 Badger St, La Crosse 54601 60 low-income homes · For older adults (608) 782-2264
  • Wedgewood Commons III 1900 Miller St, La Crosse 54601 56 low-income homes · 1 bd: 22 · 2 bd: 8 · In service since 1993

See all 26 buildings in La Crosse County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in La Crosse

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in La Crosse County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A man listens closely, seated at a meeting table.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in La Crosse

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for La Crosse or La Crosse County. The ones below are statewide in Wisconsin: they work in La Crosse the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Wisconsin

  • WHEDA Easy Close Advantage DPA

    Statewide in Wisconsin

    Wisconsin state agency second mortgage for the down payment: up to 6% of the price, over 10 years with a monthly payment and the same rate as the WHEDA first mortgage. Offered by Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

  • WHEDA Capital Access DPA

    Statewide in Wisconsin

    Limited funds remain, per the source

    $7,500 loan from the Wisconsin state agency for the down payment and closing costs, over 30 years, at 0% and with no monthly payments, alongside a WHEDA mortgage; limited funds, first come, first served. Offered by Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near La Crosse

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of La Crosse, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • CCCS of Sheboygan

    505 King Street, Suite 212, La Crosse · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (844) 307-7220

  • Catholic Charities - La Crosse, Inc.

    3710 East Ave S, La Crosse · 4 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (608) 782-0710

  • Couleecap Inc.

    201 Melby St, Westby · 22 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in Hmong.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (608) 782-4877

Every agency in La Crosse County All counseling agencies in Wisconsin

Help in Spanish near La Crosse

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of La Crosse

HUD’s record names them for La Crosse or La Crosse County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • La Crosse Housing Authority Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (608) 782-2264

One other authority has an office in La Crosse County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in La Crosse County

These cities are also in La Crosse County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about La Crosse County Housing in Wisconsin

Nearby cities

The cities closest to La Crosse, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If La Crosse County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in La Crosse.

All guides
Three women of one family talk as they cook vegetables in the kitchen.

Questions

Housing questions about La Crosse

Short answers with the numbers for La Crosse and all of La Crosse County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in La Crosse?

The typical home value in La Crosse is $210,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in La Crosse County it is $257,000.

How much does it cost to rent in La Crosse?

Typical rent in La Crosse is $1,010 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in La Crosse County is $1,343.

What is the FHA loan limit in La Crosse?

La Crosse uses the FHA limit for all of La Crosse County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in La Crosse?

The typical homeowner in La Crosse pays $3,854 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.83% of the home’s value; in La Crosse County, the rate is 1.54%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in La Crosse?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in La Crosse County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).