City · 19,348 residents · La Crosse County, Wisconsin
Onalaska, Wisconsin
In Onalaska, a typical home is worth $288,900 and typical rent is $1,130 a month. Compared with all of La Crosse County, typical household income is 18% higher and the typical home value is 12% higher.
Typical home value from Zillow, September 2021 to September 2026: from $296,843 to $364,870.
Typical rent
$1,394a month
▲ 2.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent from Zillow, March 2024 to September 2026: from $1,281 to $1,394.
From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).
Onalaska 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
What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.
1
Nearby, in Tomah, the typical home value is $174,300: 40% less than in Onalaska ($288,900).
2
Nearby, in Sparta, the typical rent is $861: 24% less than in Onalaska ($1,130).
3
The typical household income in Onalaska is $85,867,18% more than in La Crosse County as a whole ($73,013).
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).
The homes here
Housing in Onalaska
What homes there are in Onalaska, 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
Detached houseAttached houseBuilding of 2 to 4Apartments (5 or more)Mobile homeBoat, RV and otherUnreliable estimate
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Wisconsin
United States
Kind of home: Onalaska and its comparisons
Measure
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Wisconsin
United States
Detached house
55%
59%
66%
61%
Attached house
9%
7%
4%
6%
Building of 2 to 4
10%
10%
9%
8%
Apartments (5 or more)
20%
20%
17%
19%
Mobile home
5%
4%
3%
6%
Boat, RV and other
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0%
0%
Detached houses are the majority in Onalaska (55%), but less so than in La Crosse County (59%).
Year built
Before 19601960–19791980–19992000–20092010 or later
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Wisconsin
United States
Year built: Onalaska and its comparisons
Measure
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Wisconsin
United States
Before 1960
16%
31%
33%
26%
1960–1979
24%
22%
24%
24%
1980–1999
31%
24%
22%
25%
2000–2009
15%
12%
13%
14%
2010 or later
14%
11%
9%
11%
Here half of the homes date from 1991 or later; in La Crosse County, from 1978 or later.
There is more room for a big family here: 61% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, against 57% in La Crosse County.
What it costs here
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
Value of owner-occupied homes
Under the limitOver the limitUnreliable estimate
Under $100K9%
$100K–$200K12%
$200K–$300K32%
$300K–$500K39%
$500K–$750K6%
FHA limit: $541,287
$750K–$1MUnreliable
$1M or moreUnreliable
Value of owner-occupied homes: Onalaska and its comparisons
Measure
Onalaska
Under $100K
9%
$100K–$200K
12%
$200K–$300K
32%
$300K–$500K
39%
$500K–$750K
6%
$750K–$1M
Unreliable estimate
$1M or more
Unreliable estimate
By price, most homes in Onalaska sit under the FHA limit for La Crosse County ($541,287): about 93%.
Monthly rent with utilities
Unreliable estimate
Under $500Unreliable
$500–$99938%
$1,000–$1,49936%
$1,500–$1,99918%
$2,000–$2,499Unreliable
$2,500–$2,999Unreliable
$3,000 or moreUnreliable
Monthly rent with utilities: Onalaska and its comparisons
Measure
Onalaska
Under $500
Unreliable estimate
$500–$999
38%
$1,000–$1,499
36%
$1,500–$1,999
18%
$2,000–$2,499
Unreliable estimate
$2,500–$2,999
Unreliable estimate
$3,000 or more
Unreliable estimate
With a mortgage
$1,790 a month
La Crosse County: $1,698 a month
Without a mortgage
$705 a month
La Crosse County: $656 a month
Owners with a mortgage
54%
La Crosse County: 59%
In Onalaska, 54% of owners have a mortgage, and their typical cost is $1,790 a month, against $1,698 in La Crosse County. Without one it drops to $705.
How it changed
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024
Change since 2015–2019
Typical home value
Onalaska+47%
La Crosse County+48%
Wisconsin+48%
United States+53%
Typical rent
Onalaska+27%
La Crosse County+27%
Wisconsin+27%
United States+33%
Typical household income
Onalaska+40%
La Crosse County+26%
Wisconsin+26%
United States+29%
Change since 2015–2019: Onalaska and its comparisons
Measure
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Wisconsin
United States
Typical home value
+47%
+48%
+48%
+53%
Typical rent
+27%
+27%
+27%
+33%
Typical household income
+40%
+26%
+26%
+29%
Much as in La Crosse County, the typical home value in Onalaska rose 47% since 2015–2019.
Much as in La Crosse County, the typical rent in Onalaska rose 27% since 2015–2019.
While home values in Onalaska changed +47% and rent +27%, the typical household income rose 40%.
How people live
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024
How people live: Onalaska and its comparisons
Measure
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Wisconsin
United States
Rental vacancy
Unreliable estimate
2.9%
4.5%
5.5%
Homeowner vacancy
Unreliable estimate
Unreliable estimate
0.5%
0.9%
More than one person per room
Unreliable estimate
1.0%
1.7%
3.4%
People per household
2.13
2.25
2.33
2.53
Drive alone
80%
76%
74%
69%
Carpool
8%
7%
7%
9%
Public transit
Unreliable estimate
1%
1%
3%
Walk or bike
Unreliable estimate
4%
3%
3%
Work from home
11%
12%
13%
15%
Other means
Unreliable estimate
1%
1%
2%
Typical commute
10 to 19 minutes
10 to 19 minutes
10 to 19 minutes
20 to 29 minutes
Fewer people live in each home here: 2.13 on average, against 2.25 in La Crosse County.
To get to work, 80% of workers in Onalaska drive alone; in La Crosse County, 76%.
Do the math
What would you pay each month for a home in Onalaska?
A typical home is tight for the typical income
We start with a typical home in Onalaska, worth $288,900, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 35% of the typical household income in Onalaska, which is $85,867 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $108,469 a year.
The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of La Crosse County.
Change the price, the down payment or the loan: the payment updates right away.
Your numbers
Local data
$
Starts at the typical home value in Onalaska. Change it to the price you have in mind.
Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.
Down payment
%
That is $10,112 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.
This week's average ± a quarter or half point.
National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.
Adjust advanced details⌄
Estimated monthly payment
Local data
$2,531
at 7.18% · 30 years
Loan amount
$283,667
Total interest
$408,130
Paid off in
November 2056
Includes $4,879 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.
Does it fit the income?
Comfortable
up to $2,004 a month
Tight
$2,004 to $2,576 a month
Your payment · 35%
Hard
more than $2,576 a month
Compared with the typical household income in Onalaska ($85,867 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.
Monthly payment breakdown
Principal & interest
$1,922
Property tax
$361
Home insurance
$120
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)
$128
You need at least $10,112 for the down payment, plus closing costs.
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.
Total monthly payment $2,531; principal and interest $1,922.
The city and its county
Onalaska and La Crosse County
Onalaska 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).
Onalaska
Map of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, with Onalaska marked. Around it, the neighboring counties.
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Other cities with a page
Onalaska's own numbers
Typical home value
$288,900
Typical monthly rent
$1,130
Typical yearly household income
$85,867
Households that own their home
63%
Effective property tax rate
1.5%
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.
A typical home in Onalaska is worth $288,900: 12% above the county and 8% above Wisconsin. With the typical household income in Onalaska ($85,867 a year), a typical home costs 3.4 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.
Onalaska3.4 years
La Crosse3.5 years
Wisconsin3.4 years
United States4.1 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.
Yearly change in FHFA’s price index in La Crosse County, 2016 to 2025
2016: +4.7% +4.7% 2016
2017: +5.3% +5.3% 2017
2018: +5.3% +5.3% 2018
2019: +4.4% +4.4% 2019
2020: +2.5% +2.5% 2020
2021: +9.1% +9.1% 2021
2022: +14.3% +14.3% 2022
2023: +9.5% +9.5% 2023
2024: +5.1% +5.1% 2024
2025: +4.6% +4.6% 2025
Change in FHFA’s price index in La Crosse County, Wisconsin and the United States
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
Onalaska 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
Onalaska$288,900
La Crosse$257,000
Wisconsin$266,500
United States$332,700
Typical monthly rent
Onalaska$1,130
La Crosse$1,059
Wisconsin$1,087
United States$1,413
Typical yearly household income
Onalaska$85,867
La Crosse$73,013
Wisconsin$77,485
United States$80,734
See the full table
Onalaska next to La Crosse County and Wisconsin
Measure
Onalaska
La Crosse County
Wisconsin
U.S.
Typical home value
$288,900 ▲12% above the county
$257,000
$266,500
$332,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,130 ▲7% above the county
$1,059
$1,087
$1,413
Typical yearly household income
$85,867 ▲18% above the county
$73,013
$77,485
$80,734
Households that own their home
63% ▲1 points above the county
62%
68%
65%
Typical yearly property tax
$4,326 ▲10% above the county
$3,947
$3,792
$3,119
Effective property tax rate
1.5% ▼0.04 points below the county
1.54%
1.42%
0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income
39% ▼5 points below the county
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 Onalaska
For a typical $288,900 home in Onalaska, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Onalaska's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.
FHA, 3.5% down$2,531a month
Least cash to close
Down payment
$10,112
Cash to close
$18,779
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
FHA MIP · $128
Conventional, 5% down$2,478a month
Down payment
$14,445
Cash to close
$23,112
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
PMI · $137
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI$2,047a month
Down payment
$57,780
Cash to close
$66,447
Rate
7.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
ITIN, 15% down (example)$2,314a month
Down payment
$43,335
Cash to close
$52,002
Rate
8.18%
Mortgage insurance
None
Four ways to pay for a typical home in Onalaska
Loan
Monthly payment
Down payment
Loan amount
Rate
Mortgage insurance
Cash to close
Minimum score
FHA, 3.5% down Least cash to close
$2,531
$10,112
$283,667
7.18%
FHA MIP · $128
$18,779
580
Conventional, 5% down
$2,478
$14,445
$274,455
7.18%
PMI · $137
$23,112
620*
Conventional, 20% down, no PMI
$2,047
$57,780
$231,120
7.18%
None
$66,447
620*
ITIN, 15% down (example)
$2,314
$43,335
$245,565
8.18%
None
$52,002
Set by the lender
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.
Typical rent in Onalaska is $1,130 a month: 7% above the county. In Onalaska, 39% 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.
What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.
HUD fair market rent in La Crosse County (Fiscal year 2027)
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 Onalaska
HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Onalaska is in ZIP code 54650.
For 2 bedrooms it is $1,510: $167 more than the fair market rent for La Crosse County ($1,343).
Fair market rent by ZIP code and size in Onalaska, fiscal year 2027.
ZIP code
Studio
1 bd
2 bd
3 bd
4 bd
54650
$1,050
$1,150
$1,510
$1,930
$2,440
ZIP code2 bd3 bd
54650 $1,510$1,930
1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Onalaska 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 2027Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship fileData from 2020 dataCensus Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (external site)
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.
No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Onalaska or La Crosse County. The ones below are statewide in Wisconsin: they work in Onalaska the same as in the rest of the state.
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).
$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).
No legal help resource on our list is for Onalaska or La Crosse County in particular.
If you have a problem with your landlord, an eviction notice or a scam, the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) search shows the free legal aid offices that serve your area.
Short answers with the numbers for Onalaska 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 Onalaska?
The typical home value in Onalaska is $288,900, 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 Onalaska?
Typical rent in Onalaska is $1,130 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 Onalaska?
Onalaska 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 Onalaska?
The typical homeowner in Onalaska pays $4,326 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.5% 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 Onalaska?
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.
