La Crosse County, Wisconsin

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 480 sqmi, of which 452 sqmi is land and 28 sqmi (5.9%) is water.

Major highways

• [[Image:I-90.svg|20px]] Interstate 90
• [[Image:US 14.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 14
• [[Image:US 53.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 53
• [[Image:US 61.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 61
• [[Image:WIS 16.svg|20px]] Highway 16 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 33.svg|20px]] Highway 33 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 35.svg|20px]] Highway 35 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 108.svg|20px]] Highway 108 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 157.svg|20px]] Highway 157 (Wisconsin)
• [[Image:WIS 162.svg|20px]] 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 85.4 °F, with overnight low temperatures averaging 27.4 °F. January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging 25.9 °F, with the overnight low temperatures around 10.5 °F.

|Jan record high F = 57 |Feb record high F = 65 |Mar record high F = 84 |Apr record high F = 93 |May record high F = 107 |Jun record high F = 102 |Jul record high F = 108 |Aug record high F = 105 |Sep record high F = 101 |Oct record high F = 93 |Nov record high F = 80 |Dec record high F = 67

|Jan avg record high F = 45.4 |Feb avg record high F = 50.5 |Mar avg record high F = 69.0 |Apr avg record high F = 82.2 |May avg record high F = 87.8 |Jun avg record high F = 93.6 |Jul avg record high F = 95.7 |Aug avg record high F = 94.0 |Sep avg record high F = 89.2 |Oct avg record high F = 80.6 |Nov avg record high F = 64.0 |Dec avg record high F = 48.1 |year avg record high F= 97.7

|Jan avg record low F = −13.8 |Feb avg record low F = −10.4 |Mar avg record low F = 3.9 |Apr avg record low F = 21.7 |May avg record low F = 34.1 |Jun avg record low F = 44.6 |Jul avg record low F = 51.5 |Aug avg record low F = 49.3 |Sep avg record low F = 36.5 |Oct avg record low F = 25.4 |Nov avg record low F = 12.0 |Dec avg record low F = −8.7 |year avg record low F= −18.4 |Jan record low F = −43 |Feb record low F = −36 |Mar record low F = −28 |Apr record low F = 7 |May record low F = 26 |Jun record low F = 33 |Jul record low F = 44 |Aug record low F = 35 |Sep record low F = 24 |Oct record low F = 6 |Nov record low F = −21 |Dec record low F = −37

Demographics

|align-fn=center 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020

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 267.3 /mi2. There were 52,774 housing units at an average density of 116.8 /mi2, 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,

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 255 /sqmi. There were 46,137 housing units at an average density of 96 /sqmi. 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: Monica Kruse
• 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: (29 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 95 Jill Billings (D) and 94 Steve Doyle (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
• Holmen
• Rockland
• West Salem

Towns

• Bangor
• Barre
• Burns
• Campbell
• 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

References

References

1. "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: La Crosse County, Wisconsin".
2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties.
3. (August 22, 2012). "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
4. (2023). "Wisconsin State Climatology Office". University of Wisconsin.
5. (2023). "La Crosse Climate Data". University of Wisconsin.
6. Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1981 to 2010.
7. "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]].
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10. "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau.
11. "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library.
12. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau.
13. (April 2, 2001). "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau.
14. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/lacrossecountywisconsin,lacrossecitywisconsin,detroitcitymichigan,US/PST045219 {{Dead link. (February 2022)
15. "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau.
16. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)".
17. (2021). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)".
18. (2023). "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)".
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20. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
21. "Annual Wisconsin Birth and Infant Mortality Report, 2017 P-01161-19 (June 2019): Detailed Tables".
22. "3 longtime supervisors named to lead La Crosse County Board". La Crosse Tribune.
23. "Treasurer".
24. (June 6, 2010). "LA CROSSE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS. April 2010 — April 2012.".
25. "La Crosse County Administrator".
26. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
27. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections".
28. Gilbert, Craig. (December 3, 2014). "The reddest and bluest places in Wisconsin". Jsonline.com.
29. "Cities propelled Joe Biden to Wisconsin win as rural areas double down on Donald Trump". La Crosse Tribune.
30. "Majority of voters in La Crosse County cast ballots for Democrats even with decrease in voter turnout". La Crosse Tribune.