City · Texas
Onalaska, Texas
Onalaska, city, in Polk County, Texas. Onalaska had 3,289 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 8.3% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,020 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,210 (±18). GEOID 4854048.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,289
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,020 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,210 ±18
Median household income
$51,912
±$31,173 (90% margin)
Texas: $78,476
Median home value
$165,800
±$82,002 (90% margin)
Texas: $283,800
Median gross rent
$1,083
±$196 (90% margin)
Texas: $1,403
Where is Onalaska and what county is it in?
Onalaska is a city in Polk County, Texas. It covers 5.4 square miles of land, 555 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Onalaska, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,289 people lived in Onalaska on July 1, 2025, up 8.3% since 2020, in line with Texas (+8.8%). The 2020 Census counted 3,020 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,210 (±18).
| Measure | Onalaska | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,210 ±18 | 52,800 | +431 |
| Households | 1,280 ±185 | 19,517 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.50 ±0.35 | 2.51 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,765 ±229 | 26,469 | no clear change |
Onalaska's population since 2000
From 1,174 in 2000 to 3,289 in 2025: up 180.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Onalaska as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Onalaska?
The median resident of Onalaska is 43.8 years old; 23.5% are under 18 and 16.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 78.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 16.7%.
| Measure | Onalaska | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 ±12.1 | 44.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.5% ±6.4 pts | 20.3% | – |
| 65 years and over | 16.8% ±6.2 pts | 19.1% | – |
| Male | 43.2% ±6.8 pts | 53.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 16.7% ±10.4 pts | 15.3% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 78.0% ±9.8 pts | 70.9% | −12.6 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.2% ±1.7 pts | 7.7% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.6% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.2% ±4.0 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.5 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.0% ±2.3 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 5.5% ±3.8 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 18.2% ±8.4 pts | 9.5% | – |
| With a disability | 27.4% ±7.9 pts | 22.7% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.3% ±6.4 pts | 14.4% | −14.3 pts |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.6% ±6.7 pts | 83.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 11.7% ±7.2 pts | 16.2% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 1.2% ±1.4 pts | 5.4% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 72.2% ±16.4 pts | 81.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±1.6 pts | 2.1% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Onalaska earn?
Half of Onalaska's 1,280 households earn less than $51,912 a year (±$31,173), against $62,259 in Polk County and $78,476 in Texas. In 2015-2019 it was $59,025 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.7% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Onalaska | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,912 ±$31,173 | $62,259 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $73,493 ±$18,240 | $79,481 | – |
| Per capita income | $29,257 ±$7,048 | $30,198 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.7% ±11.7 pts | 17.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 36.5% ±21.2 pts | 27.9% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 28.4% ±15.7 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.4% ±1.5 pts | 95.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 91.6% ±5.1 pts | 88.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Onalaska?
Owners occupy 78.4% of Onalaska's occupied homes and renters 21.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $165,800 by its owner (±$82,002). The median renter pays $1,083 a month including utilities, and 72.1% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Onalaska | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $165,800 ±$82,002 | $184,800 | +$93,681 |
| Median gross rent | $1,083 ±$196 | $987 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 72.1% ±24.8 pts | 35.8% | +33.2 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,857 ±$145 | $1,556 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 78.4% ±11.8 pts | 78.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 21.6% ±11.8 pts | 21.9% | – |
| Housing units | 1,765 ±229 | 26,469 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 3.9% ±4.6 pts | 1.8% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 26.8% ±20.1 pts | 9.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 42.0% ±11.8 pts | 68.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 56.3% ±11.8 pts | 24.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.8% ±2.3 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 17.5% ±9.5 pts | 15.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±2.8 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 3.8% ±4.3 pts | 3.8% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Onalaska building?
Builders took permits for 38 new housing units in Onalaska in 2025 (38 in single-family houses; the permit office reported 8 of 12 months), 11.6 per 1,000 residents against 6.6 across Texas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Onalaska work and get to work?
76.2% of Onalaska's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 22.2 minutes.
| Measure | Onalaska | Polk County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.0% ±8.8 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 9.4% ±9.6 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.2% ±16.9 pts | 77.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 16.4% ±16.4 pts | 11.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±3.9 pts | 2.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±6.8 pts | 7.4% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.2 min ±5.9 | 29.8 min | −11.1 min |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Onalaska?
No census tract lies mostly in Onalaska; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 2102.06Polk County | 4,906 | $71,484 |
| Tract 2103.01Polk County | 4,144 | $65,469 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Onalaska) · Census block assignment files
How does Onalaska compare with other places in Texas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Onalaska is the 6,052nd-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 475th-most populous of 1,224 in Texas.
Onalaska ranks 725th of 933 places in Texas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 475th | 1,224 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 277th | 784 |
| Residents per square mile | 806th | 979 |
| Median household income | 725th | 933 |
| Per capita income | 587th | 978 |
| Median home value | 596th | 950 |
| Median gross rent | 454th | 852 |
| Poverty rate | 160th | 716 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 759th | 877 |
| Median age | 162nd | 973 |
| Owner-occupied share | 310th | 973 |
| Travel time to work | 674th | 976 |
Onalaska's figures with every place in Texas (CSV)
Every place in Texas, sortable · Compare Onalaska with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Onalaska?
20 of the 57 figures for Onalaska on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Onalaska are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Onalaska.