City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Onalaska, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Onalaska - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

18,909
Residents
$84,898
Median income
$279,100
Median home
$1,166
Median rent (state)

Onalaska - the verdict

Nationally, Onalaska sits in the 66th percentile for household income and the 25th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

66th
percentile, household income
61st
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
25th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Onalaska, WI

Onalaska is a small town in Wisconsin, home to 18,909 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $84,898 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.9%. Typical homes in Onalaska are valued around $279,100, and the median resident age is 40.3 years. Educational attainment runs 41.4% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 66.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 248 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 88% from five years earlier. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 2328.5 crimes per 100,000 residents, near the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Wisconsin scores 94.1 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,166 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 16.5 minutes, with 83.1% driving alone and 8.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 80.5 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (High).

Population

18,909 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$84,898 /yr

Poverty 3.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Onalaska compare to other US cities?

Where Onalaska sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 66% higher than other cities
Home value 61% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities
Safety 25% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Wisconsin alone, Onalaska ranks #182 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Onalaska against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Wisconsin only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Onalaska toward the top of Wisconsin's cities

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Onalaska ranks #96 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Onalaska only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#187 of 753
75th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#272 of 761
63rd percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#143 of 754
81st percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#453 of 761
40th percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#96 of 761
87th percentile in Wisconsin

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Wisconsin only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

66thIncome percentile
25thSafety percentile

66th percentile nationally for median household income · 25th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Onalaska's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Onalaska's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
Onalaska's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Onalaska's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$279,100 39th percentile more affordable than 39% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Onalaska $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Onalaska, WI Onalaska, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Onalaska, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Onalaska, WI median $84,898/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Onalaska, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Onalaska, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 41.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
18,909
Median Income
$84,898
Median Home Value
$279,100
Median Age
40.3
Poverty Rate
3.9%
Labor force participation
66.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
41.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2328.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
36.7
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2291.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
6
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
18,500 residents19,000 residents19,500 residents20,000 residents20,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 18,858 residents 20,297 residents ▲ +7.6%
Onalaska's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
248
housing units authorized
Single-Family
20
detached homes
Multifamily
228
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
13.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 132
2020 75
2021 145
2022 60
2023 181
2024 248

Permit volume increased 88% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.5 minutes
Drive Alone
83.1%
Carpool
7.2%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.9%
Work from Home
8.1%
Other
0.7%

Based on 10,152 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Onalaska sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,166/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
80.5 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Fox Crossing
18,960 people
Wisconsin Rapids
18,756 people
Marshfield
18,718 people
Oconomowoc
18,385 people
Menasha
18,130 people
Cudahy
17,964 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Onalaska's 18,909 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ellensburg, WA
18,913 people
Mebane, NC
18,899 people
Knik-Fairview, AK
18,921 people
Cullman, AL
18,894 people
Palestine, TX
18,888 people
Cumberland, MD
18,938 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Onalaska's $84,898 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Indian Head, MD
$84,898 median income
Calistoga, CA
$84,892 median income
Cudjoe Key, FL
$84,890 median income
Bemiss, GA
$84,886 median income
Odell, OR
$84,911 median income
Fairwood CDP (Spokane County), WA
$84,911 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Onalaska, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Onalaska, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.7% White 86.4% Black or African American 2.7% Asian 5.0% American Indian 0.6% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 1.4% Two or more races 3.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Onalaska compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Onalaska (this city) 18,909 $84,898
Fox Crossing 18,960 $74,423
Wisconsin Rapids 18,756 $54,116
Marshfield 18,718 $59,294
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Onalaska, WI?

What is the population of Onalaska, WI? +

18,909 people live in Onalaska, WI according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Onalaska, WI? +

The median household income in Onalaska is $84,898 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Onalaska? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Onalaska; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Onalaska, WI safe? +

Onalaska has a total crime rate of 2328.5 per 100,000 residents, which is near the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Onalaska, WI? +

Onalaska's median home value sits at $279,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.