City · Wisconsin
Onalaska, Wisconsin
Onalaska, city, in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Onalaska had 20,297 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 7.8% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 18,803 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 19,348 (±28). GEOID 5559925.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
20,297
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 18,803 · ACS 2020-2024: 19,348 ±28
Median household income
$85,867
±$4,820 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$288,900
±$16,267 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$1,130
±$104 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Onalaska and what county is it in?
Onalaska is a city in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. It covers 10.6 square miles of land, 1,772 residents per square mile in 2020.
Onalaska is in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
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 20,297 people lived in Onalaska on July 1, 2025, up 7.8% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 18,803 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 19,348 (±28).
| Measure | Onalaska | La Crosse County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 19,348 ±28 | 120,488 | +686 |
| Households | 9,002 ±377 | 51,497 | +1,082 |
| Average household size | 2.13 ±0.09 | 2.25 | −0.21 |
| Housing units | 9,120 ±381 | 54,011 | +985 |
Onalaska's population since 2000
From 14,839 in 2000 to 20,297 in 2025: up 36.8%. 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 40.7 years old; 19.4% are under 18 and 20.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 84.6%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 5.3%. 3.9% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Onalaska | La Crosse County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.7 ±2.0 | 37.5 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.4% ±1.9 pts | 19.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 20.4% ±2.1 pts | 18.1% | – |
| Male | 47.7% ±2.4 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.6% ±1.1 pts | 2.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 84.6% ±3.1 pts | 87.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 2.7% ±1.3 pts | 1.5% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 5.3% ±1.9 pts | 4.5% | −3.0 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.9% ±1.8 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.2 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.9% ±1.0 pts | 3.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 10.2% ±2.7 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 7.0% ±1.6 pts | 6.8% | – |
| With a disability | 12.9% ±2.4 pts | 12.9% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.0% ±1.8 pts | 4.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 98.3% ±1.1 pts | 96.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 41.7% ±3.5 pts | 36.5% | +6.3 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 17.5% ±2.1 pts | 14.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.1% ±2.8 pts | 84.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.4% ±0.8 pts | 2.9% | – |
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 9,002 households earn less than $85,867 a year (±$4,820), against $73,013 in La Crosse County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 the median was $75,600 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $10,267 after inflation. 6.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Onalaska | La Crosse County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,867 ±$4,820 | $73,013 | +$10,267 |
| Mean household income | $116,237 ±$10,214 | $97,214 | – |
| Per capita income | $52,580 ±$4,342 | $41,922 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 6.0% ±2.0 pts | 12.4% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.0% ±4.8 pts | 8.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 6.0% ±2.1 pts | 9.3% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.9% ±2.9 pts | 94.2% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 88.2% ±3.2 pts | 89.9% | – |
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 63.1% of Onalaska's occupied homes and renters 36.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $288,900 by its owner (±$16,267). The median renter pays $1,130 a month including utilities, and 28.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Onalaska | La Crosse County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $288,900 ±$16,267 | $257,000 | +$46,946 |
| Median gross rent | $1,130 ±$104 | $1,059 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 28.5% ±7.9 pts | 35.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,790 ±$108 | $1,698 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 63.1% ±4.4 pts | 62.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 36.9% ±4.4 pts | 37.8% | – |
| Housing units | 9,120 ±381 | 54,011 | +985 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±0.4 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 1.2% ±1.9 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 55.2% ±4.5 pts | 59.2% | – |
| Mobile homes | 4.6% ±1.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.8% ±1.4 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 11.1% ±3.1 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 6.3% ±2.9 pts | 16.2% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.9% ±3.1 pts | 7.0% | – |
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 175 new housing units in Onalaska in 2025 (37 in single-family houses), 8.6 per 1,000 residents against 4.3 across Wisconsin.
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?
80.2% of Onalaska's workers drive alone and 10.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 17.3 minutes.
| Measure | Onalaska | La Crosse County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 67.0% ±2.9 pts | 66.6% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% ±2.6 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 80.2% ±3.9 pts | 75.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.8% ±3.5 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Walked | 0.6% ±0.6 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.9% ±2.8 pts | 11.6% | +7.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 17.3 min ±1.5 | 18.7 min | no clear change |
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?
3 census tracts lie mostly in Onalaska, and 5 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $66,922 (Tract 105) to $91,706 (Tract 104.03).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 104.03La Crosse County | 6,062 | $91,706 |
| Tract 105La Crosse County | 6,226 | $66,922 |
| Tract 104.04La Crosse County | 3,919 | $86,875 |
| Tract 104.01La Crosse County | 5,548 | $113,947 |
| Tract 1La Crosse County | 4,246 | $51,926 |
| Tract 102.05La Crosse County | 5,705 | $134,643 |
| Tract 102.02La Crosse County | 8,692 | $95,755 |
| Tract 103La Crosse County | 4,327 | $61,915 |
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 Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Onalaska is the 1,919th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 41st-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Onalaska ranks 467th of 914 places in Wisconsin with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 41st | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 51st | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 79th | 914 |
| Median household income | 467th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 165th | 911 |
| Median home value | 409th | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 274th | 825 |
| Poverty rate | 442nd | 706 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 132nd | 914 |
| Median age | 654th | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 775th | 914 |
| Work from home | 465th | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 850th | 914 |
Onalaska's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, 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?
9 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.