City · Wisconsin
Westby, Wisconsin
Westby, city, in Vernon County, Wisconsin. Westby had 2,435 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 2,332 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,432 (±237). GEOID 5585475.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
2,435
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 2,332 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,432 ±237
Median household income
$72,875
±$10,352 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $77,485
Median home value
$174,200
±$16,793 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $266,500
Median gross rent
$993
±$247 (90% margin)
Wisconsin: $1,087
Where is Westby and what county is it in?
Westby is a city in Vernon County, Wisconsin. It covers 2.7 square miles of land, 864 residents per square mile in 2020.
Westby 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 Westby, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,435 people lived in Westby on July 1, 2025, up 2.2% since 2020, faster than Wisconsin (+1.3%). The 2020 Census counted 2,332 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,432 (±237).
| Measure | Westby | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,432 ±237 | 31,049 | no clear change |
| Households | 1,027 ±108 | 12,424 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.31 ±0.21 | 2.46 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 1,085 ±104 | 14,065 | no clear change |
Westby's population since 2000
From 2,045 in 2000 to 2,435 in 2025: up 19.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Westby 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 Westby?
The median resident of Westby is 43.6 years old; 23.4% are under 18 and 21.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 98.0%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 1.6%.
| Measure | Westby | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.6 ±6.3 | 41.9 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 23.4% ±3.4 pts | 26.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.7% ±4.5 pts | 21.3% | – |
| Male | 52.2% ±4.0 pts | 50.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1.6% ±1.7 pts | 1.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 98.0% ±1.8 pts | 94.3% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.2% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 0.4% ±0.3 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.9 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.7% ±0.6 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 7.2% ±7.6 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.3% ±3.7 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 10.4% ±2.4 pts | 10.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 8.2% ±8.4 pts | 15.0% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.2% ±3.7 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 25.4% ±4.8 pts | 24.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 9.1% ±3.2 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 91.1% ±4.7 pts | 93.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 Westby earn?
Half of Westby's 1,027 households earn less than $72,875 a year (±$10,352), against $71,893 in Vernon County and $77,485 in Wisconsin. In 2015-2019 it was $66,048 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 8.0% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Westby | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,875 ±$10,352 | $71,893 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $83,852 ±$7,637 | $90,506 | – |
| Per capita income | $36,226 ±$4,317 | $36,396 | +$4,960 |
| People below the poverty line | 8.0% ±4.4 pts | 13.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.3% ±10.1 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 8.5% ±4.4 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.1% ±6.2 pts | 87.1% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 82.6% ±7.7 pts | 80.4% | – |
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 Westby?
Owners occupy 77.1% of Westby's occupied homes and renters 22.9%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $174,200 by its owner (±$16,793). The median renter pays $993 a month including utilities, and 34.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Westby | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $174,200 ±$16,793 | $223,800 | +$30,947 |
| Median gross rent | $993 ±$247 | $836 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 34.0% ±15.3 pts | 24.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,237 ±$129 | $1,517 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 77.1% ±7.0 pts | 80.3% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 22.9% ±7.0 pts | 19.7% | – |
| Housing units | 1,085 ±104 | 14,065 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.5% ±2.8 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.4% ±9.9 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 67.6% ±8.1 pts | 80.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 16.3% ±6.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±2.0 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 6.4% ±2.1 pts | 7.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 26.0% ±6.0 pts | 24.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.4% ±2.9 pts | 9.1% | – |
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 Westby building?
Builders took permits for 8 new housing units in Westby in 2025 (6 in single-family houses), 3.3 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 Westby work and get to work?
86.2% of Westby's workers drive alone and 6.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 21.9 minutes.
| Measure | Westby | Vernon County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 61.5% ±7.6 pts | 59.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.6% ±1.9 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 86.2% ±4.1 pts | 72.9% | – |
| Carpooled | 2.2% ±1.7 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.9% ±0.9 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Walked | 3.4% ±3.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 6.2% ±2.4 pts | 12.7% | +3.4 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 21.9 min ±2.8 | 24.1 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 Westby?
No census tract lies mostly in Westby; 1 tract reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9603Vernon County | 4,470 | $71,250 |
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 Westby) · Census block assignment files
How does Westby compare with other places in Wisconsin?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Westby is the 6,995th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 242nd-most populous of 608 in Wisconsin.
Westby ranks 659th 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 | 242nd | 608 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 266th | 884 |
| Residents per square mile | 254th | 914 |
| Median household income | 659th | 914 |
| Per capita income | 721st | 911 |
| Median home value | 805th | 913 |
| Median gross rent | 420th | 825 |
| Poverty rate | 320th | 706 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 509th | 914 |
| Median age | 506th | 914 |
| Owner-occupied share | 606th | 914 |
| Work from home | 750th | 827 |
| Travel time to work | 587th | 914 |
Westby's figures with every place in Wisconsin (CSV)
Every place in Wisconsin, sortable · Compare Westby 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 Westby?
20 of the 57 figures for Westby 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 Westby 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 Westby.