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Demographics of La Crosse County
Affluence Level in La Crosse County
A middle-class area roughly in line with national averages across income, home values, education, and employment.
People of La Crosse County
Today, La Crosse County is home to roughly 120,000 residents, a population that remains predominantly white (87.8%) but is gradually diversifying, with the largest minority groups being East and Southeast Asian communities (4.1%) and Hispanic residents (2.6%). The county’s identity is shaped by its position as a regional hub for healthcare, higher education, and manufacturing, anchored by the city of La Crosse along the Mississippi River. Compared to other Wisconsin counties, La Crosse has a notably high college attainment rate at 36.1%, reflecting the influence of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and Viterbo University. The population is concentrated in the urban core of La Crosse and its suburbs, with a scattering of smaller towns and rural areas that retain a strong German and Norwegian cultural heritage.
Settlement & growth (pre-1960)
Before European settlement, the La Crosse area was home to the Ho-Chunk Nation, who occupied the region for centuries, using the Mississippi River as a transportation and trade corridor. French fur traders and missionaries passed through in the 17th and 18th centuries, but permanent American settlement did not begin until the 1840s, following the 1837 Treaty of St. Peters, which forced the Ho-Chunk to cede their lands. The first wave of American settlers were Yankees from New England and New York, who founded the city of La Crosse in 1841 at the confluence of the Mississippi, Black, and La Crosse Rivers, recognizing its potential as a river port and lumber hub.
The dominant wave of immigration came from Germany and Norway between 1850 and 1890. German immigrants, fleeing political unrest and economic hardship, arrived in large numbers and settled throughout the county, establishing farms and businesses in the towns of Onalaska, Holmen, and West Salem. They brought with them a strong work ethic, Catholic and Lutheran traditions, and a preference for tight-knit rural communities. Norwegian immigrants, drawn by the promise of affordable farmland and the familiar landscape of the Upper Midwest, concentrated in the northern and eastern parts of the county, particularly in the town of Bangor and the village of Rockland. By 1900, the county was overwhelmingly of German and Norwegian descent, a demographic foundation that persists today.
The lumber industry drove the county’s early economy, with La Crosse becoming one of the largest sawmill centers on the Mississippi by the 1870s. As the forests were depleted, the economy shifted to manufacturing, brewing, and transportation. The arrival of the railroad in the 1850s cemented La Crosse’s role as a regional trade center. The early 20th century saw a modest influx of Polish and Italian immigrants, who found work in the city’s factories and breweries, settling in the working-class neighborhoods of La Crosse’s North Side and near the downtown rail yards. The Great Depression and World War II slowed immigration, but the post-war boom brought a wave of rural-to-urban migration within the county, as families left farms for jobs in La Crosse’s expanding industrial and service sectors.
Modern era (post-1965)
The 1965 Hart-Cellar Act had a limited immediate impact on La Crosse County, as the region did not attract the large-scale immigration seen in coastal cities. However, the act’s emphasis on family reunification and skilled immigration did open the door for a small but steady stream of newcomers. The most notable post-1965 demographic shift has been the growth of East and Southeast Asian communities, which now make up 4.1% of the county’s population. This growth is largely tied to the presence of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the medical sector, which have attracted professionals and students from China, South Korea, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Many of these individuals settle in the city of La Crosse, particularly near the university and the major medical employers like Gundersen Health System and Mayo Clinic Health System.
Hispanic residents, now 2.6% of the population, began arriving in larger numbers in the 1990s and 2000s, drawn by jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, and food processing. The majority are of Mexican descent, and they have established a growing presence in La Crosse and the surrounding towns of Onalaska and Holmen. The Black population, at 1.5%, has grown slowly but steadily, primarily through domestic migration from other Midwestern states, with many finding employment in healthcare and education. The Indian subcontinent population remains very small at 0.4%, concentrated among professionals in the medical and academic sectors.
Domestic migration has also reshaped the county. Since the 1980s, La Crosse has experienced a steady influx of retirees and remote workers from the Twin Cities and Chicago, drawn by the lower cost of living, natural beauty, and slower pace of life. This has fueled suburban growth in Onalaska, Holmen, and West Salem, which have seen new housing developments and commercial expansion. At the same time, younger residents have increasingly moved to the city of La Crosse for its walkable downtown, nightlife, and job opportunities, reversing a decades-long trend of population loss in the urban core.
The future
La Crosse County is projected to become slightly more diverse over the next 10-20 years, but the pace of change will remain slow compared to the nation as a whole. The East and Southeast Asian population is expected to grow modestly, driven by continued recruitment of international students and medical professionals, while the Hispanic population will likely increase through both immigration and higher birth rates. The Black and Indian subcontinent populations will remain small but may see gradual growth as the region’s healthcare and education sectors expand.
The county’s overall population is aging, with a median age above the national average, and the native-born white population is declining slightly due to low birth rates and out-migration of young adults to larger cities. However, La Crosse’s role as a regional hub for healthcare and higher education provides a stabilizing force, attracting new residents to replace those who leave. Suburbanization will continue, with Onalaska and Holmen absorbing most of the new housing growth, while the city of La Crosse focuses on infill development and revitalization of its older neighborhoods.
Culturally, the county is likely to remain a place where German and Norwegian heritage is celebrated through festivals, food, and family traditions, even as the population becomes more diverse. The growing presence of Asian and Hispanic residents is already visible in the local restaurant scene and community events, but these groups remain too small to fundamentally alter the county’s cultural identity. The next two decades will see La Crosse County become a slightly more varied version of its current self: still predominantly white and Midwestern, but with a broader range of backgrounds and experiences.
For someone moving to La Crosse County today, the region offers a stable, family-oriented community with a strong economy and a high quality of life, but with limited racial and ethnic diversity. The population is gradually becoming more varied, but the pace of change is slow, and the county’s cultural identity remains deeply rooted in its German and Norwegian heritage. Newcomers will find a welcoming environment, particularly in the growing suburbs, but should expect a community that is still largely homogeneous by national standards.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-07-12T00:21:09.000Z
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