La Crosse County, Wisconsin

La Crosse County, Wisconsin
La Crosse County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At the 2020 census, the population was 120,784. Its county seat is La Crosse. La Crosse County is included in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metropolitan Statistical Area with a population of 139,627 and is the most populous county on Wisconsin's western border.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (5.9%) is water.
Major highways
Interstate 90
U.S. Highway 14
U.S. Highway 53
U.S. Highway 61
Highway 16 (Wisconsin)
Highway 33 (Wisconsin)
Highway 35 (Wisconsin)
Highway 108 (Wisconsin)
Highway 162 (Wisconsin)
Railroads
Amtrak
BNSF
Canadian Pacific
La Crosse station
Buses
La Crosse MTU
Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit
List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin
Airport
LSE - La Crosse Regional Airport
Adjacent counties
Trempealeau County - northwest
Jackson County - northeast
Monroe County - east
Vernon County - south
Houston County, Minnesota - southwest
Winona County, Minnesota - west
Climate
La Crosse County's location in the United States' upper midwest gives the area a temperate, continental climate. The warmest month of the year is July, when the average high temperature is , with overnight low temperatures averaging . January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging , with the overnight low temperatures around .
Demographics
As of the census of 2020, the population was 120,784. The population density was . There were 52,774 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.0% White, 4.6% Asian, 1.7% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.9% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Ethnically, the population was 2.5% Hispanic or Latino of any race.
According to 2014–2018 ACS estimates, the median household income was $55,479 and the median family income was $67,388. Males had a median income of $48,675 and females $38,714. The per capita income was $26,065. About 9.1% of families and 10.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.2% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.
At the 2010 census, there were 114,638 people, 46,137 households and 27,373 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 46,137 housing units at an average density of . The racial make up was 92.1% White, 1.4% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 4.1% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 0.3% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.9% were of German, 20.3% Norwegian and 7.9% Irish ancestry.
In 2017, there were 1,188 births, giving a general fertility rate of 47.9 births per 1000 women aged 15–44, the fifth lowest rate out of all 72 Wisconsin counties.
Government
Board Chair: Monica Kruse
District Attorney: Tim Gruenke (D)
Sheriff: John Siegel (D)
County Clerk: Ginny Dankmeyer (D)
County Treasurer: Amy Twitchell (D)
Register of Deeds: Robin Kadrmas (D)
Board of Supervisors: (29 members) (D Majority)
County Administrator: Jane Klekamp
Government buildings
Politics
La Crosse County has voted for the Democratic nominee in every presidential election since 1988. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ranked La Crosse County as one of Wisconsin's most Democratic counties. As a result of the 2020 presidential election, La Crosse County continued its Democratic trend by about 4% with a 13% lead over Republicans. In the 2022 United States elections Democrats won every contested race in La Crosse County and flipped the Sheriff's race for the first time in recent history.
La Crosse County is within the Wisconsin State Senate district 32, represented by Brad Pfaff (D). It also contains Wisconsin State Assembly districts 95 Jill Billings (D) and 94 Steve Doyle (D). Democrats also hold a majority of seats on the La Crosse County Board of Supervisors.
Communities
Cities
La Crosse (county seat)
Onalaska
Villages
Bangor
Holmen
Rockland
West Salem
Towns
Bangor
Barre
Burns
Campbell
Farmington
Greenfield
Hamilton
Holland
Medary
Onalaska
Shelby
Washington
Census-designated places
Brice Prairie, part of the Town of Onalaska and an urban reserve area of the City of Onalaska
French Island
St. Joseph
Unincorporated communities
Barre Mills
Burns
Burns Corners
Burr Oak
Council Bay
Medary
Middle Ridge
Midway
Mindoro
New Amsterdam
Newberg Corners
Shelby
Stevenstown
West La Crosse
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in La Crosse County, Wisconsin
Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge
References
Further reading
Biographical History of La Crosse, Monroe and Juneau Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892.
Biographical History of La Crosse, Trempealeau and Buffalo Counties, Wisconsin. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Company, 1892.
History of La Crosse County, Wisconsin. Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1881.
Bryant, Benjamin F. (ed.). Memoirs of La Crosse County. Madison, Wis.: Western Historical Association, 1907.
Wisconsin Jubilee: Proceedings of the Celebration by the County and City of La Crosse on Wisconsin having achieved fifty years of statehood. La Crosse, Wis.: Republican and Leader Print, 1898.
External links
La Crosse County
La Crosse County Health and Demographic Data
La Crosse County map from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation
1851 establishments in Wisconsin
Wisconsin counties on the Mississippi River
Populated places established in 1851