La Crosse vs West Salem
A side-by-side comparison of La Crosse and West Salem: population, income, housing, and more.
La Crosse and West Salem are places in Wisconsin. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
La Crosse has the higher population (51,791 vs 5,268 in West Salem). West Salem has the higher median household income ($90,991 vs $53,803 in La Crosse). West Salem has the higher median home value ($269,300 vs $196,600 in La Crosse).
Population, income & housing
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,791 | 5,268 |
| Median age | 30.3 yrs | 40.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $53,803 | $90,991 |
| Median home value | $196,600 | $269,300 |
| Median gross rent | $977 | $1,142 |
| Housing units | 24,274 | 2,101 |
| Homeownership rate | 46.1% | 78.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34.8% | 44.1% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.5% | 3.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,666 → 51,791 (+0.2%) | 5,005 → 5,268 (+5.3%) |
| Median household income | $45,233 → $53,803 (+18.9%) | $57,543 → $90,991 (+58.1%) |
| Median home value | $142,500 → $196,600 (+38.0%) | $183,400 → $269,300 (+46.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $793 → $977 (+23.2%) | $869 → $1,142 (+31.4%) |
La Crosse
51,66651,791
$45,233$53,803
$142,500$196,600
$793$977
West Salem
5,0055,268
$57,543$90,991
$183,400$269,300
$869$1,142
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 3.7% | 4.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 11.4% | 23.6% |
| 18 to 24 | 26.5% | 5.6% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.0% | 9.8% |
| 35 to 44 | 10.4% | 12.6% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.0% | 11.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.4% | 14.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.9% | 9.9% |
| 75 and over | 6.7% | 8.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 87.2% | 86.4% |
| Black or African American | 1.8% | 0.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.2% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 4.5% | 6.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 3.1% | 1.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 4.9% | 3.2% |
| High school graduate | 25.9% | 18.6% |
| Some college or associate's | 34.4% | 34.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 20.2% | 30.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 14.6% | 13.9% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 68.0% | 81.6% |
| Carpooled | 9.2% | 4.6% |
| Public transit | 1.8% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 8.1% | 0.6% |
| Bicycle | 2.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 10.0% | 13.2% |
| Other means | 0.9% | 0.0% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 48.9% | 62.4% |
| 1-unit, attached | 5.9% | 9.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 13.8% | 7.0% |
| 5 to 19 units | 13.4% | 5.0% |
| 20 or more units | 16.9% | 6.0% |
| Mobile home & other | 1.1% | 9.9% |
Poverty & households
| La Crosse | West Salem | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 21.6% | 8.9% |
| Average household size | 2.09 | 2.58 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 16 | 20 |
| Median year structure built | 1966 | 1990 |
Full profiles
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