La Crosse County | |
---|---|
View of the city of La Crosse from Grandad Bluff | |
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin | |
Wisconsin's location within the U.S. | |
Coordinates: 43°55′N 91°07′W / 43.91°N 91.11°W | |
Country | ![]() |
State | ![]() |
Founded | 1851 |
Seat | La Crosse |
Largest city | La Crosse |
Area | |
• Total | 480 sq mi (1,200 km2) |
• Land | 452 sq mi (1,170 km2) |
• Water | 28 sq mi (70 km2) 5.9%% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 120,784 ![]() |
• Estimate (2019) | 118,502 |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Website | www |
La Crosse County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. At the 2020 census, the population was 120,784.[1] Its county seat is La Crosse.[2] 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.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 480 square miles (1,200 km2), of which 452 square miles (1,170 km2) is land and 28 square miles (73 km2) (5.9%) is water.[3]
La Crosse County's location in the United States' upper midwest gives the area a temperate, continental climate.[4] The warmest month of the year is July, when the average high temperature is 84.1 °F (28.9 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 63.2 °F (17.3 °C). January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging 25.9 °F (−3.4 °C), with the overnight low temperatures around 8.9 °F (−12.8 °C).[5]
Climate data for La Crosse Regional Airport, Wisconsin (1981–2010 normals,[6] extremes 1872–present) | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °F (°C) | 57 (14) |
65 (18) |
84 (29) |
93 (34) |
107 (42) |
102 (39) |
108 (42) |
105 (41) |
101 (38) |
93 (34) |
80 (27) |
67 (19) |
108 (42) |
Mean maximum °F (°C) | 45.4 (7.4) |
50.5 (10.3) |
69.0 (20.6) |
82.2 (27.9) |
87.8 (31.0) |
93.6 (34.2) |
95.7 (35.4) |
94.0 (34.4) |
89.2 (31.8) |
80.6 (27.0) |
64.0 (17.8) |
48.1 (8.9) |
97.7 (36.5) |
Average high °F (°C) | 25.9 (−3.4) |
31.4 (−0.3) |
43.9 (6.6) |
59.3 (15.2) |
70.7 (21.5) |
80.0 (26.7) |
84.1 (28.9) |
81.5 (27.5) |
73.2 (22.9) |
59.9 (15.5) |
43.8 (6.6) |
29.1 (−1.6) |
57.0 (13.9) |
Average low °F (°C) | 8.9 (−12.8) |
13.6 (−10.2) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
37.9 (3.3) |
48.7 (9.3) |
58.5 (14.7) |
63.2 (17.3) |
61.3 (16.3) |
52.4 (11.3) |
40.4 (4.7) |
28.1 (−2.2) |
14.2 (−9.9) |
37.8 (3.2) |
Mean minimum °F (°C) | −13.8 (−25.4) |
−10.4 (−23.6) |
3.9 (−15.6) |
21.7 (−5.7) |
34.1 (1.2) |
44.6 (7.0) |
51.5 (10.8) |
49.3 (9.6) |
36.5 (2.5) |
25.4 (−3.7) |
12.0 (−11.1) |
−8.7 (−22.6) |
−18.4 (−28.0) |
Record low °F (°C) | −43 (−42) |
−36 (−38) |
−28 (−33) |
7 (−14) |
26 (−3) |
33 (1) |
44 (7) |
35 (2) |
24 (−4) |
6 (−14) |
−21 (−29) |
−37 (−38) |
−43 (−42) |
Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.12 (28) |
1.05 (27) |
2.04 (52) |
3.34 (85) |
3.52 (89) |
4.34 (110) |
4.26 (108) |
4.29 (109) |
3.56 (90) |
2.17 (55) |
2.01 (51) |
1.36 (35) |
33.06 (840) |
Average snowfall inches (cm) | 10.7 (27) |
8.2 (21) |
7.1 (18) |
1.7 (4.3) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
4.1 (10) |
11.3 (29) |
43.3 (110) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.1 | 8.0 | 9.8 | 11.2 | 11.9 | 11.5 | 10.4 | 9.8 | 9.6 | 9.3 | 9.0 | 9.2 | 118.8 |
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 7.8 | 6.4 | 4.3 | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 3.1 | 7.0 | 30.1 |
Source: NOAA[7][8] |
Historical population | |||
---|---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± | |
1860 | 12,186 | — | |
1870 | 20,297 | 66.6% | |
1880 | 27,073 | 33.4% | |
1890 | 38,801 | 43.3% | |
1900 | 42,997 | 10.8% | |
1910 | 43,996 | 2.3% | |
1920 | 44,355 | 0.8% | |
1930 | 54,455 | 22.8% | |
1940 | 59,653 | 9.5% | |
1950 | 67,587 | 13.3% | |
1960 | 72,465 | 7.2% | |
1970 | 80,468 | 11.0% | |
1980 | 91,056 | 13.2% | |
1990 | 97,904 | 7.5% | |
2000 | 107,120 | 9.4% | |
2010 | 114,638 | 7.0% | |
2020 | 120,784 | 5.4% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[9] 1790–1960[10] 1900–1990[11] 1990–2000[12] 2010–2020[13][14] |
As of the census of 2020,[15] the population was 120,784. The population density was 267.3 inhabitants per square mile (103.2/km2). There were 52,774 housing units at an average density of 116.8 per square mile (45.1/km2). 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.[16]
At the 2010 census,[17] there were 114,638 people, 46,137 households and 27,373 families residing in the county. The population density was 255 per square mile (98/km2). There were 46,137 housing units at an average density of 96 per square mile (37/km2). 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.[18]
La Crosse County has voted for the Democratic nominee in every presidential election since 1988.[23] In 2014, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel ranked La Crosse County as one of Wisconsin's most Democratic counties.[24] As a result of the 2020 presidential election, La Crosse County continued its Democratic trend by about 4%.[25]
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 28,684 | 42.25% | 37,846 | 55.75% | 1,354 | 1.99% |
2016 | 26,378 | 41.43% | 32,406 | 50.89% | 4,890 | 7.68% |
2012 | 25,751 | 40.58% | 36,693 | 57.82% | 1,018 | 1.60% |
2008 | 23,701 | 37.49% | 38,524 | 60.94% | 993 | 1.57% |
2004 | 28,289 | 45.53% | 33,170 | 53.38% | 677 | 1.09% |
2000 | 24,327 | 43.79% | 28,455 | 51.22% | 2,777 | 5.00% |
1996 | 16,482 | 35.83% | 23,647 | 51.41% | 5,872 | 12.76% |
1992 | 18,891 | 36.14% | 22,838 | 43.69% | 10,544 | 20.17% |
1988 | 21,548 | 48.90% | 22,204 | 50.39% | 314 | 0.71% |
1984 | 25,721 | 58.77% | 17,787 | 40.64% | 261 | 0.60% |
1980 | 23,427 | 51.73% | 17,304 | 38.21% | 4,554 | 10.06% |
1976 | 24,188 | 58.06% | 16,674 | 40.02% | 797 | 1.91% |
1972 | 21,992 | 63.29% | 12,152 | 34.97% | 602 | 1.73% |
1968 | 17,433 | 55.76% | 11,570 | 37.00% | 2,264 | 7.24% |
1964 | 13,135 | 44.07% | 16,625 | 55.78% | 43 | 0.14% |
1960 | 18,319 | 56.08% | 14,310 | 43.81% | 36 | 0.11% |
1956 | 18,264 | 61.66% | 11,258 | 38.01% | 100 | 0.34% |
1952 | 19,271 | 61.90% | 11,808 | 37.93% | 53 | 0.17% |
1948 | 10,525 | 45.25% | 12,345 | 53.07% | 390 | 1.68% |
1944 | 12,784 | 50.93% | 12,247 | 48.79% | 72 | 0.29% |
1940 | 13,711 | 50.92% | 13,079 | 48.58% | 134 | 0.50% |
1936 | 7,558 | 33.09% | 14,455 | 63.29% | 827 | 3.62% |
1932 | 7,686 | 36.94% | 12,919 | 62.10% | 200 | 0.96% |
1928 | 11,321 | 55.78% | 8,877 | 43.74% | 97 | 0.48% |
1924 | 5,733 | 32.49% | 1,252 | 7.09% | 10,662 | 60.42% |
1920 | 10,067 | 73.96% | 2,588 | 19.01% | 956 | 7.02% |
1916 | 3,597 | 44.37% | 4,123 | 50.86% | 386 | 4.76% |
1912 | 2,272 | 28.28% | 4,263 | 53.07% | 1,498 | 18.65% |
1908 | 4,382 | 50.15% | 4,054 | 46.40% | 301 | 3.45% |
1904 | 5,506 | 61.76% | 3,089 | 34.65% | 320 | 3.59% |
1900 | 5,324 | 58.24% | 3,609 | 39.48% | 208 | 2.28% |
1896 | 6,297 | 64.58% | 3,058 | 31.36% | 396 | 4.06% |
1892 | 3,693 | 42.88% | 3,810 | 44.24% | 1,110 | 12.89% |