Department of Numbers

La Crosse Wisconsin Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in La Crosse, WI (the La Crosse metro area) was $847 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in La Crosse was $861 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 La Crosse median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for La Crosse rental vacancy rates, La Crosse rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in La Crosse.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in La Crosse Wisconsin (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Wisconsin Median Gross Rent $867 +0.58% +3.21%
La Crosse, WI Median Gross Rent $847 -3.09% +6.41%

La Crosse, WI Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for La Crosse peaked in real terms in 2018 at $874 and is now $27 (3.09%) lower. Average gross rent for La Crosse peaked in real terms in 2018 at $894 and is now $33 (3.69%) lower.

Real Gross Rent in La Crosse: La Crosse WI Median, La Crosse WI Average, Wisconsin Median, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for La Crosse

Date US
Median
Wisconsin
Median
La Crosse, WI
Median
La Crosse, WI
Average
2019 $1,097 $867 $847 $861
2018 $1,077 $862 $874 $894
2017 $1,043 $844 $827 $866
2016 $1,027 $840 $796 $806
2015 $1,017 $840 $791 $843
2014 $986 $826 $803 $831
2013 $953 $798 $730 $699
2012 $940 $790 $750 $734
2011 $941 $798 $766 $861
2010 $955 $799 $738 $771
2009 $960 $807 $759 $775

more history ...

La Crosse Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for La Crosse Wisconsin was 4.60% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in La Crosse Wisconsin

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Wisconsin 4.93% -0.46% +0.08%
La Crosse, WI 4.60% +1.77%

Trends in La Crosse, WI Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in La Crosse peaked in 2006 at 9.01%. Since then it has fallen by 4.41% to 4.60%. Data records for this series originated in 2005. From a 2012 post peak low of 1.32%, the rental vacancy rate has increased by 3.28%.

Rental Vacancy Rate: La Crosse WI, Wisconsin, US

Rental vacancy rate in Wisconsin

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for La Crosse

Date US Wisconsin La Crosse, WI
2019 5.97% 4.93% 4.60%
2018 6.15% 5.39% 2.83%
2017 6.18% 5.20% 3.41%
2016 5.89% 4.85%
2015 5.85% 4.67% 3.48%
2014 6.32% 4.64% 5.70%
2013 6.49% 5.22% 5.18%
2012 6.77% 5.48% 1.32%
2011 7.40% 5.17% 5.78%
2010 8.17% 6.16% 2.96%
2009 8.43% 5.86% 4.69%

more history ...

Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for La Crosse, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For La Crosse, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 17.05% in 2019 according to the ACS.

La Crosse Wisconsin Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Wisconsin 16.21% -0.51% -0.73%
La Crosse, WI 17.05% +0.01% +0.68%

Trends in La Crosse, WI Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median La Crosse household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2014 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 18.06%. Since then it has fallen by 1.01% to 17.05%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: La Crosse WI, Wisconsin, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in La Crosse Wisconsin

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in La Crosse Wisconsin

Date US Wisconsin La Crosse, WI
2019 20.03% 16.21% 17.05%
2018 20.50% 16.72% 17.05%
2017 20.13% 16.57% 17.02%
2016 20.43% 16.94% 16.37%
2015 20.63% 17.08% 17.66%
2014 20.89% 17.83% 18.06%
2013 20.78% 17.67% 16.30%
2012 20.65% 17.46% 17.76%
2011 20.70% 17.60% 16.91%
2010 20.50% 17.51% 16.61%
2009 20.12% 16.99% 15.94%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in La Crosse Wisconsin

You can calculate the renter fraction in La Crosse in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in La Crosse as a fraction of total La Crosse households. In 2019 32.81% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

La Crosse Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Wisconsin 32.80% -0.06% -0.54%
La Crosse, WI 32.81% -3.30% -0.35%

Trends in the La Crosse, WI Renter Fraction

The La Crosse household renter fraction peaked in in 2017 at 37.09% and is now 4.28% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: La Crosse WI, Wisconsin, US

Fraction of renters in La Crosse

History of La Crosse Renter Fraction

Date US Wisconsin La Crosse, WI
2019 35.89% 32.80% 32.81%
2018 36.05% 32.86% 36.11%
2017 36.13% 33.39% 37.09%
2016 36.88% 33.34% 33.16%
2015 36.97% 33.21% 33.17%
2014 36.90% 33.40% 32.74%
2013 36.50% 32.82% 33.58%
2012 36.09% 32.71% 33.66%
2011 35.42% 32.15% 31.43%
2010 34.65% 31.30% 33.68%
2009 34.13% 31.02% 31.70%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.