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La Crosse County, Wisconsin facts for kids

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La Crosse County
La Crosse County Courthouse
La Crosse County Courthouse
Official seal of La Crosse County
Seal
Map of Wisconsin highlighting La Crosse County
Location within the U.S. state of Wisconsin
Map of the United States highlighting Wisconsin
Wisconsin's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Wisconsin
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 
(2023)
120,486 Decrease
 • Density 251.6/sq mi (97.2/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 3rd

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 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.

Major highways

  • I-90.svg Interstate 90
  • US 14.svg U.S. Highway 14
  • US 53.svg U.S. Highway 53
  • US 61.svg U.S. Highway 61
  • WIS 16.svg Highway 16 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 33.svg Highway 33 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 35.svg Highway 35 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 108.svg Highway 108 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 157.svg Highway 157 (Wisconsin)
  • WIS 162.svg Highway 162 (Wisconsin)

Railroads

Buses

  • La Crosse MTU
  • Scenic Mississippi Regional Transit
  • List of intercity bus stops in Wisconsin

Airport

  • LSE - La Crosse Regional Airport

Adjacent counties

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 85.4 °F (29.7 °C), with overnight low temperatures averaging 27.4 °F (−2.6 °C). January is the coldest month, with high temperatures averaging 25.9 °F (−3.4 °C), with the overnight low temperatures around 10.5 °F (−11.9 °C).

Climate data for La Crosse Regional Airport, Wisconsin (1981–2010 normals, 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)
Mean daily maximum °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)
Mean daily minimum °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

Demographics

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%
2023 (est.) 120,486 5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790–1960 1900–1990
1990–2000 2010–2020

As of the census of 2020, the population was 120,784. The population density was 267.3 people per square mile (103.2 people/km2). There were 52,774 housing units at an average density of 116.8 units per square mile (45.1 units/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.

USA La Crosse County, Wisconsin age pyramid
2000 Census Age Pyramid for La Crosse County

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 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.

Communities

Cities

Villages

Towns

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de La Crosse para niños

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