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.
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
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 |
| 2007 | $927 | $791 | $768 | $741 |
| 2005 | $910 | $804 | $690 | $689 |
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
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% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 6.83% | 3.11% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 6.49% | — |
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
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% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 15.97% | 16.27% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 16.38% | 14.67% |
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
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% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 29.92% | 32.13% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 29.88% | 29.14% |
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. ↩
