Eau Claire and La Crosse-Onalaska receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Eau Claire
La Crosse-Onalaska
Opportunity
81 · Top 8%
vs81 · Top 8%
Growth
58 · Top 36%
vs49 · Top 50%
Climate
53 · Bottom 6%
vs56 · Bottom 15%
Physical resilience
81 · Top 14%
vs82 · Top 12%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 50%
vs96 · Top 46%
Access
98 · Top 8%
vs95 · Top 14%
Economic stability
84 · Top 9%
vs78 · Top 17%
Measured values
| Metric | Eau Claire | La Crosse-Onalaska | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 173,915 | 170,190 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $74,595 | $73,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,975 | $41,247 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 106/sq mi | 95/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,900 | $247,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,033 | $1,027 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.0% | 67.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.1% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 33.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.2% | 11.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 906 | 465 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.2 | 2.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -26.2% | -4.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 6°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.0" | 35.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 11 mi | 14 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 20.9 min | 21.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.2 | 39.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Eau Claire
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
La Crosse-Onalaska
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Eau Claire
78
Your Score
76
Area Score
La Crosse-Onalaska
77
Your Score
76
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Eau Claire, WI Metro Area · La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology