Holmen receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Holmen
La Crosse
Opportunity
81 · Top 6%
vs68 · Top 26%
Growth
78 · Top 6%
vs34 · Bottom 23%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs92 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
93 · Top 24%
vs83 · Top 46%
Schools
61 · Top 38%
vs42 · Bottom 37%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
79 · Top 8%
vs48 · Bottom 29%
Measured values
| Metric | Holmen | La Crosse | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,372 | 51,356 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $79,899 | $55,866 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,614 | $34,439 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,488/sq mi | 2,366/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $285,900 | $210,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,175 | $1,010 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 61.6% | 46.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.3% | 34.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 21.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 125 | 15 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.0 | 0.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -3.1% | 50.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 85°F | 85°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 11°F | 11°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 35.2" | 35.2" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 4 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.0 min | 17.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 30.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.92 | 11.01 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 39.0% | 31.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 44.6% | 33.4% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 24.6% | 48.0% | 2024-25 school 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
Holmen
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
La Crosse
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Holmen, WI · La Crosse, WI · How this is calculated: methodology