Holmen receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Onalaska
Holmen
Opportunity
84 · Top 4%
vs81 · Top 6%
Growth
56 · Top 40%
vs78 · Top 6%
Climate
56 · Bottom 7%
vs56 · Bottom 7%
Physical resilience
92 · Top 10%
vs92 · Top 10%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 17%
vs93 · Top 24%
Schools
57 · Top 42%
vs61 · Top 38%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs97 · Top 29%
Economic stability
76 · Top 16%
vs79 · Top 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Onalaska | Holmen | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,348 | 11,372 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,867 | $79,899 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $52,580 | $40,614 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,823/sq mi | 1,488/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $288,900 | $285,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,130 | $1,175 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.1% | 61.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 3.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.4% | 1.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.7% | 33.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 6.0% | 6.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 125 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.1 | 11.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -33.6% | -3.1% | 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 | 3 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 25.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.7 | 37.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 6 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.04 | 12.92 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 42.5% | 39.0% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 39.5% | 44.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 32.2% | 24.6% | 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
Onalaska
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Holmen
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Full profiles: Onalaska, WI · Holmen, WI · How this is calculated: methodology