Eau Claire vs La Crosse
Eau Claire, Wisconsin versus La Crosse, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Eau Claire and La Crosse score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Eau Claire | La Crosse |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $52k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $46k |
| Home Value | $209k | $183k |
| Monthly Rent | $929 | $941 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.64% | 2.12% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 14.85% | 16.99% |
| Unemployment | 3.6% | 3.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 15°F | 19°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 71°F | 75°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 32.8 in | 37.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 54.0 in | 54.2 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 216 days |
| Summer Humidity | 60°F | 63°F |
| Comfortable Days | 83 days | 82 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 62.5 | 50.4 |
| Air Quality | 52 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 53.7 | 66.7 |
| Violent Crime | 1183/100k | 1309/100k |
| Property Crime | 2234/100k | 3132/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 69,098 | 52,043 |
| Median Age | 32.8 | 30.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.22 | 0.20 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+11 | D+14 |
| White (%) | 86.7% | 88.3% |
| Black (%) | 1.3% | 2.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.7% | 2.4% |
| Asian (%) | 6.0% | 4.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.3% | 3.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 16 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 9.0/20 | 14.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 86 mi | 123 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.4% | 85.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 38.93 | 47.65 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Eau Claire or La Crosse more affordable?
- La Crosse has the lower cost of living: its index is $46k, compared with Eau Claire's $48k and La Crosse's $46k. Median rent is $929 in Eau Claire versus $941 in La Crosse.
- Is Eau Claire or La Crosse safer?
- Eau Claire has the lower violent crime rate. Eau Claire reports 1183/100k and La Crosse reports 1309/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Eau Claire or La Crosse?
- The median home value is $209k in Eau Claire and $183k in La Crosse, so homes are more affordable in La Crosse.