La Crosse vs Superior
La Crosse, Wisconsin versus Superior, Wisconsin: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Superior edges out La Crosse on overall objective livability (50 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | La Crosse | Superior |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $52k | $55k |
| Cost of Living | $46k | $44k |
| Home Value | $183k | $155k |
| Monthly Rent | $941 | $817 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.12% | 1.66% |
| Income Tax | 7.60% | 7.60% |
| Sales Tax | 5.70% | 5.70% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.99% | 14.17% |
| Unemployment | 3.5% | 3.7% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 19°F | 12°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 37.5 in | 31.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 54.2 in | 56.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 216 days | 214 days |
| Summer Humidity | 63°F | 56°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 68 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 50.4 | 53.5 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 66.7 | 56.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1309/100k | 1101/100k |
| Property Crime | 3132/100k | 2388/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 52,043 | 26,562 |
| Median Age | 30.0 | 38.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.20 | 0.19 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.94 |
| Political Leaning | D+14 | Even |
| White (%) | 88.3% | 88.5% |
| Black (%) | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Hispanic (%) | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Asian (%) | 4.0% | 1.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.1% | 5.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 15 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 15.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 123 mi | 137 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.0% | 83.3% |
| Amenities Nearby | 47.65 | 41.79 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
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 La Crosse or Superior more affordable?
- Superior has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with La Crosse's $46k and Superior's $44k. Median rent is $941 in La Crosse versus $817 in Superior.
- Is La Crosse or Superior safer?
- Superior has the lower violent crime rate. La Crosse reports 1309/100k and Superior reports 1101/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in La Crosse or Superior?
- The median home value is $183k in La Crosse and $155k in Superior, so homes are more affordable in Superior.