La Crosse, WI · standard
ZIP Code 54601
La Crosse County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 49,282
- 259/sq mi High-density area
- $61,639
- Median income Below-median income area
- $235,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 39.5%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
La Crosse pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.
- 32nd pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 46%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 259
- people per sq mi
- 54%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 54601 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 54601 (La Crosse, WI) rose +6.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 236.6 in 2023 to 251.2 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 54601 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin, with 49,282 residents across 190.4 square miles, a density of 259 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 54601 reports a modest median household income of $61,639 (21% below the average Wisconsin ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,007. The poverty rate is 19.4%, with unemployment at 3.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $235,100 (6% below the average Wisconsin ZIP) and median rent is $1,044; 54.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 39.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.7, and the average commute is 17 minutes. The page also surfaces 6 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in La Crosse County, so 54601 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 54601
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in La Crosse, WI
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 54601.
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
176 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
163 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
158 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
140 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
112 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 54601, La Crosse, WI · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
49,282
Population
190.4
Area (sq mi)
259
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 54601?
32.7
Median Age
48.5%
Male
51.5%
Female
2.6%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$61,639
Median Household Income
-21% vs state ZIP avg
$39,007
Per Capita Income
19.4%
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Unemployment Rate
16.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 54601 ranks nationally
La Crosse, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$61,639 32nd percentile higher than 32% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
22,671housing units
22,671
Total Housing Units
21,472
Occupied Units
1,199
Vacant Units
2.14
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$235,100
Median Home Value
-6% vs state ZIP avg
$1,044
Median Rent
1970
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+6.2%
YoY Change (2024)
251
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+151%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 54601 have increased 6.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +151% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.6% | 171 |
| 2021 | +11.1% | 190 |
| 2022 | +13.7% | 216 |
| 2023 | +9.6% | 237 |
| 2024 | +6.2% | 251 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 1,272 business establishments in ZIP 54601, employing approximately 31,129 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,875,071,000.
1,272
Businesses
31,129
Employees
$1.9B
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and food services | 176 | 13.8% |
| Health care and social assistance | 163 | 12.8% |
| Retail trade | 158 | 12.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 140 | 11.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 112 | 8.8% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 111 | 8.7% |
| Construction | 85 | 6.7% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 68 | 5.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 55 | 4.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 42 | 3.3% |
| Manufacturing | 39 | 3.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 38 | 3.0% |
| Information | 33 | 2.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 17 | 1.3% |
| Educational services | 15 | 1.2% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 13 | 1.0% |
| Utilities | 5 | 0.4% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 54601 vs 54603 →
ZIP 54601 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 54601
La Crosse (54601)
49,282 residents
- 54650
Onalaska (54650)
23,377 residents
- 54603 14,305
La Crosse (54603)
14,305 residents
- 54669 7,619
West Salem (54669)
7,619 residents
- 54658 2,501
Stoddard (54658)
2,501 residents
- 54623 1,930
Coon Valley (54623)
1,930 residents
- 54621 1,147
Chaseburg (54621)
1,147 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 54601 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 54601 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 54669
West Salem (54669)
$103,194 median income
- 54621
Chaseburg (54621)
$94,286 median income
- 54623
Coon Valley (54623)
$88,864 median income
- 54650
Onalaska (54650)
$85,548 median income
- 54658
Stoddard (54658)
$73,438 median income
- 54601
La Crosse (54601)
$61,639 median income
- 54603
La Crosse (54603)
$52,012 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 54601 ranks #6 of 7 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 54601, both outside WI so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (49,282 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in La Crosse County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 54601 in?
ZIP code 54601 (La Crosse) is located in La Crosse County, Wisconsin. La Crosse County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/la-crosse-wi.
What is the population of ZIP code 54601?
ZIP code 54601 in La Crosse, WI has a population of 49,282 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 54601?
The median household income in ZIP 54601 is $61,639, which is 19% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 54601?
The median home value in ZIP 54601 is $235,100, which is 15% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 54601?
The largest racial group in ZIP 54601 is White at 88.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 54601?
ZIP code 54601 has 1,272 business establishments employing approximately 31,129 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 54601?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 54601 are: Accommodation and food services (176), Health care and social assistance (163), Retail trade (158). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 54601?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 54601 increased by 6.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 151%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 54601?
In ZIP code 54601, 61.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 39.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 54601?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 54601 is 16.7 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 54601?
In ZIP code 54601, approximately 54.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 46.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 54601?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 54601 is 19.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 54601's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 54601 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where La Crosse, WI ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.