PlainZIP

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
$61,639
Median income
$235,100
Median home value
39.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

La Crosse pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

32th 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.

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 Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $39,007. Poverty here runs at 19.4%, with unemployment measured at 3.3%. The typical home here is valued at $235,100 (6% below the state average); renters pay a median of $1,044 monthly, and 54.0% of units 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. A geography-based comparison follows: 6 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 54601, plus 6 more within La Crosse County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 54601?

32.7

Median Age

48.5%

Male

51.5%

Female

2.6%

Foreign-Born

White 88.6%
African American 1.8%
Asian 4.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.2%
Hispanic or Latino 3.0%

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

$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

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 61.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 39.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

22,671

Total Housing Units

21,472

Occupied Units

1,199

Vacant Units

2.14

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 54.0%
Renter 46.0%

$235,100

Median Home Value

-6% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 54601 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 54601 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
54603 La Crosse, WI 14,305 6.4 mi
54669 West Salem, WI 7,619 7.8 mi
54658 Stoddard, WI 2,501 8.8 mi
54650 Onalaska, WI 23,377 8.4 mi
54623 Coon Valley, WI 1,930 8.0 mi
54621 Chaseburg, WI 1,147 10.5 mi

More ZIP Codes in La Crosse County

54650 standard
Onalaska, WI
Pop: 23,377
54603 standard
La Crosse, WI
Pop: 14,305
54636 standard
Holmen, WI
Pop: 13,737
54669 standard
West Salem, WI
Pop: 7,619
54614 standard
Bangor, WI
Pop: 2,947
54644 standard
Mindoro, WI
Pop: 1,434

Related Areas

La Crosse County La Crosse, WI Wisconsin

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.