PlainZIP

La Crosse, WI · standard

ZIP Code 54603

La Crosse County, Wisconsin - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

14,305
603/sq mi
$52,012
Median income
$181,900
Median home value
22.2%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

La Crosse pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with below-median home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

17th pct
household income, US ZIPs
38th pct
home value, US ZIPs
603
people per sq mi
52%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 54603 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 54603 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin, home to 14,305 residents across 23.7 square miles, a density of 603 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 54603 reports a modest median household income of $52,012 (33% below the Wisconsin average), while per-capita income is $33,754. Poverty here runs at 16.3%, with unemployment measured at 6.2%. Housing costs here run $181,900 for a typical home value (27% below the state average), with rent averaging $966 a month; 52.1% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 38.6, and the average commute is 16 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 4 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 54603, 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 54603

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in La Crosse, WI

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 54603.

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 54603, 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

14,305

Population

23.7

Area (sq mi)

603

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 54603?

38.6

Median Age

51.9%

Male

48.1%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 86.5%
African American 1.9%
Asian 4.3%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.0%
Hispanic or Latino 2.7%

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?

$52,012

Median Household Income

-33% vs state

$33,754

Per Capita Income

16.3%

Poverty Rate

6.2%

Unemployment Rate

16.3 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 54603 ranks nationally

La Crosse, WI household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$52,012 17th percentile higher than 17% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $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 52.8%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.2%

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

What does housing look like?

7,246

Total Housing Units

6,799

Occupied Units

447

Vacant Units

2.02

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 52.1%
Renter 47.9%

$181,900

Median Home Value

-27% vs state

$966

Median Rent

1966

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

+7.4%

YoY Change (2024)

247

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+147%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 54603 have increased 7.4% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +147% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.4% 168
2021 +8.9% 183
2022 +16.8% 214
2023 +7.6% 230
2024 +7.4% 247

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 492 business establishments in ZIP 54603, employing approximately 13,406 people with a combined annual payroll of $754,741,000.

492

Businesses

13,406

Employees

$754.7M

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 57 11.6%
Accommodation and food services 55 11.2%
Other services (except public administration) 51 10.4%
Construction 44 8.9%
Wholesale trade 44 8.9%
Manufacturing 42 8.5%
Transportation and warehousing 41 8.3%
Health care and social assistance 36 7.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 34 6.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 26 5.3%
Real estate and rental and leasing 22 4.5%
Finance and insurance 11 2.2%
Educational services 11 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 7 1.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 5 1.0%
Information 4 0.8%

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 54603 vs 54650 →

ZIP 54603 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 54603 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 54603 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 54603 ranks #5 of 5 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
54650 Onalaska, WI 23,377 3.9 mi
55947 La Crescent, MN 7,513 6.0 mi
54601 La Crosse, WI 49,282 6.4 mi
55941 Hokah, MN 969 10.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in La Crosse County

54601 standard
La Crosse, WI
Pop: 49,282
54650 standard
Onalaska, WI
Pop: 23,377
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 54603 in? ▼
ZIP code 54603 (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 54603? ▼
ZIP code 54603 in La Crosse, WI has a population of 14,305 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 54603? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 54603 is $52,012, which is 32% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 54603? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 54603 is $181,900, which is 35% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 54603? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 54603 is White at 86.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 54603? ▼
ZIP code 54603 has 492 business establishments employing approximately 13,406 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 54603? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 54603 are: Retail trade (57), Accommodation and food services (55), Other services (except public administration) (51). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 54603? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 54603 increased by 7.4% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 147%. 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 54603? ▼
In ZIP code 54603, 52.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.2% 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 54603? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 54603 is 16.3 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 54603? ▼
In ZIP code 54603, approximately 52.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 47.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 54603? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 54603 is 16.3% 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.