Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in La Crosse, Wisconsin
A $197,000 home here costs
$1,805per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,013. The real number is $792 higher every month — 78% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
La Crosse against La Crosse County and Wisconsin
| Measure | La Crosse | La Crosse County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $196,600 | $243,200 |
| Median property tax | $3,972 | $3,963 |
| Effective tax rate | 2.020% | 1.630% |
| Median gross rent | $977 | $1,023 |
| Population | 51,791 | 120,262 |
The weather behind that power bill
La Crosse sits in La Crosse County, which averages a high of 85.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 10.5°F in its coldest, with 35.23" of precipitation a year and 39% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 942 cooling and 6,788 heating degree days, which is what sets the $177 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for La Crosse County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in La Crosse County
Full La Crosse County cost breakdown · Every county in Wisconsin
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in La Crosse?
A $197,000 home in La Crosse, Wisconsin costs approximately $1,805 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,013 principal and interest, $332 property tax, $51 homeowners insurance, $245 utilities and $164 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in La Crosse?
La Crosse has an effective property tax rate of 2.020%, based on a median home value of $196,600 and median real estate taxes of $3,972. That is higher than the La Crosse County average of 1.630%.
What is the average home price in La Crosse?
The median owner-occupied home value in La Crosse, Wisconsin is $196,600, against $243,200 across La Crosse County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in La Crosse?
Median gross rent in La Crosse is $977 a month, against $1,805 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for La Crosse — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Wisconsin.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.