La Crosse County, Wisconsin

La Crosse County
	La Crosse County, Wisconsin
	; Seal
	; Seal
	; Location in the state of Wisconsin
	; Wisconsin's location in the U.S.
Founded	1851
Seat	La Crosse
Area; - Total; - Land; - Water	; 480 sq mi (1,243 km²); 453 sq mi (1,173 km²); 27 sq mi (70 km²), 5.66%
Population; - (2010); - Density	; 114,638; 236/sq mi (91/km²)
Website	www.co.la-crosse.wi.us

La Crosse County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2012, the population was 116,461.^[1] Its county seat is La Crosse.^[2] The La Crosse Metropolitan Statistical Area includes all of La Crosse County and Houston County, Minnesota, to the west.

Geography [edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 480 square miles (1,243.2 km²), of which 453 square miles (1,173.3 km²) is land and 27 square miles (69.9 km²) (5.66%) is water.

Major highways [edit]

Adjacent counties [edit]

Demographics [edit]

2000 Census Age Pyramid for La Crosse County

Historical populations
Census	Pop.	%±
1900	42,997	—
1910	43,996	2.3%
1920	44,355	0.8%
1930	54,455	22.8%
1940	59,653	9.5%
1950	67,587	13.3%
1960	72,465	7.2%
1970	80,468	11.0%
1980	91,056	13.2%
1990	97,904	7.5%
2000	107,120	9.4%
2010	114,638	7.0%
Est. 2012	116,461	1.6%
2012 Census Estimates

La Crosse County Courthouse

Interstate 90 entering Wisconsin near La Crosse

As of the census of 2000,^[3] there were 107,120 people, 41,599 households, and 25,583 families residing in the county. The population density was 237 people per square mile (91/km²). There were 43,479 housing units at an average density of 96 per square mile (37/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.2% White, 1.1% Black or African American, 2.41% Native American, 3.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.27% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. 0.92% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 38.9% were of German, 20.3% Norwegian and 7.9% Irish ancestry. 94.8% spoke English, 1.8% Hmong and 1.7% Spanish as their first language.

There were 41,599 households out of which 29.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.00% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.50% were non-families. 28.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.60% under the age of 18, 15.60% from 18 to 24, 27.50% from 25 to 44, 20.80% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.70 males.

Cities, villages, and towns [edit]

Census-designated places [edit]

Brice Prairie, part of the Town of Onalaska and an urban reserve area of the City of Onalaska
French Island
St. Joseph

Unincorporated communities [edit]

Government [edit]

County Chair: Tara Johnson (non-partisan)^[4]
District Attorney: Tim Gruenke (D)
Sheriff: Steve Helgeson (R)
County Clerk: Ginny Dankmeyer (D)
County Treasurer: Shawn Handland (D)
Register of Deeds: Cheryl McBride (R)
Board of Supervisors: (35 members)^[5]
County Administrator: Steve O'Malley^[6]

Politics [edit]

La Crosse County voted for the Democratic nominee in each presidential election since 1988.^[7]

Presidential Election Results
2012-1988
Year	Democratic	Republican
2012	57.80% 36,632	40.57% 25,711
2008	60.94% 38,524	37.49% 23,701
2004	53.38% 33,170	45.53% 28,289
2000	51.22% 28,455	43.79% 24,327
1996	51.04% 23,647	35.08% 16,482
1992	43.07% 22,838	36.01% 18,891
1988	50.04% 22,204	48.09% 21,548