Cost of living in Onalaska research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Onalaska is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Wisconsin, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Onalaska is 103, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Onalaska is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Onalaska ranks as the #91 cheapest in Wisconsin out of 146.
Onalaska ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Onalaska is $357,006.
The median income in Onalaska is $84,898.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Onalaska has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Wisconsin, Onalaska has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Wisconsin's index of 95.
The standard of living in Onalaska ranks as #91 most affordable out of the 146 places we measured in Wisconsin. By definition, that implies Onalaska ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Badger State.
For more reading on life in Onalaska, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Onalaska. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Onalaska is 102.
The Groceries index in Onalaska is 98.
The Health index in Onalaska is 111.
The Housing index in Onalaska is 105.
The Transportation index in Onalaska is 100.
The Utilities index in Onalaska is 102.
| Living Expense | Onalaska | Wisconsin | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 103 | 95 | 100 | |
| Services | 102 | 98 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 111 | 111 | 100 | |
| Housing | 105 | 88 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 102 | 102 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Wisconsin, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Onalaska is $357,006.
The Median Rent in Onalaska is $1,096.
The Median Income in Onalaska is $84,898.
The Home Value To Income in Onalaska is 4.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Onalaska is 0.15x.
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Onalaska. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
La Crosse, WI has a cost of living index of 97, 0.9x Onalaska.
Winona, MN has a cost of living index of 96, 0.9x Onalaska.
Holmen, WI has a cost of living index of 105, 1.0x Onalaska.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Onalaska |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Crosse, WI | 51,791 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Winona, MN | 25,998 | 96 | 0.9x |
| Holmen, WI | 11,027 | 105 | 1.0x |
| Sparta, WI | 9,921 | 86 | 0.8x |
| Tomah, WI | 9,505 | 87 | 0.8x |
| Decorah, IA | 7,597 | 87 | 0.8x |
| West Salem, WI | 5,268 | 100 | 1.0x |
| La Crescent, MN | 5,266 | 100 | 1.0x |