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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

La Crosse, WI

Population: 52,043 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

C
60/100

Average fiscal health — some areas of concern

Total Spending
$1.3B
Per Capita
$24,983
Total Revenue
$848.2M
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
52.5%$682.7M
Utilities
24.1%$313.6M
Police
11.0%$143.3M
Housing & Community Development
6.4%$83.7M
Health
1.7%$22.5M
Parks & Recreation
1.5%$19.7M
Fire Protection
1.4%$17.8M
Highways & Roads
0.5%$6.9M
Interest on Debt
0.4%$4.9M
Hospitals
0.4%$4.8M
Public Welfare
0.0%$402K

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
1.1%$9.4M
Income Tax
16.0%$136.1M
Intergovernmental
0.4%$3.2M
Other
31.0%$263.1M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$2,753/person
Fire Protection$341/person
Highways & Roads$132/person
Parks & Recreation$379/person
Health$433/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)29/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)18/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how La Crosse stacks up against another city.

vs Milwaukee, WIvs Madison, WIvs Green Bay, WI
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Wisconsin

Frequently Asked Questions

La Crosse, WI spends $24,983 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.3B for a population of 52,043. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of C (60/100).

La Crosse, WI has total expenditures of $1.3B and total revenue of $848.2M. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

La Crosse, WI employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

La Crosse, WI has a Fiscal Health Score of C (60/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.