Signature · 9.3% SNAP (31st pct in WI)
La Crosse County, WI
Distance to a supermarket is a real obstacle for a meaningful share of La Crosse County residents. This profile covers who qualifies as a food desert here and the income, SNAP, and vehicle-access context behind it, from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and the Census ACS (2024).
- 20.8%
- low-access pop.
- 2
- food-desert tracts
- 9.3%
- on SNAP
- 120K
- residents (ACS 2024)
USDA FARA access plate
County La Crosse County, WI
LA-ELEVATED · BELOW-NATIONAL · LILA-POCKET · SNAP-LIGHT · VEH-OK · DENSITY-THIN
- LA-ELEVATED 20.8% low-access
- BELOW-NATIONAL -1.3 pts vs US
- LILA-POCKET 2 food-desert tracts
- SNAP-LIGHT 9.3% SNAP
- VEH-OK 7.0% no vehicle
- DENSITY-THIN 8% tracts LILA
Nearest low-access peer: Fond du Lac County (+ 0.0 pts)
The food-access picture
According to the USDA Food Access Research Atlas, La Crosse County ranks #1,616 of 3,079 U.S. counties by low-access share and #32 of 71 counties in WI (20.8% low-access; 2 food-desert tracts).
- #1,616
- national by low-access %
- #32
- in WI
- 10
- low-access tracts
- 5K
- food-desert residents
Low access = living more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket. Food deserts add a low-income condition (USDA LILA).
Signature read: 9.3% SNAP (31st pct in WI) (-2.8 pts vs U.S. SNAP) .
How La Crosse County compares nationally
Relative to the 3,133 U.S. counties with USDA food-access data, La Crosse County's 20.8% low-access share is elevated, higher than 48% of them and ranked #1,622 most-affected nationwide.
La Crosse County: USDA Food-Access Tier Breakdown
25 census tracts grouped by USDA classification · 2 LILA.
By USDA urbanicity classification, La Crosse County has 19 urban and 6 rural census tracts. The 1-mile (urban) vs 10-mile (rural) distance threshold above applies per tract, so a county's access rate reflects this mix.
La Crosse County low-access neighbourhood
Poles + nearest peers in Wisconsin, not a full county-board reprint
- Richland
Richland 52.9%
52.9 % low-access
- Menominee
Menominee 21.8%
21.8 % low-access
- Manitowoc
Manitowoc 21.5%
21.5 % low-access
- La Crosse 20.8
La Crosse 20.8%
20.8 % low-access
- Fond du Lac 20.8
Fond du Lac 20.8%
20.8 % low-access
- Columbia 20.7
Columbia 20.7%
20.7 % low-access
- Pepin 0
Pepin 0%
0 % low-access
Food Access (USDA FARA 2019)
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Census Tracts | 25 |
| Atlas Population (2010 basis) | 114,638 |
| Low-Access Tracts | 10 |
| Food-Desert Tracts (low-income & low-access) | 2 |
| Low-Access Population | 23,874 |
| Low-Access Share | 20.8%near the national average |
| Low-Income & Low-Access Population | 5,446 |
ACS 2024 · lower SNAP band
| Indicator | Value |
|---|---|
| Population | 120,488 |
| Median Household Income | $73,013 |
| Poverty Rate | 12.4%below the national average |
| SNAP Households | 4,781 |
| SNAP Participation Rate | 9.3%below the national average |
| Households Without a Vehicle | 7.0%below the national average |
| Group-Quarters Population | 4.0% |
Other Counties in Wisconsin
One of 71 counties in Wisconsin, 6 are shown here.
Compare La Crosse County vs Adams County → · All Wisconsin counties →
Nationwide peers for La Crosse County's low-access or SNAP share
SNAP-led peer set first for La Crosse County (9.3%), with low-access neighbours deduped against it, both outside Wisconsin.
Similar low-access share
Nearest low-access rates outside WI (20.8% here).
- Charleston County, SC · 20.8% low-access
- Charleston County, SC · 20.8% low-access
- Scotland County, NC · 20.8% low-access
- Scotland County, NC · 20.8% low-access
Similar SNAP participation
Nearest household SNAP rates outside WI (9.3% here).
- Monongalia County, WV · 9.3% SNAP
- Monongalia County, WV · 9.3% SNAP
- Putnam County, TN · 9.3% SNAP
- Putnam County, TN · 9.3% SNAP
Source: USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) + Census ACS 2024 SNAP. Peers floor at 10,000 residents so stub counties cannot own the match.
Food access nationally, Wisconsin in context
La Crosse County sits inside Wisconsin (ringed). Each state is colored by population-weighted low-access; click any state to compare.
USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019), population-weighted · Census ACS 2024 context
Read with this county
Sources: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Access Research Atlas (2019) · U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2024 5-Year Estimates · methodology · compiled .
PlainFoodAccess renders this county profile directly from the USDA Food Access Research Atlas (2019) and U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (2024 5-year estimates), no number is typed in by an editor. Figures for La Crosse County, WI are computed from the joined Atlas and ACS records for FIPS 55063. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-06-23. Primary sources: USDA Food Access Research Atlas and Census ACS 5-year estimates.
Note: This page presents public USDA and Census data for informational purposes and is not professional advice. Figures reflect the cited dataset vintages and may differ from the most recent local conditions. How this data is sourced & verified.