Economic Development

In a city forged between the bluffs and the Mississippi River, La Crosse is considered a great place to work, play, and live. Residents have access to great schools, stunning nature, excellent work environments, and safe neighborhoods. According to the Livability, La Crosse was named the 89th best city to live in throughout the entire United States in 2022.

With all that La Crosse has to offer, employers are able to attract and retain a high-quality workforce. The most prominent industries in La Crosse are health care, education, manufacturing, and retail which attract employees from all over the state and country. La Crosse houses many global headquarters of corporations including Kwik Trip, Gundersen Health System, City Brewing Company, Marine Credit Union, and more.  La Crosse is a great place to live, raise a family, pursue a career, or start a business. We welcome you to Wisconsin’s West Coast.

The Mississippi River, the Black River, and the La Crosse River meet in the City of La Crosse.
With the gorgeous bluffs rising to the east and the mighty river to the west, La Crosse is nestled in a unique scenic region within the Driftless Area. The Driftless Region, located on the Mississippi, was left untouched by glaciers during the last Ice Age. It left this region with a distinctive landscape which includes rolling hills and deep river valleys.

The bluffs, rivers, forests and prairies of the Driftless region offer exceptional recreational activities whether that includes hiking, biking, paddling, and more. The City of La Crosse has 42 parks scattered throughout the City for residents to enjoy daily outdoor activities.

In addition to abundant recreation activities, La Crosse offers an array of shopping, dining, and entertainment opportunities. The historic downtown provides local restaurants and shops all within walking distance. Additionally, Valley View Mall is only a short drive away. The Pump House Regional Arts Center, the La Crosse Community Theatre, and multiple movie theaters in La Crosse contribute entertainment opportunities for the whole family to share.

La Crosse also offers opportunities for higher education at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, Viterbo University, and Western Technical College. These higher education facilities bring in over 20,000 students to the city annually. According to US News & World Report’s Best Colleges for 2023, UW-La Crosse has continued to be the top-ranked comprehensive university in the UW System. Great education continues with the K-12 system; the La Crosse School District has 20 schools throughout the district with an 11:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

La Crosse is a versatile city with plenty to offer. Whether you want to complete an early-morning sunrise hike or have a late-night out, La Crosse has something for everyone.

• City Population: 53,803
• Metropolitan Statistical Area Population: 170,238
• Unemployment rate: 3.1% (2023 average)
• Per Capita Income: $27,398
• Median Household Income: $46,438
• Median Age: 30.3
• Average travel time to work: 16.5 minutes
• Higher Education Institutions: 3
• Medical Institutions (hospital beds): 2 (656)
• Miles of Trails (Hiking, Biking, CC Skiing): 40
• Median Home Price: $150,500
• Lodging Rooms: 5,100

In 1962 the City of La Crosse created the Redevelopment Authority of La Crosse, for the purpose of carrying out blight elimination, slum clearance, and urban renewal programs and projects as permitted by the Blight Elimination and Slum Clearance Act. 

The focal point of the City’s revitalization efforts has been the Central Business District, as a result of developing a master plan for Downtown entitled City Vision 2020, and putting TIF Districts in place. Implementation activities include streetscaping, a decorative sign program, creation of a National Register Historic District, and building construction projects totaling $290 million in public and private investments within the last ten years.

Imagine 2040

In the fall of 2021, the City adopted an updated master plan for Downtown entitled Imagine 2040 La Crosse Downtown Plan. The purpose of the plan was to be Visionary, Yet Realistic; Focused on People; and include Near-Term Resiliency, Long-Term Strategy. The themes of the Plan include: 

In the Plan, the City and Downtown Mainstreet Incorporated (DMI) identified six key Downtown redevelopment opportunities as priorities. They include the following: 

River Point District

Additional potential redevelopment opportunities were identified in the planning process Team and represent areas that may serve as further key projects and redevelopment. 

River Point District is a 65-acre waterfront redevelopment site located directly north of the historic downtown. As a result of the creation of this District, the City projects that additional land and improvements value of approximately $160,000,000 will be created as a result of new development, redevelopment, and appreciation in the value of existing properties. This additional value will be a result of the improvements made, and projects undertaken within the district.

A Master Plan for River Point District has been completed, and the City/RDA is actively engaged with developers regarding an exclusive right to negotiate purchase and use of specific parcels. Infrastructure design is underway, with construction anticipated to start in 2021 with delivery to developers anticipated in 2022. First deliveries of completed developments are anticipated in 2023.

For more information on River Point District, please go to:

River Point District Project

River Point District Website

Maps

Targeted Downtown Redevelopment Sites(PDF, 279KB)

River Point District General Development Plan(PDF, 3MB)