$101,304/yr
is the income needed to buy the typical $337,205 home in La Crosse, WI at today's 6.69% rate — about $2,364/mo. The local median household ($71,009) falls $30,295 short.
The math (shown)
337,205 price − 10% down (33,721) = 303,484 loan
30-yr fixed at 6.69% on 303,484 = 1,956/mo principal+interest
+ 407/mo est. taxes+insurance (1.45%/yr of value — national placeholder)
2,364/mo PITI ÷ 0.28 = 8,442/mo → 101,304/yr required
against Zillow ZHVI 2026-06 (Zillow ZHVI (typical home value, smoothed, all-homes 33–67pct tier)) and the 6.69% FRED 30-yr rate (2026-08-06). Local median income: $71,009 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year, median household income (table B19013)).
Can I afford La Crosse, WI on my salary?
Your salary:
Rent vs own here
Honest null: HUD FMR needs a free huduser.gov token (env.HUD_TOKEN). Honest-null until set. (HUD FMR needs a free token; not wired here.)
FAQ
How much do I need to make to live in La Crosse, WI?
To buy the typical home, about $101,304/yr. Renting needs less; this page sizes the buy.
What home value is this based on?
Zillow's ZHVI typical-home-value for the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro (2026-06): $337,205.
Is the mortgage rate current?
Yes — 6.69% from FRED's weekly 30-year fixed average (2026-08-06).
Glossary
ZHVI
Zillow Home Value Index — the typical home value for a region (35th–65th percentile, smoothed, seasonally adjusted).
Front-end DTI
Housing payment as a share of gross income; lenders commonly cap it near 28%.
PITI
Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance — the full monthly housing cost.