D+
46%
Total crime NAT. AVG.
17%
Violent crime NAT. AVG.
58%
Property crime NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects the 2022 calendar year and was released from the FBI in September, 2023; this is the most current data available.
StatisticReportedincidents/100k peopleLa Crosse/100k peopleWisconsin/100k peopleNational/100k people
Total crime1,759n/a (estimate)3,4011,6822,324
Murder3n/a5.85.36.3
Rape44n/a85.138.640.0
Robbery16n/a30.939.466.1
Assault95n/a183.7213.7268.2
Violent crime158n/a (estimate)305297370
Burglary114n/a220.4153.7269.8
Theft1,394n/a2,694.9981.01,401.9
Vehicle theft93n/a179.8250.3282.7
Property crime1,601n/a (estimate)3,0951,3851,954

An Overview of Crime Rates in La Crosse, WI

The La Crosse crime rates are 46.3% higher than the national average. There are two main categories of crime - violent crime and property crime. Violent crime consists of murder, rape, robbery and assault, while property crimes include burglary, theft and vehicle theft. There were a total of 158 violent crimes in La Crosse (305 per 100,000 people), which is 17.4% lower than the national average and there were a total of 1601 property crimes (3095 per 100,000 residents) which is 58.4% higher than average.

What Do the Locals Say About Crime in La Crosse?

AreaVibes conducted surveys inquiring about the safety perception of La Crosse residents. Out of the respondents (52 in total), 35% expressed a strong sense of security, believing that crime rates in La Crosse were low, and they felt comfortable walking alone at night. Conversely, 65% held a contrasting viewpoint, expressing concerns about safety in the area and feeling uncomfortable walking alone during the nighttime hours.

Is La Crosse a Safe Place to Live?

Is La Crosse a safe place to live? While the answer may not be straightforward due to variations in safety levels across the city, gaining an understanding of the overall crime rate can prove to be advantageous. In general, La Crosse has a crime rate that is higher than the national average by 46%. Breaking this down on a daily basis, it translates to 4.82 daily incidents, encompassing 0.43 violent crimes and 4.39 property crimes. Evaluating these statistics can aid in forming a more informed perspective on the safety of La Crosse as a potential place to call home.

Has Crime in La Crosse Increased Since Last Year?

Year-over-year crime data allows residents and potential residents to assess the crime in La Crosse. A decrease in crime rates may indicate improving safety, while an increase could raise concerns. The year-over-year crime rate in La Crosse has decreased by 19.6%. Violent crimes have increased by 22.5%, while property crimes have decreased by 22.2%. By comparing crime rates from one year to the next, authorities and communities can identify trends and patterns in criminal activity. This helps in understanding whether crime is increasing, decreasing, or remaining stable over time.

Potential Causes for Crime in La Crosse

The economic prosperity of a city's inhabitants exerts substantial influence on crime stats. Elevated poverty rates and income inequality can precipitate heightened criminal activity, as individuals may turn to illicit means to fulfill their fundamental requirements. While lower poverty rates could lead to lower La Crosse crime rates. In La Crosse, the poverty rate stands at 22.9%, diverging from the national average of 15.1%.

In La Crosse, the cost of living is 4.88% lower than the national average. A substantial cost of living can burden residents, particularly those with constrained financial means. When individuals contend with steep housing expenses, grocery bills, utility costs, healthcare and essential needs that strain their budgets, they may turn to criminal activities, such as theft or fraud, as a means of financial survival. Conversely, cities characterized by a more affordable cost of living may alleviate economic pressures, which could potentially lead to decreased crime rates.

In cities grappling with housing affordability challenges, crime can emerge as a prominent issue. Certain individuals and families may find themselves needing to reside in cramped or subpar housing conditions, elevating stress levels and potentially fueling domestic conflicts and associated criminal incidents. La Crosse has a median home price of $150,500, deviating from the national average of $184,700. Large disparities in housing costs can significantly impact the well-being of residents and the prevalence of crime within the community.

La Crosse crime map



The La Crosse crime map provides a detailed overview of all crimes in La Crosse as reported by the local law enforcement agencies. Based on the color coded legend above, the crime map outlines the areas with lower crime compared to the areas with higher crime. The La Crosse crime heat map offers insight into the total crimes on a block group level. Please note that the red areas on the La Crosse crime map does not always indicate that it is a dangerous area for its residents. Areas on the heat map could be inflated if they are located in high traffic areas like airports, sports centers or large parks. Other areas on the heat map could see increased crime rates if they are located in major tourist areas like the downtown core.
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Compare La Crosse, WI Crime

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      Crime Quick Facts

      • La Crosse crime rates are 46% higher than the national average
      • Violent crimes in La Crosse are 17% lower than the national average
      • In La Crosse you have a 1 in 30 chance of becoming a victim of crime
      • La Crosse is safer than 25% of the cities in the United States
      • Year over year crime in La Crosse has decreased by 20%

      La Crosse, WI Crime Quiz

         

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        Daily Crime In La Crosse (per 100,000 people)

        The above illustration depicts the number of crimes committed daily in La Crosse, per 100,000 residents. In La Crosse, the total number of daily crimes is 2.02 times more than the Wisconsin average and 1.46 times more than the national average. Violent daily crime statistics in La Crosse are 1.03 times more than the Wisconsin average and 1.21 times less than the national average. For property crime, La Crosse has a daily crime rate that is 2.23 times more than the Wisconsin average and 1.58 times more than the daily national average.

        How Safe is La Crosse (higher is better)

        When comparing the safety of La Crosse to every other city in Wisconsin, as well as the entirety of the United States, is La Crosse safe? The gauges above illustrate that La Crosse is safer than 7% of every city located within Wisconsin along with 25% of the all the cities located in the United States. The results of these graphs are created after analyzing each of the cities in Wisconsin and in the United States as a whole. As a result, La Crosse, WI is ranked below average when compared to the rest of the US cities.

        Chance of Being A Victim of Crime in La Crosse

        The chance of being a victim of violent crime in La Crosse is 1 in 328
        The chance of being a victim of property crime in La Crosse is 1 in 33
        The chance of being a victim of crime in La Crosse is 1 in 30
        Are you curious to know the likelihood of suffering from a crime in La Crosse? If you reside in La Crosse, the likelihood that you will become a victim of a violent crime is 1 in 328. Violent crimes include: murder, sexual assault, robbery, and physical assault. There is a 1 in 33 change that you will become a victim of a property crime. These sorts of crimes against personal property include: burglary, theft, and auto theft. In total, the likelihood of being victimized by a crime in La Crosse, is 1 in 30.

        Year Over Year Crime In La Crosse (per 100,000 people)

        The year over year change in crime per 100,000 people helps to understand whether crime in La Crosse, WI is on the rise or declining. The violent crime rate in La Crosse has increased by 21%, while the property crime rate in La Crosse has decreased by 23% year over year. Summing up the numbers, La Crosse has decreased by 20% with regards to total crimes year over year.

        La Crosse police department

        Item La Crosse Wisconsin National
        Law enforcement employees (officers & civilians)1079,355558,732
        Police officers & civilians /1000 residents2.12.43.3
        There are a total of 107 La Crosse police officers. This results in 2.1 police officers per 1,000 residents which is 13.6% less than the Wisconsin average and 36.5% less than the National average.

        Sex offenders in Wisconsin

        State Total offenders Wisconsin /100K National /100K
        Wisconsin24,983456266
        There are a total of 24,983 sex offenders in Wisconsin. This yields a total of 456 sex offenders in Wisconsin per 100,000 residents which is 71% greater than the national average.

        Nearby Cities With Low Crime Rates

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Hokah, MN592000
        Caledonia, MN2,759000
        La Crescent, MN5,13538191230
        Bangor, WI1,214141423563
        Holmen, WI10,02318606624
        Trempealeau, WI2,034111516627
        Brice Prairie, WI2,200119557676
        La Crosse, WI51,5433053,0953,401

        Cities with similar population

        City Population Violent crime/100k people Property crime/100k people Total crime/100k people
        Burien, WA51,5884964,1134,609
        Perth Amboy, NJ51,5893301,4631,793
        Coeur d'Alene, ID51,4913081,0161,325
        Kentwood, MI51,7804462,2292,675
        Levittown, NY51,2664091,6432,053
        La Crosse, WI51,5433053,0953,401
        Source: The La Crosse, WI crime data displayed above is derived from the FBI's uniform crime reports for the year of 2022. The crime report encompasses more than 18,000 city and state law enforcement agencies reporting data on property and violent crimes. The uniform crime reports program represents approximately 309 million American residents, which results in 98% coverage of metropolitan statistical areas.