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Buying a home in Onalaska, Wisconsin

The typical owner-occupied home in Onalaska is worth about $288,900, 8% above the Wisconsin median of $266,500 and 13% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $4,326 a year in property taxes, about 1.50% of their home's value, higher than the Wisconsin rate of 1.42%. The median household earns $85,867 a year, so the median home costs 3.4 times the median income (3.4 times for Wisconsin). 63% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 54% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Onalaska at a glance

Onalaska Wisconsin U.S.
Median home value $288,900 $266,500 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $4,326 $3,792 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 1.50% 1.42% 0.94%
Median household income $85,867 $77,485 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 63% 68% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 54% 61% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,790 $1,689 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.7% 19.5% 21.0%
Median rent $1,130 $1,087 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 26.0% 27.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1991 1975 1980
Vacant homes 1.3% 10.8% 10.1%
Population 19,348 5,914,872 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Onalaska

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Onalaska home of $288,900 with 20% down costs about $2,036 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,518, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $87,268 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 28% of the median Onalaska household income of $85,867; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $284,000.

The median rent here is $1,130 a month, so owning the median home costs about $906 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$57,780
Loan amount$231,120
Principal and interest$1,555
Property taxes (1.50% a year)$361
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$120
PMI$0
Total per month$2,036

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$10,112
Loan amount$283,667
Principal and interest$1,908
Property taxes (1.50% a year)$361
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$120
FHA mortgage insurance$128
Total per month$2,518

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Questions about home buying in Onalaska

What is the median home value in Onalaska?

About $288,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Onalaska?

Homeowners pay a median $4,326 a year, which is about 1.50% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Onalaska?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $2,036 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $87,268 a year.

More about Onalaska

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data