City · Vernon County, Wisconsin

Westby, Wisconsin

Westby is a city in Vernon County, Wisconsin, part of the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area. It has 2,432 residents. Westby, Wisconsin has a quality-of-life score of 78 out of 100 (high), ranking #3,467 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Wisconsin it ranks #252 of 396 cities and towns. It ranks best on public libraries (high), loneliness (low) and property crime rate (low). It ranks worst on gyms and fitness centers (low), average weekly wage (low) and broadband subscriptions (low).

78High

Quality-of-life score: #3,467 of 15,651 cities and towns
Wisconsin: #252 of 396 in WI
Population: 2,432 (2020-2024)
Land area: 3 mi²
Density: 901.4 /mi²
FIPS code: 5585475

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety83#2,733/15,637
Economy58#6,504/15,631
Housing95#824/14,977
Health60#6,205/15,609
Healthcare28#11,330/15,650
Environment94#875/15,453
Education69#4,788/15,649
Infrastructure38#9,658/15,650
Community86#2,167/15,651
Leisure & amenities43#8,859/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Westby, Wisconsin ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Vernon County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Public libraries · high2.5 /10k
94/100Wisconsin 0.8 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesVernon County value
Loneliness · low30.4%
94/100Wisconsin 31.6%United States 33.2%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Property crime rate · low376 /100k
94/100Wisconsin 1,017 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figureVernon County value
Drought exposure · low1%
92/100Wisconsin 29%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAAVernon County value
Rent as share of income · low20.0%
90/100Wisconsin 27.2%United States 30.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25071High uncertainty
High school diploma or higher · high94.2%
90/100Wisconsin 93.6%United States 89.6%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B15003

Weaknesses

Gyms and fitness centers · low0.0 /10k
4/100Wisconsin 1.3 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsVernon County value
Average weekly wage · low$936
9/100Wisconsin $1,272United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsVernon County value
Broadband subscriptions · low82.6%
10/100Wisconsin 90.3%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Mental health care shortage · high18.0
11/100Wisconsin 4.6United States 9.9Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationVernon County value
Pharmacies · low0.9 /10k
12/100Wisconsin 1.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsVernon County value
Dentists · low32 /100k
13/100Wisconsin 75 /100kUnited States 75 /100k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteVernon County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Rent as share of incomeImproving
28.3% (2015-2019) → 20.0% (2020-2024)
−8.3 pts5 yearsCensus table B25071US 29.8% → 30.6%
Median household incomeImproving
$53,667 (2015-2019) → $72,875 (2020-2024)
+36%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
77.2% (2015-2019) → 82.6% (2020-2024)
+5.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Child poverty rateImproving
13.0% (2015-2019) → 8.3% (2020-2024)
−4.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Uninsured residents (under 65)Worsening
5.8% (2015-2019) → 10.2% (2020-2024)
+4.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B27010US 10.8% → 9.8%
High school diploma or higherImproving
90.5% (2015-2019) → 94.2% (2020-2024)
+3.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Westby, Wisconsin improved on 2 of 10 measures with a comparison and declined on 0. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Property tax−0.5 points1.81% → 1.34%
Household income+36%$53,667 → $72,875

Declined0

No measure declined by more than its margin of error.

All 10 measures

Change of every measure of Westby, Wisconsin between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	20.9 min2015-2019	21.9 min2020-2024	+1.1 min	Within the margin of error	36%
Bachelor's degree or higher	24.6%2015-2019	25.4%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	33%
Broadband subscriptions	77.2%2015-2019	82.6%2020-2024	+5.4 points	Within the margin of error	34%
Effective property tax rate	1.81%2015-2019	1.34%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Improved	89%
High school diploma or higher	90.5%2015-2019	94.2%2020-2024	+3.7 points	Within the margin of error	74%
Home price to income ratio	2.2×2015-2019	2.4×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	66%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3982015-2019	0.3772020-2024	−0.021	Within the margin of error	68%
Median household income	$53,6672015-2019	$72,8752020-2024	+36%	Improved	67%
Poverty rate	11.3%2015-2019	8.0%2020-2024	−3.2 points	Within the margin of error	71%
Rent-burdened households	47.3%2015-2019	44.0%2020-2024	−3.3 points	Within the margin of error	67%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Westby, Wisconsin five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Westby, Wisconsin in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Westby, Wisconsin itself moved +2.7 points in standing on average over the same 9 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,432 residents (±237)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,027 households (±108)

Westby, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Under $25k13%†129
$25k–50k19%†191
$50k–75k

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,027 households (±108)

Westby, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Own77%792
Rent23%†235

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,144 workers (±163)

Westby, Wisconsin
Wisconsin share

Drive alone86%986
Carpool2.2%†25
Public transit0.9%†10

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Vernon County, the county holding most of Westby's residents.

Vernon County has 686 employer establishments, 220 for every 10,000 residents (0.89× the US rate of 248; 0.90× Wisconsin's), with 7,182 paid employees at an average annual pay of $46,260. The Census Bureau also counts 2,641 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 686; 2,641 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 220; US 248 · Wisconsin 244
Paid employees: 7,182
Average annual pay: $46,260; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Vernon County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	66	21.2	1.37×More than typical	278	$61,097	269
Truck transportation	39	12.5	2.48×More than typical	138	$62,203	74
Restaurants and other eating places	38	12.2	0.66×Fewer than typical	558	$15,882	8
Religious organizations	35	11.2	2.03×More than typical	129	$17,946	—
Ambulatory health care services	32	10.3	0.49×Fewer than typical	410	$65,346	86
Foundation, structure and building exterior contractors	23	7.4	2.35×More than typical	89	$66,483	50
Full-service restaurants	23	7.4	0.96×About typical	334	$15,506	4
Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)	20	6.4	5.30×More than typical	93	$13,011	3
Building finishing contractors	19	6.1	1.61×More than typical	60	$56,567	88
Construction of buildings	19	6.1	0.81×About typical	53	$43,151	155
Food manufacturing	19	6.1	6.61×More than typical	781	$57,323	25
Automotive repair and maintenance	18	5.8	1.15×About typical	43	$30,326	50

Rank places for an industry Open Vernon County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 31,115 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Westby, Wisconsin: $0 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,994
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

13.3FY2017
7.7KFY2019
1.7KFY2020
3.8KFY2024

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Westby, Wisconsin, so they do not add up across cities.

Westby, Wisconsin's figures are part of those of Vernon County, WI ($1M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Westby is mostly in Vernon County.

See federal money in Vernon County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Westby, Wisconsin is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Derrick Van OrdenR-WI-3 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 8.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Vernon County73100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN95

Other cities and towns in Vernon County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/5585475

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends