French Island map, 2023
French Island’s story
French Island in pictures
The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2023.
Explore the history →French IslandWI
A town of 4,188.
Population
4,188
Census survey, 2020–24
Median home value
$207K
Census ACS
Household income
$60K
median
Median age
48.2
years
Jobs based here
1,083
A commuter town
Is French Island a good place to live?
French Island’s average trip to work is 15 minutes, where Wisconsin’s towns sit at 22 minutes and U.S. towns at 25 minutes. Among 363 Wisconsin towns, just 8 have a higher July high than French Island. We don’t grade French Island yet; the figures below are still real.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave French Island for work
Where French Island’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,083jobs based in French Island
4%of working residents work in town
4 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Getting set up
Moving to French Island: who provides what
French Island is unincorporated, so La Crosse County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerXcel Energy15.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterOnalaska WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesLa Crosse CountyLa Crosse County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn Wisconsin you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 20 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereTown of Campbell ClerkTown of Campbell (La Crosse County); contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2026
ZIP code5460354603 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in French Island.
Work & commute
About half of French Island’s working residents commute to La Crosse
Most working residents leave French Island for work: only 4% work in town. 14% of French Island residents live below the poverty line, above both Wisconsin’s towns (6.4%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). Jobs based in French Island grew to 1,083 in 2023, 244 more than in 2013.
4%work in town
| French Island | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 14% | 6.4% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $60,000 | $87,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.8% | 8.3% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In French Island4%
La Crosse50%
Onalaska11%
Campbell4%
West Salem3%
4 mi
median commute distance
1,083
jobs based in French Island
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazards
French Island faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 68% of U.S. communities.
32risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
In French Island, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
French Island has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The January low in French Island is 9°F.
43″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter12–30°
Spring36–57°
Summer60–81°
Fall40–59°
Oct 17
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Wisconsin overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 45% of residents (38% statewide); children under 18 are 15% of residents (21% statewide). French Island’s median age is 48.2 years. 24% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 33% across Wisconsin.
48.2median age · WI 40.2
| French Island | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 15% | 21% | 22% |
| Median age | 48.2 years | 42.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 24% | 32% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 21% | 20% | 18% |
French IslandWisconsinUnited States
Ages · share of residents
18%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma6%
High school32%
Some college23%
Associate’s16%
Bachelor’s17%
Graduate7%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±4.6 points. Across Wisconsin, 49.9% of residents are women.
| French Island | WI | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.4% | 11.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.7% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 5.6% | 9.3% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.3% | 12.6% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.8% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 14.4% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 18.4% | 13.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 15.5% | 11.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.9% | 7.3% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.9% | 6.4% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.4% | 29.4% | 26% |
| Some college | 22.6% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.5% | 11.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 16.9% | 22% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 6.7% | 11.4% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,200, single groups can be off by several points
Health
How healthy French Island is
French Island beats the Wisconsin average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 14% of French Island adults have diabetes.
| French Island | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 11% | 12% |
| Obesity (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 38% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 26% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 33% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Wisconsin
2 better22 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | French Island | WI |
|---|---|---|
| More adults getting a yearly checkup | 80.9% | 77.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 77.8% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.5% | 6.5% |
Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Medical Center
3.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
French Island has set aside 8.2% of its land for conservation
0.2 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves.
8.2%conserved
| French Island | Wisconsin towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 8.2% | 3.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.4 | 0.4 |
8.2%
conserved · 132 of 1,601 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Louis Nelson County Park | — | 8 |
| 2. Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
$290Kmedian sale price
1
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Keep exploring
Everything we know about French Island
16pages on French Island
The big questions
Out and about
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of French Island
Western Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · La Crosse3.1 mi$4,820 in-state tuitionUniversity of Wisconsin-La CrosseUniversity or college · Public · La Crosse3.4 mi$10,070 in-state tuitionViterbo UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · La Crosse3.9 mi$34,250 tuition
About 1 of every 100 French Island residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Wisconsin.
About French Island
Village in Wisconsin, United States
French Island is a village and a census-designated place (CDP) in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2020 census, French Island CDP had a population of 4,284. It lies on an island of the same name, though they are not coextensive; a portion of the island is part of the city of La Crosse. All of the island is part of the La Crosse Metropolitan Statistical Area. French Island contains the entire population of the Village of French Island, because the balance of the village's territory is uninhabited.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 650 ft
French Island’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with French Island.
CampbellLa CrosseFrench Island
How the neighbors grade
| Town | WI rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| French Island | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Campbell | #319 | C | C+ | A− | C | C− |
| La Crosse | #342 | C− | C | D | C | B− |
French Island isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare French Island with a neighbor →
Questions about French Island
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is French Island, WI a good place to live?
We don’t grade French Island yet; the figures below are still real.