Page 71 - 2015 Compass Now

AN INCOME/ECONOMIC PROFILE OF THE GREAT RIVERS REGION

Introduction

The purpose of this section of the COMPASS NOW Report is to give an overview of the status of Income and
Economic issues in the Great Rivers Region. Several representatives from organizations and agencies in
our community guided Great Rivers United Way in updating and determining topics for this profile. These
groups include: University of Wisconsin-Extension, Bluff Country Family Resources, Workforce Connections,
Mississippi River Regional Planning Commission, Semcac Outreach and Emergency Services, University of
Wisconsin-La Crosse, Neighbors in Action, and Couleecap. This section is not meant to duplicate what is
already available elsewhere; instead, its focus is on the impact the economy has on our community.

Population

According to the 2012 American Community Survey, the five counties of the Great Rivers Region (La Crosse,
Monroe, Trempealeau, and Vernon Counties in Wisconsin, and Houston County in Minnesota) have a total
population of 237,113 people. Approximately 42% of the population is considered urban and 58% is
considered rural. Every county in the region is more rural than it is urban, except for La Crosse County, which
is only 17% rural, as shown in Table 1. These urban-rural classifications are important because of the impact
to the region’s planning, potential for economic development and growth, and how services are delivered.

Table 1: Population Distribution

County Rural Urban

La Crosse 17% 83%

Monroe 42% 58%

Trempealeau 90% 10%

Vernon 86% 14% INCOME/ECONOMIC

Houston 57% 43%

Source: http://www.city-data.com (2012 data)

Although the 2010 Census showed a drop in population growth for the Midwest as a whole, the Great Rivers
Region has grown by approximately 8% over the past 14 years1.

As shown in Table 2, Houston County is the only county in the region that experienced negative population
growth in recent years. This reduction is mostly attributed to declining birth rates and a steady death rate.
The county also had some net outward migration of its population. In the same time period, the population
in the state of Wisconsin grew by 7.1%, while Minnesota’s population grew by 10.2%. Table 2 shows
population changes for each county in the region over the past 14 years.

COMPASS NOW 2015 63