Crawford County is located in southwestern Wisconsin along the Mississippi River, bordering Iowa to the west. The county lies within the Driftless Area, a region known for steep ridges, deep valleys, and extensive river bluffs shaped by erosion rather than glaciation. Established in 1818 and named for territorial governor William H. Crawford, it is among Wisconsin’s oldest counties and has long been tied to Mississippi River transportation and agricultural settlement patterns. Crawford County is small in population (about 16,000 residents) and is predominantly rural, with a landscape of farms, wooded hills, and river communities. Agriculture remains an important part of the local economy, alongside manufacturing, services, and tourism connected to outdoor recreation and historic river towns. The county seat is Prairie du Chien, one of Wisconsin’s oldest European-established settlements and a regional hub for the surrounding area.

Crawford County Local Demographic Profile

Crawford County is in southwestern Wisconsin along the Mississippi River, with Prairie du Chien as a principal community and the Wisconsin River joining the Mississippi near its southern border. The county is part of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, characterized by river valleys and rugged uplands.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau data profile for Crawford County, Wisconsin, the county’s population size and related demographic indicators are reported in the county profile tables (Decennial Census and American Community Survey, depending on the metric and release).

Age & Gender

Age distribution (including median age and standard age brackets) and the gender ratio (male/female shares) are published in the U.S. Census Bureau county profile for Crawford County under demographic characteristics tables. The Census Bureau provides these measures as part of its official county-level demographic tabulations.

Racial & Ethnic Composition

County-level racial composition (race categories) and Hispanic or Latino origin are reported by the U.S. Census Bureau in the Crawford County, Wisconsin profile on data.census.gov. These statistics reflect standard Census race and ethnicity definitions and are presented in the profile’s race and ethnicity tables.

Household & Housing Data

Household counts, average household size, housing unit counts, occupancy (owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied), and related housing characteristics are available in the U.S. Census Bureau profile for Crawford County under housing and household tables (sourced from the Decennial Census and the American Community Survey as applicable).

Local Government Reference

For local government and planning resources, visit the Crawford County official website.

Email Usage

Crawford County, Wisconsin is largely rural, with small communities spread along the Mississippi River valley; lower population density and terrain can increase last‑mile network costs, shaping how residents rely on email and other online communication.

Direct county‑level email usage statistics are not generally published, so email adoption is best inferred from digital access and demographics reported by the U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov). Key proxies include household broadband subscription, computer ownership, and smartphone access (commonly reported in the American Community Survey). Lower broadband subscription or limited computer access typically constrains consistent email use, especially for attachments, job applications, and two‑factor authentication.

Age structure also influences likely email uptake: older populations tend to have lower rates of regular internet and email use than working‑age adults, while younger residents often use email primarily for school, accounts, and formal communication. Crawford County’s age distribution from the Census provides the primary benchmark for this effect.

Gender distribution is generally less predictive of email use than access and age; it is mainly relevant for describing the population baseline in Census tables.

Connectivity limitations are commonly reflected in broadband availability and speeds reported by the FCC National Broadband Map, including service gaps outside incorporated areas.

Mobile Phone Usage

Crawford County is located in the Driftless Area of southwestern Wisconsin along the Mississippi River, with a county seat in Prairie du Chien. The county is predominantly rural with small population centers and significant topographic relief (ridge-and-valley terrain) compared with much of the state, factors that commonly increase the number of towers needed for consistent coverage and can create localized signal variability. County-level connectivity conditions are best understood by separating (1) network availability (where service could be provided) from (2) household/device adoption and use (whether residents subscribe to and use mobile services).

County context relevant to mobile connectivity

  • Rural settlement pattern and low density: Rural road networks and dispersed housing typically raise per-customer infrastructure cost and can reduce coverage uniformity compared with urban counties.
  • Terrain (Driftless Area bluffs and valleys): Elevation changes and forested/river corridors can affect propagation, making “line-of-sight” more variable and increasing the importance of tower siting.
  • Cross-border travel corridors: Mississippi River crossings and state highways can concentrate demand along specific corridors while leaving interior valleys less uniformly served.

Authoritative baseline geography and population characteristics are available through the U.S. Census Bureau’s county profiles (for county population, housing, and rural characteristics), including Census.gov QuickFacts for Crawford County, Wisconsin.

Network availability (coverage) versus adoption (subscription)

This section distinguishes:

  • Availability: Whether mobile broadband networks (4G/5G) are reported as covering locations in the county.
  • Adoption/usage: Whether households and individuals actually subscribe to mobile service and rely on mobile broadband, including smartphone ownership and “cellular data only” internet access.

County-level availability is most directly sourced from national coverage reporting. County-level adoption is usually measured at state, regional, or survey-geography levels rather than a single county; when county-specific measures are unavailable, limitations are stated explicitly.

Mobile network availability in Crawford County (4G/5G)

Primary public sources for availability

  • The Federal Communications Commission publishes provider-reported mobile broadband coverage in its Broadband Data Collection and National Broadband Map. Availability can be viewed by location and aggregated for broader geographies; it is the most widely used federal source for reported 4G LTE and 5G coverage layers: FCC National Broadband Map.
  • Wisconsin’s statewide broadband program provides context and complementary mapping and planning resources, including broadband coverage initiatives and mapping references: Wisconsin Broadband Office.

4G LTE

  • General availability: Provider-reported LTE coverage typically exists along populated areas and major transportation corridors in most Wisconsin counties, including rural counties. The FCC map is the appropriate source to confirm the specific footprint by location in Crawford County.
  • Practical considerations in rural terrain: Even where LTE is reported as available, actual on-the-ground experience can vary within short distances in hilly terrain. This is a known limitation of modeled and provider-reported maps, particularly near coverage edges.

5G (low-band, mid-band, and fixed wireless overlap considerations)

  • Reported 5G availability: 5G availability in rural counties is often uneven, with reported coverage concentrated near towns and along highways, plus broader low-band coverage in some areas. The FCC map provides the most direct location-level view of reported 5G.
  • Technology mix: The FCC map distinguishes technology and reported speeds by provider but does not directly summarize “low-band vs mid-band vs mmWave” at county narrative level. County-specific characterization beyond the FCC layers is not consistently published in a way that remains current as networks change.

Key limitation on county-level availability metrics

  • Publicly accessible summaries such as “percent of the county covered by 5G” can differ by method (area-based versus population-weighted versus location-based). The FCC map is location-based and is the standard reference, but it remains provider-reported and periodically updated.

Mobile penetration / access indicators (adoption and access)

Household internet subscription type (county-level where available)

The most relevant “mobile-as-internet” adoption indicator is the share of households using cellular data plans as their internet service, especially those with cellular data only (no wired broadband). The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) includes “internet subscription” categories that cover cellular data plans. Depending on sample size and disclosure rules, county estimates may be available for some tables and years, but not all ACS outputs provide stable single-county measures for small, rural counties.

  • The ACS internet subscription concepts and tables are documented through the Census Bureau’s ACS materials and data access tools such as data.census.gov.
  • Crawford County-specific ACS values for “cellular data plan” can be retrieved through data.census.gov when published at the county level for the selected year and table. Where margins of error are large, interpretation should be cautious.

Smartphone ownership (county-level limitations)

  • Smartphone ownership is commonly measured through national surveys and commercial datasets. The ACS does not directly publish “smartphone ownership” as a standard county estimate in the same way it publishes household internet subscription types.
  • As a result, county-level smartphone penetration for Crawford County is generally not available from a single, consistently updated public dataset. Statewide and national smartphone adoption estimates are available from federal surveys and research organizations, but they do not provide definitive county-specific percentages.

Mobile internet usage patterns

Reliance on mobile data versus wired connections

  • In rural counties, mobile broadband can serve as a primary connection where wired broadband is limited, but the degree of reliance is measured through household subscription data, not coverage maps.
  • The ACS “cellular data plan” subscription category is the primary public indicator for this reliance, subject to county-level availability and margins of error (see data.census.gov above).

Typical performance and use constraints (data-driven framing)

  • Availability does not equal capacity: 4G/5G coverage indicates service presence, while actual throughput depends on spectrum, backhaul, network load, device capability, and terrain.
  • Indoor versus outdoor use: Rural tower spacing and terrain can increase indoor attenuation and dead zones; public datasets generally do not provide county-level indoor/outdoor performance splits.

4G vs 5G use

  • Actual usage split (what share of traffic is on 5G) is generally held by carriers and analytics firms and is not published as a definitive county-level statistic for Crawford County.
  • The most defensible county-level statement relies on FCC-reported availability layers and does not infer usage shares without a published dataset.

Common device types (smartphones vs other devices)

What can be stated with high confidence using public data

  • Smartphones dominate mobile internet access nationally, and most mobile broadband subscriptions are used via smartphones and smartphone-tethered connections. However, a Crawford County-specific device-type breakdown (smartphone vs flip phone vs tablet vs hotspot) is not typically available in public county tables.
  • The ACS does not provide a straightforward county-level “device ownership” inventory; it focuses on household subscription types and device presence (computer) concepts, not a full smartphone inventory.

County-level device mix: limitation

  • Carrier/device telemetry and commercial panel datasets can estimate device mix, but they are not public, standardized, or consistently comparable over time at the county level. No definitive public county statistic is available for Crawford County covering smartphone share versus other handset types.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Crawford County

Geography and land use

  • Topography: Driftless ridge-and-valley terrain can lead to coverage variability that affects how residents use mobile services (e.g., reliance on Wi‑Fi calling at home versus mobile data outdoors), though the magnitude is not quantified at county level in public datasets.
  • Settlement distribution: Small towns and dispersed rural housing typically produce more variable “last-mile” wireless experiences than compact urban areas.

Socioeconomic and household factors (best supported by Census/ACS)

  • Income, age structure, and housing tenure correlate with broadband adoption and device replacement cycles in many studies; definitive county-level claims require county-level ACS tabulations for the specific measures used.
  • County demographic profiles (age distribution, income, housing, commuting patterns) can be referenced through Census.gov QuickFacts, with deeper cross-tabs available via data.census.gov.

Infrastructure alternatives and substitution

  • In areas where wired broadband availability is limited or cost is higher, households are more likely to report cellular data plans as their internet subscription type. This relationship is commonly analyzed using ACS subscription data alongside availability maps, but the exact strength of substitution in Crawford County requires local tabulation and is not published as a single definitive county metric.

Summary of what is known publicly at county level (and what is not)

  • Best county-level source for network availability (4G/5G): FCC National Broadband Map (provider-reported, location-based coverage).
  • Best public indicator for mobile-as-home-internet adoption: ACS “cellular data plan” subscription categories accessed via data.census.gov (county estimates may have large margins of error in small rural counties).
  • Not reliably available as definitive public county statistics: Smartphone ownership/penetration, device-type mix, and share of usage on 5G versus 4G for Crawford County specifically.

For statewide planning context and mapping references that complement federal sources, the primary public reference is the Wisconsin Broadband Office.

Social Media Trends

Crawford County is in southwestern Wisconsin along the Mississippi River, anchored by Prairie du Chien and smaller river and ridge communities. The county’s mix of a small urban center, rural townships, outdoor recreation, and a locally oriented service economy tends to align with statewide and national patterns in which mobile-first social media use is common, but platform mix and intensity vary strongly by age.

User statistics (penetration / active use)

  • Local, county-specific social media penetration rates are not published consistently by major survey organizations, so the most defensible figures for Crawford County are benchmarked from statewide and U.S. survey research.
  • U.S. adult baseline: Roughly 7 in 10 U.S. adults use at least one social media site (Pew Research Center’s ongoing social media fact research provides the most-cited national benchmark; see Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet).
  • Local implication for Crawford County: Given the county’s older age structure relative to many urban counties, overall penetration typically tracks near the national average but with a larger share of Facebook use and a smaller share of TikTok/Snapchat use than younger urban areas, consistent with Pew’s age-by-platform patterns.

Age group trends

  • Highest use: Adults 18–29 show the highest social media adoption across multiple platforms, with especially strong use of visually oriented and short-video platforms. Pew’s age breakdowns consistently show social media use highest among younger adults and declining with age (Pew age-by-platform estimates).
  • Middle-age dominance on Facebook: Adults 30–49 remain heavy social media users overall, with strong representation on Facebook and Instagram.
  • Older adults: Adults 65+ have lower overall usage than younger groups, but Facebook remains the most common platform among older users nationally, which tends to matter more in older-leaning rural counties.

Gender breakdown

  • Overall usage: Nationally, women are modestly more likely than men to report using social media in many surveys, and platform preferences vary by gender. Pew’s platform tables show gender differences by site are usually small to moderate and platform-specific (Pew platform-by-demographic tables).
  • Common pattern relevant to Crawford County: Facebook and Pinterest typically index higher among women; YouTube use is broadly high across genders; Reddit and some discussion-centric platforms tend to skew more male nationally.

Most-used platforms (with percentages where available)

County-level platform shares are not published by Pew or similar national survey programs; the most reliable percentages are U.S. adult shares, useful as a baseline for Crawford County:

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

  • Community and local-information use (Facebook): In rural and small-city settings, Facebook commonly functions as a local bulletin board for events, school and municipal updates, local news sharing, and buy/sell activity. This aligns with Facebook’s broad reach among older and middle-age adults in Pew’s platform data (Pew platform reach).
  • Short-form video growth (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts): National trendlines show rising time spent on short-form video, concentrated among younger adults; in older-leaning counties this typically produces high awareness but lower adoption than statewide campus/metro areas.
  • Messaging as a parallel channel: Even where “social media” posting is moderate, direct messaging and group chats (Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, WhatsApp) often account for substantial day-to-day interaction; Pew’s platform penetration suggests messaging-enabled platforms reach a majority of adults via Facebook and substantial minorities via WhatsApp and Instagram (Pew platform usage).
  • Platform preference split by life stage:
    • Younger adults: higher multi-platform use (Instagram/TikTok/Snapchat) and creator-driven feeds
    • Older adults: fewer platforms, heavier reliance on Facebook and YouTube
      This pattern is consistent across Pew’s age-by-platform distributions (Pew demographic trends).

Family & Associates Records

Crawford County family-related public records primarily include Wisconsin vital records (birth, death, marriage, and divorce). Local registration and certified copies are handled through the county Register of Deeds; record requests and office information are published on the official county site: Crawford County, Wisconsin (official website) and its Departments directory (Register of Deeds). Adoption records are generally administered through Wisconsin courts and state agencies rather than county vital records offices, and access is typically restricted.

Public access to certain associate-related records is available through the Crawford County Clerk of Circuit Court, including civil cases (such as family court matters), criminal cases, and judgments. Case information is searchable statewide through Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (WCCA), which includes Crawford County. Recorded real estate instruments and some related indexing are maintained by the Register of Deeds; availability of online searching varies by office and vendor.

Records are accessed either in person during business hours at the relevant county office or through state portals for searchable indexes. Wisconsin law places restrictions on vital records access; birth and death certificates are not fully public records, and certified copies generally require eligibility. Court case dockets may be publicly viewable, but certain case types and personal identifiers are confidential or redacted under state court rules.

Marriage & Divorce Records

Types of records available

  • Marriage records
    • Marriage license / marriage certificate record: Created when a couple applies for and receives authorization to marry; a completed marriage record is returned after the ceremony and recorded.
  • Divorce records
    • Divorce case file: Court record documenting the divorce action (pleadings, orders, findings, and final judgment).
    • Judgment of divorce (divorce decree): The final court judgment dissolving the marriage and setting terms (such as legal custody/placement, support, and property division when applicable).
  • Annulment records
    • Annulment case file and judgment: Court record of an action declaring a marriage void or voidable under Wisconsin law, resulting in a judgment of annulment rather than a divorce.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

  • Marriage records
    • Filed/recorded by: The Crawford County Register of Deeds (vital records office for the county).
    • Access methods:
      • In-person requests through the Register of Deeds for certified copies and, in some cases, noncertified copies.
      • Statewide vital-records access through the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), Vital Records Office, which issues certified copies for events filed in Wisconsin.
    • Online indexes:
      • Many Wisconsin marriage indexes are available through Wisconsin Vital Records and other archival/indexing systems; indexes typically provide names, event dates, and county but are distinct from certified copies.
  • Divorce and annulment records
    • Filed/maintained by: The Crawford County Clerk of Circuit Court as part of the county circuit court record system.
    • Access methods:
      • Case documents and certified copies are obtained from the Clerk of Circuit Court, typically by case number or party names and filing date range.
      • Wisconsin Circuit Court Access (CCAP) provides a public case index and register of actions for many cases; it is not a substitute for certified court copies and may not display sealed/confidential details.
  • Record transfers/archival
    • Older court files may be retained locally, transferred to county storage, or sent to state archival retention systems in accordance with Wisconsin court record retention schedules; access continues through the Clerk of Circuit Court or the holding repository.

Typical information included in these records

  • Marriage license/record
    • Full names of parties (including maiden name where recorded)
    • Date and place of marriage (municipality/county)
    • Ages or dates of birth (varies by form/era)
    • Residences at time of application
    • Officiant name/title and location of ceremony
    • Witness information (as recorded)
    • Date license issued and date the completed record was filed/recorded
    • File/volume/page or document number used by the county
  • Divorce court record (case file and judgment)
    • Names of parties, case number, filing date, and venue
    • Grounds or legal basis pleaded (older cases may reflect fault-based grounds; modern filings reflect statutory bases used at the time)
    • Findings of fact and conclusions of law
    • Final judgment date and terms:
      • Legal custody and physical placement orders (when applicable)
      • Child support and maintenance (spousal support) orders (when applicable)
      • Property division and debt allocation
      • Name change orders (when granted)
    • Docket entries (“register of actions”) summarizing filings and hearings
  • Annulment court record (case file and judgment)
    • Names of parties, case number, filing date, and venue
    • Alleged statutory basis for annulment and supporting allegations
    • Findings and judgment declaring the marriage void/voidable and related orders (property, support, custody/placement where applicable)

Privacy or legal restrictions

  • Marriage records (vital records)
    • Wisconsin restricts issuance of certified copies of vital records to eligible requesters under state law and administrative rules; requesters generally must provide identification and pay statutory fees.
    • Public access to indexes is broader than access to certified copies; indexes do not confer legal proof of the event.
  • Divorce and annulment court records
    • Many case captions, docket information, and some filings are public, but confidential information is protected by Wisconsin statutes and court rules.
    • Sealed records (by court order) and specific confidential categories are not publicly accessible.
    • Records involving minors, sensitive personal identifiers, and certain protected information may be redacted or restricted; access to underlying documents can be limited even when a case index entry is visible.
    • Certified copies of judgments are issued by the Clerk of Circuit Court; dissemination may be subject to court access rules and any sealing/redaction orders.

Primary custodians (Crawford County, Wisconsin)

Education, Employment and Housing

Crawford County is in southwestern Wisconsin along the Mississippi River, with Prairie du Chien as the largest population center and county seat area. The county’s settlement pattern is a mix of small towns/villages and dispersed rural housing in the Driftless Area’s valleys and ridges, with local services concentrated in Prairie du Chien and a smaller cluster in Soldiers Grove and surrounding communities.

Education Indicators

Public schools (number and names)

Public K–12 education is primarily provided through three districts serving Crawford County communities:

  • Prairie du Chien Area School District (Prairie du Chien)
  • North Crawford School District (Soldiers Grove)
  • Seneca School District (Seneca; serves parts of southern Crawford County)

A consolidated, countywide count of “public schools in Crawford County” varies by how elementary/middle/high school buildings are enumerated across district boundaries and attendance areas. For official, current school lists by district and building, the most authoritative references are the [Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) District Directory](https://dpi.wi.gov/directory/district-schools?utm_source=chatgpt&utm_medium=ref&utm_campaign=crawford-wi-profile " target="_blank) and district webpages.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

  • Student–teacher ratios: District ratios are reported annually in DPI district report cards and can differ from countywide averages; rural districts in the region commonly operate with low-to-moderate class sizes relative to metropolitan areas. The most recent ratios and staffing counts are best sourced from [DPI School and District Report Cards](https://dpi.wi.gov/accountability/report-cards " target="_blank) for each district.
  • Graduation rates: Graduation rates are also published in DPI report cards (4-year and extended rates). Crawford County districts typically track near statewide rural-district patterns, with year-to-year variation in small cohorts. The definitive current graduation rates are available via [DPI Report Cards](https://dpi.wi.gov/accountability/report-cards " target="_blank) by district and high school.

Note on availability: A single “county graduation rate” is not always published as a standalone metric in the same way as district/school rates; district report cards are the standard proxy for county residents.

Adult education levels

Adult educational attainment is commonly described using American Community Survey (ACS) estimates. For Crawford County, ACS profiles generally show:

  • A majority with at least a high school diploma
  • A smaller share with a bachelor’s degree or higher than the statewide average, consistent with many rural Wisconsin counties

The most recent published percentages for:

Notable programs (STEM, vocational training, AP)

District offerings vary by high school size and staffing. In rural Wisconsin districts, common program structures include:

  • Career and Technical Education (CTE)/vocational pathways (e.g., construction, welding, agriculture, business, family and consumer sciences)
  • College-credit options (often through transcripted credit, dual enrollment, or statewide programs)
  • Advanced coursework (AP availability is district-specific; smaller schools often emphasize dual-enrollment or alternative advanced options)

Program availability and current course catalogs are most reliably reflected in district academic guides and state CTE reporting; DPI provides context on statewide CTE frameworks via [Wisconsin DPI Career and Technical Education](https://dpi.wi.gov/cte " target="_blank).

School safety measures and counseling resources

Wisconsin public schools typically implement:

  • Required emergency operations planning, coordinated with local law enforcement and emergency management
  • Visitor controls (secured entry points, sign-in procedures)
  • Student services such as school counseling and referrals to community mental health resources, with staffing levels varying by district size

District-specific safety plans and student services staffing are typically summarized in board policies, student handbooks, and district reports rather than county aggregates.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent year available)

Crawford County unemployment is tracked through state and federal labor market series. The most current annual and monthly figures are published by the [Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) Local Area Unemployment Statistics](https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/labormarket/laus/ " target="_blank). Recent patterns in rural southwest Wisconsin have generally reflected:

  • Low unemployment in the late-2010s
  • A spike during 2020
  • Improvement thereafter, with month-to-month variability

Note on presentation: The “most recent year available” depends on the release cycle; DWD’s LAUS tables provide the definitive annual average unemployment rate.

Major industries and employment sectors

Crawford County’s employment base aligns with a rural service-and-production mix, typically including:

  • Health care and social assistance (clinics, long-term care, support services)
  • Retail trade and accommodation/food services (local-serving and Mississippi River visitor activity)
  • Manufacturing (smaller-scale plants relative to metro areas)
  • Educational services (public school districts)
  • Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting and related support activities in surrounding rural areas
  • Public administration (county/city services)

For official sector shares for residents (by industry of employment), ACS “industry” tables are accessible through [Census QuickFacts](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/crawfordcountywisconsin/PST045223 " target="_blank) and detailed ACS datasets.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Occupational distribution for county residents commonly emphasizes:

  • Service occupations (healthcare support, food service)
  • Sales and office occupations
  • Production, transportation, and material moving
  • Construction and extraction
  • Management and professional roles at a smaller share than statewide averages in many rural counties

The most current occupation shares are available in ACS “occupation” tables via [Census Bureau data tools](https://data.census.gov/ " target="_blank) (county geography).

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

Commuting in Crawford County reflects dispersed rural housing with employment centers in Prairie du Chien and nearby counties. Key commuting characteristics typically include:

  • High share of driving alone for commuting (common in rural areas)
  • Limited transit commuting
  • Mean commute times that are often moderate, with longer commutes for out-of-county work

The definitive mean travel time to work and mode share are published in ACS commuting tables (e.g., “Travel time to work” and “Means of transportation to work”) and summarized in [Census QuickFacts](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/crawfordcountywisconsin/PST045223 " target="_blank).

Local employment versus out-of-county work

Rural counties commonly show a meaningful proportion of residents commuting to jobs outside the county for higher-wage or specialized employment. County-to-county commuting flows are quantified using Census “OnTheMap”/LEHD origin-destination data. The most direct source for resident-versus-workplace geography is [Census OnTheMap](https://onthemap.ces.census.gov/ " target="_blank) (inflow/outflow analysis).

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership rate and rental share

Crawford County’s housing tenure is measured via ACS:

  • Homeownership typically represents the majority of occupied units in rural Wisconsin counties
  • Renting is concentrated in Prairie du Chien and village centers where multifamily stock exists

The most recent homeownership and renter shares are reported in [Census QuickFacts](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/crawfordcountywisconsin/PST045223 " target="_blank).

Median property values and recent trends

  • Median value of owner-occupied housing units is reported in ACS (5-year estimates) and summarized in QuickFacts.
  • Trend context (proxy): Like much of Wisconsin, values generally increased notably from 2020–2023 due to tight inventory and higher construction/financing costs; rural markets often show smaller absolute price levels than metros but similar directional trends.

The latest median value estimate for the county is available from [Census QuickFacts housing value metrics](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/crawfordcountywisconsin/PST045223 " target="_blank). For market-transaction trend lines (sales-based rather than survey-based), county-level series are typically sourced from state realtor associations or proprietary listing analytics; ACS remains the standardized public benchmark.

Typical rent prices

Types of housing

Crawford County housing stock is characterized by:

  • Single-family detached homes as the dominant structure type
  • Manufactured housing in some rural and edge-of-town areas
  • Small multifamily buildings and apartments primarily in Prairie du Chien and village centers
  • Rural lots and farm-adjacent residences, with more land area per household than urban counties

ACS “units in structure” tables provide the official breakdown by housing type and are accessible via [data.census.gov](https://data.census.gov/ " target="_blank).

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools or amenities)

  • Prairie du Chien: Most concentrated access to schools, healthcare, retail, and municipal services; higher share of rentals and smaller-lot neighborhoods.
  • Soldiers Grove / Gays Mills area: Small-town access to schools and local services with surrounding rural housing; proximity to outdoor recreation and agricultural land.
  • Unincorporated/rural areas: Greater distance to schools and services, higher reliance on personal vehicles, and more dispersed housing on larger parcels.

Property tax overview (average rate and typical homeowner cost)

Wisconsin property taxes are determined by local levy, equalized value, and mill rates that vary by municipality and school district, so a single countywide “average rate” can obscure large local differences. Standard public proxies include:

  • Effective property tax rate and median taxes paid from ACS (household-reported) and comparative datasets
  • Municipal and school district tax bills for parcel-specific amounts

County-level tax context and levy information can be referenced through the [Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) property tax statistics](https://www.revenue.wi.gov/Pages/SLF/propertytax.aspx " target="_blank). The most defensible “typical homeowner cost” proxy is the ACS median real estate taxes paid (where published for the county) via [data.census.gov](https://data.census.gov/ " target="_blank), supplemented by DOR equalized-value statistics for rate comparisons across jurisdictions.

Table of Contents

Other Counties in Wisconsin