• La Crosse Area Information

Community Accolades & Interesting Tidbits

• Gundersen Lutheran received 2010 Health Grades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence (HealthGrades.com)

• UW-La Crosse named among "2009 -2010 Best Values in Public Colelges" by Kiplinger Personal Finance (2010) (Kiplinger)

• UW-La Crosse cited as National Leader in International Student Programming by the U.S. Department of Commerce (2010) (UW-La Crosse)

• La Crosse, WI - Winona, MN Area ranked 20th Most Secure Place to Live Among Small Towns by Farmer's Insurance Group (2009) (La Crosse Tribune)

• Western Technical College included in G.I. Job's list of Top Military Friendly Colleges (2009) (La Crosse Tribune)

• UW-La Crosse Ranked #3 among 51 Midwest Public Universities offering bachelors and masters degrees by U.S News & World Report (2009) (La Crosse Tribune)

• La Crosse Area Students score Above State & National Averages on ACT (2009)  (La Crosse Tribune)                                         

• La Crosse named to list of "Best Places to Live 2009" by US News & World Report (2009)

• Gundersen Lutheran certified as the first "Quality Breast Center of Excellence" in the U.S. by the National Quality Measures for Breast Centers Program (2009)

• UW-L named in the Top 25 list of "Peace Corps Top Colleges and Universities" compiled annually by the Peace Corps (2009)

• La Crosse serious crime rate remains at a 20 year low, according to La Crosse Police Chief Ed Kondracki. (2009)

• UW-L ranked No. 2 among Midwest public universities offering Master's Degrees on U.S. News & World Report's list of "America's Best Colleges" (2009)

• La Crosse County ranked as the 14th healthiest county in the 2008 Wisconsin health report by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (2008)

• The La Crosse Municipal Airport was awarded the 2008 Safety Award for the Great Lakes region by the Federal Aviation Administration (2008)

• Aquinas High School named National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Dept of Education (2008)

• La Crosse ranked "12th Best Green City in America" by Country Home Magazine (2008)

• La Crosse rated "5-Star Public Schools Metros" by Expansion Management (2007)

• La Crosse MSA named top city for "Booming Job Growth" in Today's Hot Job Targets (2007)

• La Crosse named "5-Star Quality of Life Metro" by Expansion Management (2007, 2006, 2005)

• La Crosse named Bicycle Friendly Community by League of American Bicyclists (2007)

• La Crosse School District given Gold Medal Rating by Expansion Management (2007)

• Village of West Salem ranked in "Top 100 Places to Live" by RelocateAmerica.com (2007)

• Ranked 13th "Best Green Place" by Country Home Magazine (2007)

• Rated "4-Star Logistics Metro" by Expansion Management (2006)

• UW-La Crosse ranked 12th on list of "America's Fittest Colleges" by Men's Fitness Magazine (2006)

• La Crosse MSA ranked "7th Safest Metro Area" by Morgan Quitno Press (2006)

• Gundersen Lutheran ranked as a Top 100 Heart Hospital (2005)

• Ranked 15th "Best Place for Doing Business in America" by Inc. Magazine (2005)

• UW-La Crosse ranked 3rd among "Midwest Regional Public Universities" by U.S. News & World Report (2005)

• Ranked "9th Healthiest State in the Country" by the United Health Foundation (2004)

• Voted "16th Best Smaller City for Business and Careers" by Forbes Magazine (2004)

• Ranked "16th Lowest Crime City in America" by BestPlaces.com (2004)

• Voted "One of America's Least Stressful Cities" by Sperling's Best Places (2004)

• Winner (City of La Crosse) of the "Great American Main Street Award" (2002)

• Designated by the WI Dept of Commerce as part of "Western Wisconsin Technology Zone" (2002)

• Ranked one of the Top 10 Places Worldwide to Toast Oktoberfest by USA Today (2000)

• Ranked 6th Fastest Growing High Technology Market by The Milken Institute (2000)

• Area school districts consistently average above both Wisconsin and the nation in average college entrance examination scores

• The benefit of three institutions of higher learning

• The primary retail trade center of the tri-state area

• A growing, well-trained labor force

• Two nationally renowned health care systems

• The transportation hub of Western Wisconsin