La Crosse-Onalaska → Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from La Crosse-Onalaska to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands is neutral, depends on priorities: BEA regional price parity goes from 91.8 to 98.6 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $71/mo.
- +$3,730
- BLS median salary higher in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
- 280 to 395
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 14.4:1 to 14.7:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $3,690
- DOL infant care lower / yr in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + $71/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
- + $4K higher median salary
- + More affordable childcare
Cons of Moving
- - 7% higher cost of living
- - Higher violent crime rate
- - More environmental violations
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP rises from 91.8 to 98.6, so the same paycheck buys less in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (ratio 1.07). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $71/mo ($852/yr) from $1,166 in La Crosse-Onalaska to $1,095 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands sits #248 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). La Crosse-Onalaska is #34/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Neutral, depends on priorities. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $3,730 higher ($65,600 → $69,330). Labor-market size: 78,110 tracked jobs at origin vs 3,246,270 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors the destination: Texas scores 65 (C, #19/51) vs Wisconsin at 57 (D, #32/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 62
- Property tax
- 56
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 40
- Income tax
- 100
- Property tax
- 55
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 44
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in La Crosse-Onalaska to see what you'd need to earn in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands to maintain the same purchasing power.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026