St. Croix Economic Development Corporation coordinated study shows a disparity between types of housing available and the current and future needs of St. Croix County residents, offers targeted recommendations to help address these gaps.
September 4, 2025 – As housing continues to be a complex challenge at many levels for St. Croix County, St. Croix Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC) and its partners today released the St. Croix County Housing Needs Assessment. The new, data-driven county-wide study identifies current and future housing challenges while also providing strategic recommendations to guide future work addressing housing needs across the county. The study was conducted by the West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission (WCWRPC) and examines the county’s current housing market, future needs, and opportunities for action.
“Housing is a challenge at many levels, and the study helps define this to greater detail,” said Melissa Meschke, Executive Director of St. Croix EDC. “Our goal with the study was to share this critical data to help us all have a more informed conversation and include ideas that we believe can help create the framework for future discussions in this area. Our role at the EDC is to help our communities, developers, employers, and civic leaders work together to make St. Croix County a place where everyone can afford to live, work, and thrive.”
The report shows how St. Croix County’s strong population growth, aging housing stock, declining vacancy rates, and the fact housing costs rising faster than incomes are converging to create significant affordability barriers. Some of the key findings from the report include:
- Rental vacancy rates dropped to 1.4% in 2023, well below the healthy range of 5-7%.
- Homeowner vacancy rate fell to zero in 2023, signaling an acute lack of available housing stock.
- Over 36% of renters and 23% of homeowners with mortgages are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
- Younger and senior populations face distinct challenges: seniors lack options to downsize, and younger households face affordability hurdles.
- St. Croix County will need between 4,300–4,600 new housing units by 2050 to accommodate projected growth and changing household demographics.
SCEDC’s goal is for the study to be a starting point for new discussions that can bring public and private sector groups together to focus on expanding the housing supply to support the county’s growing workforce and aging population. To help drive this process, SCEDC’s report includes four key recommendations that span county, municipal, employer, community, and developer levels to encourage collaboration across sectors.
Key initiatives include:
- Create a County Housing Task Force to coordinate efforts, monitor demographic and economic trends, and support housing project efforts
- Identify and Redevelop Infill and Underutilized Sites to expand housing options without requiring major new land acquisitions.
- Leverage Financing Tools such as Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and the Affordable Housing Extension to fund workforce and affordable housing.
- Educate Employers, Residents, and Community Leaders about the realities of local wages, housing affordability, and the importance of a balanced mix of housing types.
“Housing is both a community issue and an economic one and the report clearly shows that,” Meschke said. “Our role as the EDC is to raise awareness of these challenges and help facilitate ways we can find solutions. We know that employers across the county need workers, and workers need housing they can afford near jobs, schools, and services. Without expanded housing options, local businesses risk losing talent to other communities.”
Additional Report Information
The St. Croix County Housing Needs Assessment was developed to help County officials, residents, developers, and other stakeholders better understand the housing challenges within the County. The report findings include:
- Population Growth Driving Demand: St. Croix County continues to be one of the fastest-growing counties in Wisconsin. Ongoing in-migration, combined with natural household growth, is creating sustained pressure on the housing market.
- Shortages of Affordable and Workforce Housing: Many of the county’s top employment sectors—including retail, food service, healthcare, and education—have wages below the county’s median income. Workers in these fields often struggle to find housing they can afford near their jobs.
- Aging Population and Housing Stock: As the county’s population ages, the need for smaller, accessible, and diverse housing types—such as townhomes, duplexes, and senior-friendly units—is increasing.
- Community Perceptions: Persistent misconceptions about “affordable housing” remain a barrier, underscoring the need for broader community education about what affordability means and why it matters.
The study was made possible in part by the financial support of key partners, including St. Croix County, the villages of Baldwin, Hammond, and Somerset, the cities of New Richmond, River Falls, and Hudson, the Town of Richmond, the Hudson Area Chamber Foundation, Westfields Hospital and Clinic, the Hudson Hospital and Clinic, and Western Wisconsin Health. The full St. Croix County Housing Needs Assessment and detailed recommendations are available at https://stcroixedc.com/housing-study/
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About the St. Croix County Economic Development Corporation
The SCEDC is a 501(c)6 that serves all of St. Croix County, Wisconsin by focusing on fostering economic development through workforce development, housing, entrepreneurial development, business expansion and retention, business attraction and recruitment, and ecosystem building. St. Croix EDC also strives to grow collaboration between the 35 towns, cities, and villages in St. Croix County as well as working closely with Pierce and Polk County to grow the St. Croix Valley as a whole. To learn more please visit stcroixedc.com
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