CNA Home Care in Onalaska, WI: Nursing Assistants

Local figures

Nursing Assistants in Onalaska, WI: the local picture

6+

Medicare-certified nursing homes within 25 miles

419

certified beds in the 6 nearest nursing homes

$17.47

median hourly wage of home care aides in Wisconsin (BLS, May 2025)

$7.25

Wisconsin minimum wage per hour

The nearest Medicare-certified nursing homes to Onalaska are Onalaska Care Center in Onalaska (0.7 mi), Mulder Health Care Facility in West Salem (6.2 mi), Lakeview Health Center in West Salem (6.8 mi). Nursing homes employ many of the area’s CNAs, and CNAs who want home care work often come from them.

Aides in Wisconsin earn a median $17.47 an hour (BLS, May 2025, home health and personal care aides). Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Onalaska has about 708 residents aged 85 or older, the group most likely to need hands-on help with bathing, transfers and toileting.

Onalaska compared with La Crosse County and Wisconsin

Census figure	Onalaska	La Crosse County	Wisconsin
Residents 85 or older	3.7%	2.4%	2.1%
Residents 65+ with a disability	36%	32%	28%
Residents 65 or older	20%	18%	19%
Residents 65+ in households who live alone	31%	30%	30%
Residents 65+ below the poverty line (approx.)	4.6%	9.7%	9.1%
Households with no vehicle	7.9%	7.0%	6.4%
Median income, households headed by someone 65+	$60,347	$55,379	—

Older residents in towns around Onalaska

Town	Distance	Residents 65+	Residents 85+
French Island, WI	3.5 mi	898	31
La Crosse, WI	4.6 mi	8,794	1,227
West Salem, WI	5.9 mi	975	123
Holmen, WI	6.4 mi	1,556	373
La Crescent, MN	6.5 mi	1,204	155
Sparta, WI	20 mi	1,636	142

Nursing homes near Onalaska

Nursing home	Town	Distance	CMS overall rating	Certified beds	Phone
Onalaska Care Center	Onalaska, WI	0.7 mi	5 of 5	80	(608) 783-4681
Mulder Health Care Facility	West Salem, WI	6.2 mi	1 of 5	87	(608) 786-1600
Lakeview Health Center	West Salem, WI	6.8 mi	5 of 5	50	(608) 786-1400
La Crescent Health Services	La Crescent, MN	6.9 mi	1 of 5	42	(507) 895-4445
Riverside	La Crosse, WI	7.5 mi	4 of 5	123	(608) 406-3900
Hillview Health Care Ctr	La Crosse, WI	7.6 mi	5 of 5	37	(608) 789-4800

Home health agencies serving Onalaska

Agency	Office	Distance	CMS quality stars	Services listed	Phone
Aveanna Home Health	La Crosse, WI	6.3 mi	5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, home health aides	(608) 406-3140
Commonheart Home Health	Waukesha, WI	159 mi	2.5 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, medical social work, home health aides	(920) 261-7108
International Quality Homecare	Rochester, MN	65 mi	2 of 5	nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, home health aides	(888) 995-4742
Almost Family	Eau Claire, WI	67 mi	2 of 5	nursing, home health aides	(715) 831-0631

Straight-line miles from the center of Onalaska. Medicare (CMS) data, October 2026; call ahead to confirm. We are not affiliated with these providers.

What it covers

What a nursing assistant can help with

Bathing, dressing, grooming and toileting
Safe transfers, repositioning and walking
Help with eating and fluids
Taking and noting vital signs if asked

Cost

What CNAs costs in Onalaska

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 30% of the $5,029 monthly median income of Onalaska households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Hiring directly, you agree the rate with the caregiver and usually become the household employer (U.S. Department of Labor rules). Some families qualify for programs that pay for care at home; see IRIS in Wisconsin: how a family member gets paid as a caregiver.

Before you hire

What to know before hiring a nursing assistant

To be certified, a nurse aide completes a state-approved training program of at least 75 hours, including 16 hours of supervised practical training, and passes a competency exam (42 CFR 483.152). The state then lists them on its nurse aide registry, which you can search online in most states.

Questions worth asking: Which state certified you, and is it current? Where have you worked as a CNA? Are you comfortable with lifts, catheters and incontinence care? More in our nursing assistants guide.

CaregiverConnect does not run background checks. Check identity, references and any certification yourself before anyone starts. The Safety Center explains how.

Questions

Nursing Assistants in Onalaska: common questions

What nursing homes are near Onalaska?

The closest Medicare-certified nursing homes are Onalaska Care Center in Onalaska (0.7 mi, 5 of 5 overall); Mulder Health Care Facility in West Salem (6.2 mi, 1 of 5 overall); Lakeview Health Center in West Salem (6.8 mi, 5 of 5 overall). Ratings are from Medicare Care Compare.

How much does CNAs cost in Onalaska?

At the Wisconsin median aide wage of $17.47 an hour, 20 hours of help a week comes to about $1,514 a month in wages, which is 30% of the $5,029 monthly median income of Onalaska households headed by someone 65 or older. Private rates are agreed directly with the caregiver, so yours may be higher or lower. Wisconsin's minimum wage is $7.25 an hour (U.S. Department of Labor table, updated July 1, 2026).

Can a CNA give medication?

Generally no. A CNA can remind someone to take medication. Giving medication is usually reserved for licensed nurses, or for aides with a separate state medication certification.

More near Onalaska

More senior care near Onalaska

Nursing Assistants in nearby cities

Other care in Onalaska

More for Onalaska families

Sources

Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year; CMS provider data (October 25, 2026); U.S. DOL state minimum wages (July 1, 2026); BLS OEWS May 2025 aide wages, which cover employed aides rather than private rates.

Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) for Home Care in Onalaska, WI