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Living in
Hugo.
About
Life in Hugo
Living in Hugo means embracing life in a growing suburb that's genuinely family-oriented—about 36% of households have kids under 18, and the community definitely feels built around that reality. You're only 18 miles north of downtown Saint Paul, so the Twin Cities job market is accessible without living in the thick of urban chaos; the median commute is just over 26 minutes, and with an unemployment rate of 3.4%, there's real opportunity here whether you're commuting or working locally. The median home value sits around $408,900 with a median household income of $116,228, which reflects a solidly affluent suburb—you're looking at stable, family-wealth territory rather than struggling exurbs.
Hugo at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
40.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Foreign-Born
3.7%
Broadband Internet
95.1%
of households
Population Growth
+8.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.7% foreign-born, most often from Nigeria
Who lives in Hugo: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hugo, the largest foreign-born group is from Nigeria (16.8%), and 1.9% of residents speak Other Asian/Pacific at home.
Under 18
25.0%
of residents
65 and Older
15.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.9%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
24.1%
of households
Married Couples
59.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.51
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 48% above MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Hugo
In Hugo, rent runs 48% above the MN average, and home values are 24% above the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
53.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
28.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
104.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$4,079
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
89.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
2003
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $436,311 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below MN average
Unemployment in Hugo and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Washington County, which includes Hugo, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
Hugo: Washington County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Washington County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Hugo Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area
Commute26.8 min avg
How Hugo residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hugo, most residents drive alone to work (78%), and 58% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 22 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 83% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in the area policed by the Washington County Sheriff's Office, which covers Hugo, runs 83% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
55.2
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
382.6
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Policed by Washington County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate)
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Washington County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Washington County, which includes Hugo, the most common type is winter storm, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 5 | Lightning | $3,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Winter Storm | $100,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Heavy Snow | $1.5M |
| 2018 | 10 | Winter Storm | $500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Washington County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Washington County, which includes Hugo, is typically good.
Median AQI
34
Washington County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 8°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Hugo has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 8°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
54°/34°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/60°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
57°/38°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
26°/8°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.2"
Annual Snowfall
51.6"
Hot Days/Year
4
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
159
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
98
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 5°F | 0.85" |
| Feb | 28°F | 8°F | 0.92" |
| Mar | 41°F | 20°F | 1.62" |
| Apr | 55°F | 34°F | 2.97" |
| May | 67°F | 47°F | 4.17" |
| Jun | 76°F | 58°F | 4.79" |
| Jul | 79°F | 62°F | 4.38" |
| Aug | 78°F | 60°F | 4.41" |
| Sep | 71°F | 51°F | 3.32" |
| Oct | 58°F | 38°F | 2.74" |
| Nov | 41°F | 25°F | 1.82" |
| Dec | 28°F | 13°F | 1.21" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hugo
Uninsured
2.4%
of residents
No hospitals inside Hugo's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
M Health Fairview St John's Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.3 mi away · Maplewood
Lakeview Memorial Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.7 mi away · Stillwater
Fairview Lakes Health Services
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 10.9 mi away · Wyoming
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hugo
Hugo's student/teacher ratio is 14.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 46.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
46.5%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Hugo (within 15 miles)
University of Northwestern-St Paul
13.7 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 1,442 students · in-state tuition $38,946 · 68% graduate · median earnings $56,687 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, 17 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hugo
Hugo has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (17 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
17 mi awaySaint Croix National Scenic Riverway
National Scenic Riverway
47 mi awayCities Near Hugo
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hugo?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hugo FAQ
Is Hugo, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Hugo's median rent is $1,891/month, which is above the national average. The median household income is $116,228/year. Median home value is $408,900.
Is Hugo, Minnesota safe?⌄
Hugo is policed by the Washington County Sheriff's Office, whose violent crime rate across its service area was 55 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 383 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Hugo, Minnesota?⌄
Washington County, which includes Hugo, has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hugo, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Hugo is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,891/month and median household income is $116,228/year. The median home value is $408,900. About 53% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hugo, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Hugo is 27 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from