What it's like to live in Hastings
Hastings is a small city in Minnesota with rent below the national average, county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hastings deals with cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 41" per year
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Hastings compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hastings
Based on Hastings's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,366
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $47,320 a year
- 43% of Hastings renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$64,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $32,240
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 16% below US
$1,183/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,183 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $322,400. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $322,400 · 43% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.6% county unemployment
Unemployment in Dakota County is 3.6%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Dakota County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 73% below US
89 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 823/100k · Hastings Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
25 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 25.3 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 9°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 14% below US
31% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 31% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
14 public schools inside the boundary
There are 14 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (19 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hastings's strongest points are rent below the national average and county unemployment below the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,183/mo) equals 15% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Hastings
All Minnesota guides →Moving to Cottage Grove →
7 mi away · pop. 40,992
Rent $1,783/mo · Income $120,791
Compare with Hastings →Moving to Rosemount →
10 mi away · pop. 27,562
Rent $1,640/mo · Income $129,625
Compare with Hastings →Moving to Inver Grove Heights →
12 mi away · pop. 35,906
Rent $1,465/mo · Income $101,316
Compare with Hastings →Not sure Hastings is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.