What it's like to live in Hudson
Hudson is a small city in Wisconsin with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hudson deals with cold, harsh winters and snowy winters.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Highly educated workforce
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 50" per year
How Hudson compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hudson
Based on Hudson's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,718
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,360 a year
- 40% of Hudson renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$78,540
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $39,270
- Homes cost 4.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,359/mo median rent
Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,359 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $392,700. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.
Median home value $392,700 · 40% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.7% county unemployment
Unemployment in St. Croix County is 3.7%, 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.
St. Croix County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 66% below US
113 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1638/100k · Hudson Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 10% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.4 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 18% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 84°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 13°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▲ 20% above US
43% bachelor's degree or higher
The population is well-educated, with 43% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (18 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hudson's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are cold, harsh winters and snowy winters. A year of median rent ($1,359/mo) equals 17% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (18% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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