Hudson, WI — Momentum Score, Home Values & Best-For

St. Croix County · Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington · population 15,031

Small-town feel
View watchlist →
69
Rising
Momentum score · 0–100

Where Hudson stands

At or near all-time high. rents up 7.7% in the last year.

Median home $500,699
1-year +1.8%
5-yr CAGR +4.9%
vs 5-yr peak +0.0%
Population +0.5%/yr

Home value trajectory · last 10 years

Zillow ZHVI · monthly
peak 2026-04$501k$265k$350k$435k$521k201620182020202220242026

Lifestyle scores

🚶
Walkability
32/100
Very car-dependent
Estimated from population density. Higher = denser, more amenities within walking distance.
🚉
Public transit
15/100
Transit limited
Curated list of major US transit systems + population-based estimate. Higher = real subway/rail/bus options.
💻
Remote work fit
72/100
Strong remote-work fit
Composite of city size, housing cost, state tax structure, and region's remote-work track record.

Scores are heuristic estimates from population density, state, and known transit/walkable cities. Not based on a paid Walk Score / Transit Score API — see methodology for the formula.

Rent trajectory · last 5 years

Zillow ZORI · monthly
$1,857/mo$1,590$1,779$1,9682026

Home value vs rent · indexed to 100

Both rebased at first month of ZORI data (~2015)
Home valueRent1021101002026

Rent vs buy

Price-to-rent ratio: 22.5
Lean rent

At a 22.5 price-to-rent ratio, the math is starting to lean toward renting in Hudson. Owner-occupier ROI requires longer holds and the assumption that prices keep appreciating roughly at the rate of rent.

How the momentum score breaks down

methodology →
Home YoY
59 · w22%
Home 5-yr CAGR
65 · w22%
Distance from peak
90 · w18%
Population growth
54 · w16%
Rent YoY
85 · w12%
Home 10-yr CAGR
66 · w10%
Long thesis

Hudson is a Rust Belt market with +0.5% population growth — a rare combination. You're buying real housing for less than the cost of a coastal studio in a city the data says is finally turning.

Short thesis

Hudson's bear case is the boring one: the cycle is real and any market that's run hard can stall. Watch for slowing population growth, rising days-on-market, or builder discounts as the early warning signals.

About Hudson

Hudson is a city in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, with an estimated population of 15,031. It anchors the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington metro area. The median home value in Hudson is $500,699 as of 2026-04, up 1.8% over the last 12 months. Over the last five years, home values have averaged +4.9% annual growth, with prices at or near the 5-year peak. Rents in Hudson average $1,857 per month, up 7.7% year-over-year. The composite momentum score is 69 of 100 (Rising). The market is healthy with prices supported by underlying demand.

Bull case

Held the highs: currently +0.0% from the 5-year peak — this market refused to give back gains.
Hot rental market: rents up 7.7% YoY — landlords have pricing power, supports new investment math.

Bear case

Rental squeeze: rents up 7.7% YoY — tenants face tough renewals. Affordability deteriorating fast.
Local nuance: city-level data smooths over neighborhood differences. School zones, HOA rules, and street-level character matter — visit before deciding.

Playbook

Buyer

You're not in a frenzy but you're not getting bargains either. Make a competitive offer with normal inspection terms. Don't lowball — the listing will move with or without you.

Seller

Price at fair market value; expect movement in 30-45 days. Don't get clever with terms (rent-back, contingencies) — buyers in a Rising market have options.

Investor

Appreciation tailwind exists but cash flow requires discipline on price. Run the numbers conservatively and confirm rent comps before committing.

Local safety & alerts

No active National Weather Service alerts for St. Croix County right now.

Public-safety links are official .gov sources, not curated by us. St. Croix County routes NWS alerts; check the state EM portal for non-weather emergencies.

Cities like Hudson

Sources: Zillow ZHVI (home values), Zillow ZORI (rents), US Census ACS + place population. Updated when source agencies publish revisions.

Climate & natural-disaster risk

Winter (Jan)
27° / 11°
avg high / low
Summer (Jul)
81° / 60°
avg high / low
Sunny days/yr
188
~52% of year
Annual precip
33″ rain
47″ snow
Disaster risk (1=very low, 5=very high)
Hurricane
Very low
Tornado
Moderate
Wildfire
Very low
Earthquake
Very low
Flood
Low

State-level averages from NOAA Climate Normals (1991-2020) and FEMA National Risk Index. City-level conditions can vary significantly within a state.

Local sports teams

Major professional teams the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington area cheers for. Detailed stats, schedules, and player pages on intherafters.com.

Current weather

Loading current conditions…

7-day forecast on weather.gov →

Find rentals & listings

Open current Hudson listings on the major real-estate sites.

Links open the live search on the destination site — results are always current.

Local economy & environment

Humidity
73%
Humid climate
Median household income
$72,500
Wisconsin state median
Top industries (state-level)
ManufacturingHealthcareDairy/Food

Humidity is annual average relative humidity (NOAA). Income is Census ACS 5-year estimate. Industries are largest employment sectors statewide (BLS); the local mix in a given city may vary.

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