About Hudson, Wisconsin
Hudson is the anchor of the St. Croix valley's Wisconsin side: a county-seat river town of about 14,800 people where a walkable historic downtown opens straight onto the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Bluff-top homes look west across the water at Minnesota, the beach at Lakefront Park fills on summer evenings, and downtown St. Paul sits about 20 miles away on I-94.
Whether you are researching a move from the Minnesota side, curious about how river life differs from lake life, or weighing a commuter town with a real downtown, this guide covers the essentials: what day-to-day life on the St. Croix is actually like, what homes cost, how the commute and the schools shape the trade-offs, and the honest list of reasons people choose Hudson or think twice.
New here? Start with the umbrella guide, What It's Like to Live Near the Water, for the honest comparison of lake communities on both sides of the St. Croix.
Hudson at a Glance
Population
14,755 (2020 U.S. Census)
Schools
Hudson School District (home of the Raiders)
St. Croix River access
Public launches at Lakefront Park and 18 Buckeye St.
To downtown St. Paul
About 18-20 miles via I-94, 20-30 minutes
To downtown Minneapolis
About 27-28 miles via I-94, 30-35 minutes
Median home price
Roughly $450,000-$520,000 (2025-26 market data)
Typical housing styles
Bluff-top homes with river views, riverfront homes and cottages, historic downtown houses, established neighborhoods, newer townhomes
Population: 2020 U.S. Census. Drive times: approximate via I-94 and vary with traffic. Riverway: National Park Service. Prices: approximate 2025-26 market data from public sources such as Zillow, Rocket Homes, and RealtyTrac; prices change and vary by property.
Hudson by the Numbers
14,755
Residents, 2020 U.S. Census
252 mi
Protected St. Croix National Scenic Riverway (NPS)
~28 mi
To downtown Minneapolis via I-94
The St. Croix National Scenic Riverway protects about 252 miles across the St. Croix and Namekagon rivers, and the lower 27 miles, added in 1972, flow right past Hudson's downtown. On a summer evening the riverfront is the town's living room: walkers on the floating dock, swimmers at Lakefront Park, and boats heading upriver past the bluffs.
What is Hudson known for?
Hudson is known as the Wisconsin anchor of the St. Croix valley and the seat of St. Croix County. It began in 1840 as a fur-trading settlement at the mouth of the Willow River, was renamed Hudson in 1852 after the town's first mayor decided the bluffs reminded him of New York's Hudson River, and grew into a steamboat-era river town. Today the draw is a genuinely walkable historic downtown with 19th-century storefronts, the Phipps Center for the Arts, the Octagon House (an eight-sided 1855 home on the National Register, now a museum), and events that run year-round, from the Hudson Hot Air Affair each winter to the Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival. Downtown is also gaining a live-music scene: Max's Social House opened in June 2026 in the former Ziggy's space on 2nd Street, a Nashville-style venue with live music most nights and a food menu, the kind of locally owned addition that keeps the riverfront interesting after dark (Hudson Star Observer business news).
Good to Know: Two-State Taxes
Wisconsin and Minnesota have not had a tax-reciprocity agreement since January 1, 2010, so a Hudson resident who works in Minnesota files two returns: a Wisconsin resident return covering all income, plus a Minnesota nonresident return for the wages earned there, with a Wisconsin credit (Form W-RA) for taxes paid to Minnesota. The trade-offs are real on both sides. Wisconsin's state income tax brackets top out at 7.65% versus Minnesota's 9.85%, and Wisconsin does not tax Social Security. But St. Croix County property-tax rates run higher than the neighboring Minnesota counties across the river, with a typical effective rate of about 1.17% (median bill near $4,400). Lower income tax, more paperwork, and property taxes worth checking before you fall for a price tag.
On the Water: Lakefront Park
Hudson's riverfront centerpiece is Lakefront Park, a 23-acre park on the St. Croix with a swimming beach staffed by lifeguards in summer, a bandshell, volleyball courts, and a public boat launch rebuilt for the 2022 season. In 2024 the city added a 670-foot floating dock, described by the city as the longest public dock on the St. Croix. A second city launch sits at 18 Buckeye St. When the river floods, the launch closes; it did exactly that in June 2024. That is the honest side of riverfront life, and it is part of why bluffs and elevation matter when you shop Hudson.
What is it like to live on the St. Croix?
River life is different from lake life, and Hudson is a good place to understand the difference. The water in front of town is part of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, one of the original rivers protected under the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, so the shoreline and much of the watershed are managed with recreation and preservation in mind. Boating, fishing, kayaking, and winter ice fishing all happen here, and the beach at Lakefront Park gives families a lifeguarded swim spot right downtown, something most Minnesota lake towns do not have at their front door. But a river has current, a marked channel, and moods: flood years happen, the working navigation season is finite, and the main channel does not freeze as reliably as a lake. People who live here tend to love the drama of the bluffs and the protected waterway, and they learn to respect the river's schedule.
What do homes cost in Hudson?
Hudson's typical home value stood at about $454,000 in 2026 per Zillow, with median list prices near $489,000 in May 2025 (Rocket Homes) and a median sales price of about $522,000 for the 54016 ZIP code (RealtyTrac). A fair planning range is roughly $450,000 to $520,000, and the spread is wide because the settings are so different. Bluff-top homes above the river with long views, riverfront homes and cottages with private frontage and docks (many well into seven figures), 19th-century houses in the historic downtown, established mid-century neighborhoods, and newer townhomes plus planned communities like Troy Burne golf village all share the Hudson address.
What about lakes and waterways near Hudson?
The defining water in Hudson is the St. Croix River itself. The city's south end also touches Lake Mallalieu, a quieter backwater off the main channel where the launch at Corky's Pier serves small craft. There is no big inland swimming lake like White Bear or Forest Lake on the Minnesota side; Hudson's water life is river life, which is part of the point for people who choose it. For a full tour of the river's character, see the St. Croix River guide.
What are the schools like?
Hudson has its own district, the Hudson School District, serving the city and surrounding area under the Raiders banner. It is the classic whole-town district: one high school at the center of community life, strong activities, and schools that families know by the local names people actually use. Boundaries and programs shift, so the current specifics belong on the district's website (hudsonraiders.org), and anyone comparing districts across the river should match Hudson's returns against the Mahtomedi, White Bear Lake, and Stillwater districts on the Minnesota side.
How far is Hudson from the Twin Cities?
Downtown St. Paul is about 18 to 20 miles west of Hudson via I-94, typically 20 to 30 minutes, and downtown Minneapolis is about 27 to 28 miles, typically 30 to 35 minutes on a normal day. The I-94 bridge across the St. Croix is the main artery, and a second river crossing on MN 36, the St. Croix Crossing bridge south of town, carries traffic toward the Stillwater side of the valley. The honest caveat is the bridge itself: peak-hour backups and bridge projects are the classic Hudson complaints, so commuters here plan their windows and use the river views to make up for the wait. Fair warning right now: WisDOT is rehabilitating the I-94 St. Croix River bridges between Hudson and Lakeland, with the work running April through late October 2026, so the main crossing can carry lane shifts and occasional overnight closures. Check the WisDOT project page or 511wi.gov before you leave.
What are the pros and cons of living here?
What works well
- A historic, walkable downtown that opens directly onto the river
- Protected St. Croix National Scenic Riverway recreation: boating, fishing, ice fishing, and a lifeguarded beach
- Bluff-top and riverfront settings you cannot replicate on a Minnesota lake
- State income tax brackets that top out at 7.65% versus Minnesota's 9.85%, and no tax on Social Security
- St. Paul within 20-30 minutes and Minneapolis within 30-35
What to weigh honestly
- Two-state filing for Minnesota workers: no reciprocity since 2010, so two returns and a credit in between
- St. Croix County property-tax rates run higher than neighboring Minnesota counties (typical effective rate about 1.17%)
- River bluffs and floodplain: bluff geology and flood years matter, and the launch closes when the river tops its banks
- The cross-river commute funnels onto the I-94 bridge, and peak hours back up
- Winters on the river are quieter and windier, and the channel does not freeze as reliably as a lake
"Hudson is the first Wisconsin town I bring up when the conversation crosses the river. The water is protected, the downtown is real, and St. Paul is closer than most people assume. The trade-offs are honest ones, and this guide tries to lay them out plainly."
Melissa A Johnson
See also: What It's Like to Live Near the Water · Mahtomedi · White Bear Lake · Grant · Stillwater · St. Croix River
Hudson FAQ
Honest, straight answers to the questions people ask most while researching a move to Hudson. No spin, just what living here is actually like.
Is Hudson a good place to live?
For a lot of people, yes, and for others it depends, so here is the honest picture. Hudson is a historic river town on the St. Croix with a walkable downtown, Wisconsin's lower cost of living and property taxes relative to the Minnesota side, good schools in the Hudson School District, and strong river recreation. The tradeoffs are the commute across the St. Croix into the Twin Cities, summer tourist crowds downtown, and a longer drive to Minneapolis, with median home prices running roughly $450,000 to $520,000 (2025-26 market data, public sources such as Zillow, Rocket Homes, RealtyTrac). The typical home value is about $454,000 per Zillow, 2026. Whether it fits depends on what you value most.
How long is the commute from Hudson?
Plan on about 10 minutes to downtown Stillwater across the St. Croix, roughly 30 to 35 minutes to downtown St. Paul, and about 45 to 50 minutes to downtown Minneapolis in typical traffic. The drive runs via I-94 and the St. Croix crossing, and times vary with the time of day and bridge traffic. Peak-hour backups at the river crossing are the classic Hudson complaint, so commuters here plan their windows.
What are the schools like?
The Hudson School District, also known as the School District of Hudson, serves the city and the surrounding area, and it is a common reason families choose the community. It is the classic whole-town district, with one high school at the center of community life and schools that families know by the local names people actually use. Boundaries and programs shift year to year, so the current specifics belong on the district's website.
What is there to do along the river?
The St. Croix waterfront is the center of Hudson's outdoor life: the downtown riverfront, parks and trails, boating and fishing, and year-round events keep the river busy from open water to ice. Lakefront Park has a lifeguarded swimming beach, a bandshell, and a public boat launch, and the floating dock is a favorite summer spot. For a full tour of the river's character, see the St. Croix River guide.
How does Hudson compare to Stillwater or Mahtomedi?
Hudson is the Wisconsin river town, with a lively downtown and lower cost of living, sitting right across the St. Croix from Stillwater. Stillwater is the Minnesota river town, with tourism and the biggest downtown of the three. Mahtomedi is the small lakeside village, with a quieter, residential feel. Each has its own personality, so it helps to visit all three before you decide; see our Stillwater and Mahtomedi guides for the full picture.
Are property taxes high in Hudson?
Wisconsin property taxes and the state's cost of living generally run lower than on the Minnesota side, but amounts vary by home value and school district. There is no single answer, so the number depends entirely on the specific property.
Hudson vs. Neighboring Communities
How four communities in the same corner of the metro stack up on the things movers actually ask about: character, the drive to St. Paul, and what a home runs. Median prices are approximate mid-2026 figures from Redfin and Zillow; local sales volumes are small, so treat them as a range rather than a precise number.
Hudson
- Vibe
- Wisconsin river town with a lively downtown, right across the St. Croix from Stillwater.
- Commute to St. Paul
- About 30 to 35 minutes via I-94.
- Median home price
- Roughly $450,000 to $520,000 (2025-26 market data, public sources such as Zillow, Rocket Homes, RealtyTrac)
- Suits best
- People who want a walkable riverfront downtown and Wisconsin's lower cost of living.
Stillwater
- Vibe
- Historic river town with a lively downtown, tourism, and bluff-top neighborhoods.
- Commute to St. Paul
- About 25 minutes via Highway 36.
- Median home price
- Roughly $475,000 (approximate, mid-2026)
- Suits best
- People who want a walkable historic downtown and don't mind visitors.
Mahtomedi
- Vibe
- Small lake village wrapped around Long Lake with a close community feel.
- Commute to St. Paul
- About 20 to 25 minutes.
- Median home price
- Roughly $543,000 (approximate, mid-2026, small sample area)
- Suits best
- Families who want a tight-knit lake town with a personal school district.
White Bear Lake
- Vibe
- Big-lake town with more retail, a village-like downtown, and a family feel.
- Commute to St. Paul
- About 15 to 20 minutes.
- Median home price
- About $357,000 to $375,000 (approximate, mid-2026)
- Suits best
- Lake lovers who want the largest lake and the shortest metro commute.
Median prices are approximate mid-2026 figures from Redfin and Zillow. Hudson's figure is this page's own approximate range of roughly $450,000 to $520,000; Mahtomedi's median is based on a small sample of sales. Treat all four figures as a general range, not a precise number.
Cost of Living, Schools & Commute
Cost of living
Wisconsin's cost of living and property taxes generally run lower than the Minnesota side (approximate), with housing the biggest variable. See the Hudson community guide for the full picture.
Commute
Roughly 30 to 35 minutes to downtown St. Paul and 45 to 50 minutes to downtown Minneapolis in typical traffic, via I-94 and the St. Croix crossing. Times stretch at rush hour and vary with bridge traffic. See the Hudson community guide for the full picture.
Schools
The Hudson School District (School District of Hudson) serves the city and surrounding area and is a common reason families choose the community. Boundaries and programs shift year to year, so the current specifics belong on the district's website. See the Hudson community guide for the full picture.
Browse Hudson Homes for Sale
Pemberton Realty's MLS search covers current Hudson-area listings, straight from the Northstar MLS. Melissa is licensed in Wisconsin as well as Minnesota.