City profile · Wisconsin · Census ACS 2023

Hudson, WI

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Hudson - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

15,004
Residents
$97,036
Median income
$355,000
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

Hudson - the verdict

Nationally, Hudson sits in the 76th percentile for household income and the 38th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

76th
percentile, household income
73rd
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
38th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Hudson, WI

15,004 people live in Hudson, Wisconsin - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $97,036 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 9.7%. Hudson's housing stock carries a median value of $355,000, and the median resident age is 37.6 years. About 45.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 68.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 50 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 7% from five years earlier. Hudson reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1762.7 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Wisconsin run below the national norm: the state registers 94.1 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,709 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Wisconsin run around $225, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Workers in Hudson report an average commute of 19.6 minutes, with 75.9% driving alone and 15.2% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 64.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Moderate).

Population

15,004 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Wisconsin

Median Household Income

$97,036 /yr

Poverty 9.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.1 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Wisconsin average

How does Hudson compare to other US cities?

Hudson measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 76% higher than other cities
Home value 73% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities
Safety 38% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Wisconsin, Hudson ranks #162 of 202 Wisconsin cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Hudson against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Wisconsin only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Wisconsin-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent is Hudson's strongest outlier among Wisconsin cities

Among the 761 Wisconsin cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Hudson ranks #1 - the 97th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Hudson only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#93 of 753
88th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 761
97th percentile in Wisconsin
Median Home Value
#60 of 754
92nd percentile in Wisconsin
Poverty Rate
#189 of 761
74th percentile in Wisconsin
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#69 of 761
91st percentile in Wisconsin

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Wisconsin only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

76thIncome percentile
38thSafety percentile

76th percentile nationally for median household income · 38th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hudson's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hudson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 48 Avg. percentile National median
Hudson's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Hudson's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$355,000 27th percentile more affordable than 27% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Hudson $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Hudson, WI Hudson, WI's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hudson, WI-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Hudson, WI median $97,036/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Hudson, WI's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Hudson, WI. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 68.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
15,004
Median Income
$97,036
Median Home Value
$355,000
Median Age
37.6
Poverty Rate
9.7%
Labor force participation
68.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1762.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
114.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1648.2
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
8
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
14,700 residents14,800 residents14,900 residents15,000 residents15,100 residents15,200 residents 202020212022202320242025 14,822 residents 15,019 residents ▲ +1.3%
Hudson's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
50
housing units authorized
Single-Family
14
detached homes
Multifamily
36
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 54
2020 239
2021 60
2022 182
2023 16
2024 50

Permit volume decreased 7% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.6 minutes
Drive Alone
75.9%
Carpool
6.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.9%
Work from Home
15.2%
Other
1.0%

Based on 8,302 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Wisconsin - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$100
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Wisconsin state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Wisconsin state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Hudson sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.1
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,709/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
64.1 / 100
Moderate
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Wisconsin

Waunakee
14,927 people
Whitefish Bay
14,750 people
Greendale
14,656 people
Chippewa Falls
14,643 people
Salem Lakes
14,521 people
Verona
14,499 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hudson's 15,004 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Pacific Grove, CA
15,003 people
Macomb, IL
15,006 people
Gloversville, NY
15,010 people
Camp Pendleton South, CA
15,011 people
Susanville, CA
14,992 people
White Center, WA
15,017 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hudson's $97,036 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Venus, TX
$97,039 median income
Valley Springs, SD
$97,031 median income
Stafford Courthouse, VA
$97,030 median income
New Baltimore, MI
$97,027 median income
Orchard Park, NY
$97,014 median income
Cañon, NM
$97,007 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hudson, WI Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Hudson, WI - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 91.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.0% White 91.0% Black or African American 0.9% Asian 1.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 5.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Hudson compares to nearby Wisconsin cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Hudson (this city) 15,004 $97,036
Waunakee 14,927 $128,750
Whitefish Bay 14,750 $154,255
Greendale 14,656 $95,015
Census ACS 5-year FIPS WI FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hudson, WI?

What is the population of Hudson, WI? +

Hudson, WI has a population of 15,004 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Hudson, WI? +

In Hudson, the typical household earns $97,036 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hudson? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hudson; the closest available measure is the Wisconsin state average, a cost of living index of 94.1 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Wisconsin vary by metro area.

Is Hudson, WI safe? +

Hudson has a total crime rate of 1762.7 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Hudson, WI? +

Hudson's median home value sits at $355,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.