HudsonIowaPopPlot, 2021
Hudson’s story
169 years in pictures
Census counts: 52 in 1880, 2,546 in 2020. The archive holds 2 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1963 on.
- 1857Hudson is settled
HudsonIA
A town of 3,028, settled in 1857. Public schools that outperform most of Iowa.
Population
3,028
2025 Census estimate · +19% since 2020
Typical home
$274K
+0.7% in a year
Household income
$120K
median
Median age
41.0
years
Jobs based here
687
A commuter town
TownGrade
A+
#12 of 140 in IA
Why does Hudson grade so well?
Because it does well by almost any measure. Hudson earns an A+, 12th of 140 graded towns in Iowa. Its schools rank ahead of 92% of Iowa towns, the median household earns $120K, and it is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B, is in cost of living. On hazard risk, just 15 of Iowa’s 276 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt, at 350 acres. Only 6 of the 140 Iowa towns we compare have a higher share of households owning their home than Hudson.
What makes Hudson stand out
Where Hudson beats most towns.
Hudson Comm School District
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Hudson Elementary School | PK–6 | 562 |
| Hudson High School | 7–12 | 371 |
SchoolsA
#9 of the 140 Iowa towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
Library visits per resident
Hudson5.7
Typical U.S. town3.4
Typical IA town4
Civic lifeA−
43% more library visits per person
than the typical Iowa town
IMLS Public Libraries Survey.
Natural hazardsA−
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
A growing town
Hudson has grown 33% since 2010
2,282 counted in 2010 and 2,546 in 2020; an estimated 3,028 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 19% since 2020, after 11.6% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Hudson grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Iowa), ordered by how far Hudson is from typical.
SchoolsAOpen →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 21% of U.S. communities; drought tops the listA−Open →Jobs & income687 jobs based hereA−Open →HealthMercyone Waterloo Medical Center 5.8 miles awayA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 5.8 of 20; 1.6% of households have no car; 2.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Cost of livingBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors0 miles of trails; 7% conserved landB+Open →History2 notable people born hereCOpen →Civic life5.7 library visits per resident; 4.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsA−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Hudson: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Hudson, and how to reach them.
PowerMidAmerican Energy11.2¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterHudson Water SupplyNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet9 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hudson’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Iowa you can register online until 15 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 15 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereBlack Hawk County AuditorBlack Hawk County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Nov 2025
ZIP codes50643, 50613, 5070150643 87% · 50613 12% · 50701 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Hudson.
Hudson has less tooth loss than most of Iowa and has household incomes well above the Iowa norm.
SchoolsA
Hudson earns an A for schools
Its public schools are run by the Hudson Community School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Hudson High School, with 371 students.
92%of IA districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 562 | B |
| Hudson High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 371 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within IA on state tests and graduation
HealthA−
Compared with most of Iowa and the rest of the country, fewer of Hudson’s adults feel lonely
Its widest gap with Iowa is tooth loss: 5.9% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 11.6% statewide. Against the 5,682 U.S. towns with household incomes like Hudson’s, it is healthier than 51%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
28% of adults feel lonely in Hudson, below both the Iowa town median (32%) and the median of U.S. towns (33%). 11% of adults report frequent physical distress in Hudson. Among 140 Iowa towns, just 6 have a lower share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Hudson.
79%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Hudson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 20% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 32% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 26% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 13% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Iowa
14 better18 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Hudson | IA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 5.9% | 11.6% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.4% | 12% |
Mercyone Waterloo Medical Center
5.8 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
80th
percentile among IA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A−
Low risk in Hudson, with drought at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hudson.
21risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
DroughtInland floodingTornadoes
4
paid flood claims since 1979
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
About two in five of Hudson’s working residents commute to Waterloo
Most working residents leave Hudson for work: only 7% work in town. At $120,000, Hudson’s median household income is above both Iowa’s towns ($69,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). 4% of Hudson residents live below the poverty line.
7%work in town
| Hudson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $120,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 7% | 31% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4% | 11% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 19 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Hudson7%
Waterloo43%
Cedar Falls23%
Cedar Rapids3%
Des Moines2%
8 mi
median commute distance
687
jobs based in Hudson
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 40% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
In Hudson, expect four seasons and pleasant summers
Hudson has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 83°, January nights drop to 9° and about 39 inches of snow falls in a winter.
39″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter13–30°
Spring37–59°
Summer60–82°
Fall39–61°
Oct 10
typical first frost
Apr 27
typical last frost
+0.8°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Who lives here
Fewer young adults than Iowa overall
The median household earns $120,481, against $75,059 across Iowa, one input to its A− for jobs and income.
Adults 18 to 34 are 15% of residents (23% statewide); children under 18 are 27% of residents (23% statewide). Hudson has grown 19% since 2020, to 3,028 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 41% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 31% across Iowa.
41median age · IA 38.6
| Hudson | Iowa towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 27% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 41% | 25% | 29% |
| Median age | 41 years | 38.7 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 19% | 18% |
HudsonIowaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma3%
High school19%
Some college15%
Associate’s22%
Bachelor’s26%
Graduate15%
Women and men · all residents
46% women, 54% men
About 118 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3.7 points). Across Iowa, 49.8% of residents are women.
| Hudson | IA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.3% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 12% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3.7% | 10% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.4% | 12.5% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 11.2% | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 14.3% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 12% | 10.6% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.3% | 7.6% | 7% |
| No diploma | 2.8% | 6.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 19.1% | 30% | 26% |
| Some college | 14.7% | 19.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 22.1% | 12.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 26% | 20.9% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 15.2% | 10.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 3,000, single groups can be off by several points
HousingCost of living grade B
The typical home in Hudson is valued at about $274K
The typical Hudson home is worth about $274,000, up 0.7% in a year, 16% above the Iowa typical home.
$274KZillow home value
Typical home value
Hudson$274K
Iowa$237K
Market temperature
17
days on market
97.6%
sale-to-list price
+0.7%
value change, 1 year
7
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
6.8%conserved
6.8%
conserved · 371 of 5,488 acres
0.1 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Black Hawk Creek Greenbelt | 0.1 mi | 350 |
| 2. Franck Park | — | 52 |
| 3. Byron Sergeant Memorial Park | — | 22 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 11 attractions →Lost Island Theme Park and 4 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hudson. Close and well known come first.
7 mi Theme parkLost Island Theme Park
35 mi MuseumCedar Rock State Park
6 mi GardenCedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens
7 mi MuseumCedar Falls Ice House
35 mi MuseumGlick-Sower House
35 mi MuseumCedar Rock State Park6 mi GardenCedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens7 mi MuseumCedar Falls Ice House35 mi MuseumGlick-Sower HouseSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cedar Rock State Park: Orange Suede Sofa, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens: Cedarvalleyarboretum, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cedar Falls Ice House: RifeIdeas, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Glick-Sower House: Daniel Hartwig, CC BY 2.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hudson
19pages on Hudson
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of Hudson
University of Northern IowaUniversity or college · Public · Cedar Falls5.5 mi$9,936 in-state tuitionHawkeye Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Waterloo6.2 mi$6,525 in-state tuitionAllen CollegeUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Waterloo8.7 mi
About 3 of every 100 Hudson residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Iowa.
A commuter town
93% of working residents leave Hudson for work
Where Hudson’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
687jobs based in Hudson
7%of working residents work in town
8 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Hudson
City in Iowa, USA
Hudson is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,546 at the time of the 2020 census. The rural community of Hudson has grown in recent years and is included as a part of the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1857
- Area
- 8.5 sq mi
- Elevation
- 902 ft
- ZIP code
- 50643
- Area code
- 319
Hudson’s neighbors
One town shares a border with Hudson.
Cedar FallsHudson
How the neighbors grade
| Town | IA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson | #12 | A+ | B | — | A | A− |
| Cedar Falls | #46 | A− | C− | — | A− | A− |
Hudson and Cedar Falls report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Hudson with a neighbor →
Questions about Hudson
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hudson, IA a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Hudson grades A+ overall, better than 97% of U.S. towns and #12 of 140 in Iowa. It grades A− for health and A for schools.
Is Hudson, IA expensive?
That is 3.9 years of the area's median household income ($70,811 across the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
What is Hudson, IA known for?
2 notable people were born here, including Florence King and George H. McManus.