Township, city of Hudson again top county growth

By Doug Stohlberg

The town of Hudson and city of Hudson are among the fastest growing municipalities in the county and the two continue to lead the pace as the latest estimated population figures were released by the Wisconsin Department of Administration.

St. Croix County is the third fastest growing county in Wisconsin, showing an estimated 17 percent growth since 1990, including 1,500 residents between Jan. 1, 1998, and Jan. 1, 1999. Only Menomonie and Washington counties have grown at a faster rate in the past decade. The state average was 8 percent.

Percentage-wise, the town of Hudson continues to lead the pace, growing by 38.71 percent since the 1990 census, 5,121 residents, up from 3,692.

The city of Hudson is third on the list, growing at a rate of 27.14 percent. Numerically, Hudson has shown the biggest growth, adding an estimated 1,731 residents since 1990. The 1999 estimate shows Hudson with 8,109 residents, up from 6,378 in 1990.

"It shows what we have known all the time," said Hudson Mayor Jack Breault. "Hudson is a great place to live, work and play. We're still seeing a big exodus of people and businesses from Minnesota."

Breault said the community offers tremendous amenities, including the YMCA, shopping, the St. Croix River, business growth, great schools and much more.

"The area will continue to grow," Breault said. "We're going to see 1,000 new homes in the next two years. There are 640 units in Stone Pine alone."

Breault said, however, the city has been able to keep up with service demands of growth with good planning.

"We haven't seen a tax increase in over three years and I expect the coming year to be the same," Breault said.

Hudson Town Chair Jeff Johnson said the increasing population will mean at least one big change. The town will have to implement voter registration in the near future.

"Once you pass 5,000, state law says voter registration is necessary," Johnson said. "It won't come until we have an official census, but we are preparing for it now. Our clerk has already done a lot of work."

Johnson, like Breault, said the area offers many amenities and is a popular place for new residents.

"This is a beautiful place to live and its close proximity to the freeway makes it even more popular," Johnson said.

He said the township, like the city, has been able to keep up with the growth.

"This has not been a sudden thing; we've had steady growth for many years. In the township, much of our efforts go into roads and we've had an aggressive road program," Johnson said. "That's where we spend a lot of money.

"Unfortunately, the fields and woods are rapidly becoming a thing of the past. But, people have the right to develop their property."

Other Hudson area municipalities also grew at brisk rates. The town of St. Joseph grew 14.08 percent, from 2,657 to 3,031. The town of Troy grew 13.86 percent, from 2,850 to 3,245 and the village of North Hudson grow 11.06 percent, from 3,101 to 3,444. Adding together the estimated populations of the five municipalities served by the Hudson School District results in an area population of 22,950. That number, of course, does not include Minnesota municipalities, just west of Hudson and the St. Croix River.

Most of St. Croix County's growth has come on the western half of the county where areas around Hudson, New Richmond, River Falls and Baldwin continue to grow at a fast pace. In the eastern half of the county, however, some rural areas have seen growth rates well below the state average, with some even losing population.

The population estimates are derived from a combination of data, including vehicle registration and school enrollments.