The Town Files

Hudson, Illinois

Village in McLean County · population 1,753 (2020 Census)

Map: where Hudson is in IllinoisHudson
Median home
$224,700
Household income
$110,000
Jan low / Jul high
16° / 86°
Snow a year
20 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
39
Median age
37.9

Hudson is a village of 1,753 people in McLean County, Illinois. The median home is worth $224,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). It ranks better for families than 90% of Illinois towns, more upscale than 82% of Illinois towns, better for retirees than 81% of Illinois towns.

Hudson in our rankings:

How Hudson ranks

Percentile among Illinois towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Illinois towns.

Hudson lifestyle rankings vs other Illinois townsRetirement81st pctFamilies90th pctQuiet64th pctWalkability9th pctFirst-time buyersbottomYoung professionals68th pctVibrancy19th pctHip & trendy48th pctCollege town54th pctUpscale82nd pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling65th pctTransitbottomDriving24th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

The median home in Hudson is worth $224,700, above the typical Illinois town ($156,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $110,000, which is more affordable than 61% of Illinois towns. Median rent is $1,063 a month. 97.1% of households own their home.

Hudson vs McLean County vs typical Illinois townHudsonMcLean CountyTypical Illinois townHome value$224,700$208,400$156,600Household income$110,000$79,905$72,500Monthly rent$1,063$1,009$960
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Illinois towns with 500+ people.
HousingHudsonTypical Illinois town
Median home value$224,700$156,600
Median rent$1,063$960
Median household income$110,000$72,500
Home value ÷ income2.0×2.2×
Homeownership97.1%76.6%
Median year built19881967
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Hudson

PeopleHudsonTypical Illinois town
Median age37.940.4
Age 65 and over14.4%18.7%
Under 1830.0%—
Bachelor's degree or higher44.0%21.8%
Below the poverty line2.3%9.9%
Veterans6.9%—
Born outside the U.S.1.8%—
Work from home15.7%8.9%
Average commute24.0 min26.1 min
Homes with broadband97.4%90.4%

Weather in Hudson

July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 15.6°F. About 39.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 20.1 inches of snow (typical Illinois town: 24.2 in). Expect about 26 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 133 nights at or below freezing.

Hudson monthly temperatures and precipitation10°20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°16°Jan38°19°Feb50°28°Mar63°38°Apr74°50°May83°60°Jun86°63°Jul84°61°Aug79°53°Sep66°42°Oct50°31°Nov38°21°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.47.52.05.52.62.23.70.54.84.14.13.83.23.52.80.82.33.6
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Normal 4Ne station (4.4 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hudson since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Illinois town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on August 24, 1982 about 8.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on October 11, 2021.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Hudson by decade11950s11960s111970s91980s61990s92000s12010s12020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on July 13, 2004.

Severe weather in McLean County since 1996

Storm events in McLean County since 1996 by typeHail204Heat11Drought16Tornado53High Wind18Ice Storm10Heavy Snow22Flash Flood43
NOAA Storm Events Database, McLean County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 19 deaths recorded.

McLean County has been included in 11 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
March 26, 2020BiologicalDR-4489: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3435: Covid-19
March 17, 2011SnowstormDR-1960: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm
February 9, 2007Severe Ice StormDR-1681: Severe Winter Storm
September 7, 2005HurricaneEM-3230: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation

Jobs and pay in McLean County

McLean County had 88,945 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $66,183 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Hudson itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.

Largest industries in McLean CountyFinance & insurance17,372 jobs · $110,363Health care & social assistan…10,532 jobs · $59,159Manufacturing9,817 jobs · $80,990Hotels & restaurants8,819 jobs · $24,635Retail8,240 jobs · $36,272Administrative & support3,913 jobs · $47,961
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in McLean County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%2000200420082012201620202023McLean 3.9%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Hudson

1 public school with 230 students, about 15.3 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Hudson Elem SchoolK-523015.3

Towns near Hudson

Hudson questions

Is Hudson, Illinois a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hudson scores better for retirees than 81% of Illinois towns and quieter than 64%. 14.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.9).

How much does a house cost in Hudson?

The median owner-occupied home in Hudson is valued at $224,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $110,000, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,063 a month.

What is the weather like in Hudson?

July highs average 86.0°F and January lows 15.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 39.4 inches of precipitation a year and 20.1 inches of snow.

Does Hudson get tornadoes?

39 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hudson since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on August 24, 1982. The typical Illinois town has had 27.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Hudson's Census boundary (GEOID 1736438). Comparisons use the median of Illinois towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.