Hugo receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hugo
Otsego
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 46%
vs55 · Bottom 49%
Growth
66 · Top 22%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
79 · Top 25%
vs70 · Top 36%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs97 · Top 16%
Access
88 · Bottom 37%
vs76 · Bottom 18%
Economic stability
86 · Top 1%
vs86 · Top 1%
Measured values
| Metric | Hugo | Otsego | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 16,340 | 22,245 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $116,228 | $119,927 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $59,030 | $48,748 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 488/sq mi | 751/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $408,900 | $396,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,891 | $1,765 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 89.5% | 92.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -1.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.5% | 40.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 2.8% | 3.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 151 | 253 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.2 | 11.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -13.7% | -8.3% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 23 mi | 33 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.0 min | 32.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.1 | 34.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Hugo
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Otsego
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
Full profiles: Hugo, MN · Otsego, MN · How this is calculated: methodology