Is Hill City, MN a Good Place to Live?
Hill City is a small town of 518 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $43,125 and a 12.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is 9% below the national average.
Strengths: Hill City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Hill City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Hill City city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 90.9Hill City's overall cost of living index is 90.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Hill City costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Hill City, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $95,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $744 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $43,125 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeHill City's violent crime rate is 164.5 per 100,000 residents — 57% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Hill City is served primarily by Hill City Public School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Hill City, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Hill City Public School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 1 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 10.7% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 89.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Hill City sees average highs of 17.8°F in January and 78.3°F in July, with 28.7 inches of annual precipitation and 59.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Hill City, MN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 17.8°F |
| Average High — July | 78.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 28.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 59.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Hill City, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 518 | — |
| Median Age | 40.3 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 12.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 30.4 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.4% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.0% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 27.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Hill City
Hill City, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: