Hastings is nestled along the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers.
Hastings Rivertown Days also has classic fair food available like popcorn and caramel apples.
Ranch homes with three car garages are a common style among newer homes in Hastings.
Many restaurants in downtown Hastings offer outdoor seating in the summer.
Hastings is also home to many historic homes, some inspired by French provincial design.

Hastings, MN

Area Guide

Avg Rent

$1,266

Population

22,291

Renter Mix

27% Rent

A beautiful river town just minutes from the city.

Arts and Culture Historic Downtown Outdoor Adventures

Sitting where the Mississippi, Vermillion, and St. Croix Rivers converge, Hastings carries the kind of small-town character that's hard to manufacture and impossible to fake. As the Dakota County seat, it holds onto its 19th-century riverboat roots through a well-preserved downtown lined with classic architecture, boutique shops, and a cruise-in car culture that draws enthusiasts every season. Levee Park and Lake Rebecca Park bring the riverfront within easy reach, while the Hastings Scientific and Natural Area offers 69 acres of wildflowers, forests, and trails for hiking, birding, and snowshoeing. Minneapolis and St. Paul are both within roughly 30 miles, making this a genuinely connected place to settle without the pace of metro living. Rivertown Days, the city's annual summer festival, celebrates everything that makes Hastings feel grounded in its community and history.

The rental market here spans charming older homes converted into apartments, newer apartment communities near the downtown corridor, and spacious townhome-style rentals spread across quieter residential pockets. Options tend to be more attainable than what you'd find closer to the Twin Cities core, with a solid mix of studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom floor plans available throughout the city.

Explore the City

Ranch homes with three car garages are a common style among newer homes in Hastings.

Many restaurants in downtown Hastings offer outdoor seating in the summer.

Hastings is also home to many historic homes, some inspired by French provincial design.

Visit the historic LeDuc Estate when you're in Hastings.

Classics cruise the street throughout the show at the Hastings Car Show.

You can also catch a view of the historic lift bridge to the right of the pavilion in Hastings.

Demographics

Median Household Income

$85,241

Average: $103,869

Education

5,665

Residents Have a Degree

Job Market

11,712

Workers Employed

Age Distribution
Get a sense of this area's population profile.

Median Age

42 Years

Largest Age Group

35-44 Years

Approximately 14% of Residents

Under 20

23%

Over 65

21%

Housing Distribution

Hastings has more homeowners than renters.

Renters
27%
Non-Renters
73%

Education Distribution

Review this city's overall education levels.

Bachelor's or Higher
20%
Other Education
80%

Rent Trends

As of June 2026, the average apartment rent in Hastings, MN is $1,186 for a studio, $1,266 for one bedroom, $1,421 for two bedrooms, and $1,841 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Hastings has increased by 2.7% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,266/month
702 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Hastings, MN

Getting Around

Fairly Walkable

Walkability

40 / 100

Exceptionally Drivable

Drivability

100 / 100

Fairly Bikeable

Bikeability

50 / 100

Schools

Christa McAuliffe Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

472 Students

Christa Mcauliffe Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

472 Students

Pinecrest Elementary School

Public

Grades K-5

450 Students

Pinecrest Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

450 Students

Kennedy Elementary

Public

Grades K-5

450 Students

Hastings Middle School

Public

Grades K-8

1,210 Students

Special Services

Public

Grades K-8

Hastings Extended School Year

Public

Grades K-12

Hastings High School

Public

Grades 9-12

1,353 Students

STAARS

Public

Grades 9-12

5 Students

Hastings Extended School Year

Public

Grades K-12

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Carpenter Nature Center
  • Spring Lake Reserve
  • Afton Alps
  • Kinnickinnic State Park

Airports

  • Minneapolis-St Paul International/Wold-Chamberlain

Top Apartments in Hastings

Houses for Rent in Hastings

Search Nearby Rentals

Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in June 2026.

Demographic information comes from Neustar and combines detailed address data with U.S. Census and American Community Survey statistics to produce reliable local estimates.