Hudson

In the mid-1800s, James Chinnoch was the first to try his hand at agriculture in Troy. A year later, the town established a government. Today, Troy's origins--rooted in the idea of building a home and living off the land--remains true. Troy leads Wisconsin in farmland preservation, with nearly 1,600 acres of protected farmlands at present, and with plans to preserve over 6,400 acres of farmland and 4,300 acres of open spaces. Its real estate also reflects this tradition, with most homes sitting on expansive multi-acre lots. The difference in today's culture is that residents don't have to feel isolated when living out their farming dreams. With direct proximity to neighboring cities, "They're just 30 minutes outside Saint Paul and even closer to Hudson, which has amazing restaurants and activities on the river,” says Woodbury-based Realtor David Hackworthy. “Troy offers all the benefits of rural living while still providing a real sense of community.” People move to Troy to buy or build their dream estates. The neighborhood’s listings are primarily empty lots awaiting to-be-built homes, or recently built, custom-designed estates. Most homes were built post-2000 in traditional styles and feature vinyl or brick siding, while some of the older builds typically feature more modest ranch-style, bi-level or split-level styles. Standard lot sizes in Troy range from one to five acres, although the area has seen the addition of some denser subdivisions. Most common are single-family homes on half-acre plots, with the exception of a few planned townhouse developments that recently hit the market. Prices start in the $400,000s for smaller single-family homes, concentrate around $500,000 to $700,000 for a two- or three-bedroom new build and reach into the low millions for sprawling custom estates. Students in Troy attend schools in the Hudson School District, which has an overall A rating on Niche. They can start their education at A-rated River Crest Elementary followed by Hudson Middle, also A-rated, before continuing to the A-minus rated Hudson High School. At Hudson High, students can participate in Project Lead the Way, a series of pre-engineering courses that qualify for college credit. Troy is located 24 miles east of Saint Paul, offering those who work downtown a 25- to 30-minute commute. Since this is a semi-rural community, the area is car-dependent, with no public transportation or walking or biking infrastructure. The nearest medical facilities include the Hudson Hospital and River Falls Area Hospital, both of which are about 6 miles from the center of town. It’s an ideal location for those who like to spend most of their time at home, but less than ideal for frequent travelers, as the Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is 32 miles away. Aside from a winery, Troy itself is almost entirely residential. To dine out or go shopping, most head to the nearby cities of Hudson or River Falls. Hudson has a happening food scene with trendy bars and restaurants lining its riverfront that people from all over the Twin Cities explore. Most get groceries in Hudson at the County Market or ALDI, and run errands at big-box stores like Target, Walmart and The Home Depot. River Falls’ food scene mixes small-town family-style restaurants with up-and-coming breweries. The town also has an old-school movie theater, some fast-food restaurants and an ALDI. Glover Park provides year-round outdoor recreation options for Troy's residents, with amenities like baseball fields, a playground and a pickleball court. “It’s a gorgeous community park, with almost 3 miles of private trails and a new pavilion that the township invested a lot in,” Hackworthy says. In the winter, visitors can snowshoe or cross-country ski on the open spaces beside the baseball field, while kids sled on the hill north of the playground. On hot summer days, locals can swim or sunbathe at Pembles Beach, a small sandy spot along the St. Croix River. Troy is also home to the Troy Burne Golf Club, which Golf Digest has named as one of America’s top 100 public courses four times. Troy is home to Cracked Barrel Winery, which has an on-site tasting room. Visitors can pair wine flights with charcuterie while taking in the vineyard views. The winery also hosts ongoing events, like yoga and painting classes, live music, comedy shows and BINGO nights on Thursdays. Troy has a CAP Index crime score of 1 out of 10, the lowest score possible on this scale.