Hugo, MN Home Safety: Home Safety 83/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Hugo: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Hugo tap water earns a high safety grade - above-average compliance with MN and federal standards.
How Hugo Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Hugo Water
- Average lead level: 0.003 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 24% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,900 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.
Who Supplies Your Water in Hugo
Water service in Hugo, MN is split across 3 utilities out of 4 tracked federally, each operating its own infrastructure and compliance record.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Hugo, Minnesota (population ~24,246), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 45,668 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Hugo: B (83/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Hugo water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0030 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55038 | B | Hugo | 12,047 |
All ZIP Codes in Hugo
- 55038 [B]
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Health Outcomes in Hugo
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Hugo
Housing age data helps assess potential lead pipe and infrastructure risks. Newer housing stock generally means lower plumbing-related contamination risk.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Since 1986, federal law has prohibited lead solder in new residential plumbing. With a median build year of 2009, much of Hugo's housing falls on the safer side of that line - though homes built before 1986 still warrant testing regardless of the city-wide profile.
Most homes in Hugo were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Hugo Homeowners
Remediation costs in Hugo are small relative to typical property values - the cost-to-value ratio here is favorable.
Remediation costs in Hugo are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,900–$4,100 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 70% above the Minnesota average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Hugo
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Through the multi-year window of EPA Lead and Copper Rule monitoring, Hugo has stayed under the action mark. Paired with a 24% pre-rule housing share, the result places lead in a lower-priority spot on the local picture - without erasing the structural gap between citywide averages and what arrives at one specific tap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Hugo
Historical NFIP data for Hugo contains 6 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $2,877. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$2,900</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Hugo, MN