Solon Springs
Lake St. Croix headwaters country, with its own small school district.
Solon Springs at a glance
Solon Springs is a small Douglas County community at the headwaters of the St. Croix River, about 40 minutes southeast of Superior. It runs its own school district of roughly 300 students, sits on Upper St. Croix Lake, and is far enough inland to miss the Lake Superior snow entirely. It is one of the more affordable lake communities within reach of the Twin Ports.
Solon Springs sits at the southern end of Douglas County on Upper St. Croix Lake, in the headwaters country where the St. Croix River begins its run south toward the Mississippi. The town's population was 910 at the 2010 Census. It is the furthest of the Douglas County stub communities from Superior, roughly 40 minutes northwest, and about an hour from Duluth.
The distinguishing feature for families is the school. Solon Springs School District is a standalone district enrolling roughly 307 to 326 students, with Solon Springs School as its main building. That is a very small district even by the standards of this guide, comparable to Silver Bay's or Wrenshall's: tiny cohorts, everyone known, and a correspondingly narrow course catalog.
Housing divides between lakefront on Upper St. Croix, which carries a clear premium and a meaningful seasonal and second-home share, and inland village and township parcels that are considerably cheaper. Private well and septic are common outside the village core.
The location genuinely is out of the snow belt. Lake-effect bands off Lake Superior do not reach this far inland, so Solon Springs sees markedly less snow than Superior or Duluth, at the cost of colder overnight lows without the lake's moderating influence.
Wisconsin tax treatment applies: credits on the bill rather than Minnesota's Homestead Market Value Exclusion, a lower top income tax rate, and sales tax on clothing.
Schools: Solon Springs School District. Solon Springs runs its own small district, reported at about 307 to 326 students. Solon Springs School (NCES 551398001911) is the main building.
Typical range: $155k to $380k. Sale volume here is too low for a reliable published median.
Recent coverage of Solon Springs
Loaner life jacket stations were planned for local lake accesses ahead of the fall.
The district named its next superintendent after a months-long search.
Related: Solon Springs School District
Three candidates filed for two open school board seats in the spring election.
Related: Solon Springs School District
A local history column revisiting past Douglas County headlines.
The district opened its search following the retirement of the sitting superintendent.
Related: Solon Springs School District
Headlines link to the original publisher. We summarise and attribute, we do not republish. Last checked 14 Aug 2026.
Communities with full guides
North, the other Douglas County lake village.
Superior, WisconsinAbout 40 minutes northwest, the nearest city with full services.
PoplarNorth on the US 2 corridor.
CarltonWest across the state line, the Minnesota side of the same rural corridor.