Highcroft

Overview

Highcroft is Woodbury's answer to buyers who want meaningfully more space and privacy than the city's typical single-family lot — larger homes, more elevated and spacious lots, and a quieter, more spread-out feel than the neighborhoods covered elsewhere on this site.

The Streets and Housing Stock

Highcroft's planned, premium development style shows up in the details: wider lots, more distance between homes, and elevation changes that give many properties a genuine sense of separation from the street and from neighbors that's hard to find in Woodbury's more central, tightly platted areas. Homes here run larger than the Woodbury average, generally executive-style two-stories with more finished square footage, larger garages, and more elaborate exteriors than a typical mid-range build.

That scale comes at a real cost, both in purchase price and in what it takes to maintain a larger home on a bigger, sometimes sloped lot — bigger roofs to eventually replace, more landscaping to maintain, and in some cases steeper driveways that matter a lot more once winter arrives. It's worth walking a property in person, not just from photos, to get a real feel for how the elevation and lot shape will affect day-to-day living and upkeep.

What It's Like to Live Here Day to Day

Highcroft's walk score is the lowest among the neighborhoods covered on this site, and that's a direct function of what makes it appealing in the first place — larger, more spread-out lots simply put more distance between a given home and the nearest park, shop, or restaurant. Most residents plan on a short drive for groceries, dining, and errands rather than a walk, and nearby parks tend to be a drive rather than a stroll for many homes in the neighborhood.

What residents get in exchange is real day-to-day quiet and privacy — fewer passersby, more separation from the street, and a noticeably calmer feel than a denser neighborhood can offer. For buyers coming from a starter home where the neighbors' windows feel close, that difference tends to be immediately noticeable on a first showing.

Who Tends to Buy Here

Move-up buyers who've outgrown a starter or mid-range home make up a large share of Highcroft's buyer pool, alongside professionals relocating to the Twin Cities for an executive-level role who want space and privacy without leaving the East Metro entirely. It also draws buyers later in their careers who've built up equity from a previous sale and are prioritizing space and privacy over walkability or a short commute — pricing a current home correctly to fund that kind of move-up purchase is often the first real step for this buyer profile.

Schools and Family Life

Highcroft is served by South Washington County Schools (ISD 833), the district covering all of Woodbury, though exact elementary, middle, and high school assignments still depend on specific address rather than neighborhood name — always confirm current boundaries for a home you're seriously considering. Families with kids old enough to drive themselves to activities tend to adjust more easily to Highcroft's lower walkability than families relying on walking or biking to a friend's house or a park.

Getting Around

Highcroft's larger, more elevated lots and its position within Woodbury add a bit more time to the commute compared to more central neighborhoods — typically around 22 minutes to downtown St. Paul and 36 minutes to Minneapolis under normal traffic. That's a real trade-off against neighborhoods like Bailey's Arbor, and worth weighing seriously if your daily commute is a significant part of your schedule.

What to Watch For as a Buyer

Because Highcroft's homes are larger and its lots more elevated, expect real variation in maintenance needs — bigger roofs, more extensive landscaping, and potentially steeper driveways in winter. Factor ongoing maintenance costs into your budget alongside the higher purchase price. Most Highcroft sections include a homeowners association given the neighborhood's planned, premium development style, and those covenants tend to be more detailed than in an older, less-planned neighborhood — request the full HOA documentation, not just the monthly due amount, before finalizing an offer.

Who This Neighborhood Suits Best

Highcroft suits buyers for whom space and privacy are worth a real premium — both in purchase price and in the ongoing cost of maintaining a larger home. It's a strong fit for move-up buyers and relocating executives who've outgrown a smaller home and don't want to compromise on lot size or separation from neighbors. Buyers on a tighter budget, or those who specifically want to walk to daily errands, will generally be better served by a more central or moderately priced Woodbury neighborhood.

Compare Highcroft to Stonemill Farms if newer construction matters more to you than maximum lot size and elevation, or browse the full neighborhood index to see how every area on this site stacks up.