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Living in
Forest Lake.
About
Life in Forest Lake
Living in Forest Lake means embracing suburban stability about 27 miles northeast of the Twin Cities—close enough for a reasonable commute (averaging 25 minutes) but far enough to feel genuinely removed from urban intensity. The community skews toward established families; nearly a third of households have kids under 18, the median age hovers around 39, and about half of all households are married couples, which shapes the overall vibe toward schools, youth sports, and neighborhood cohesion. Housing isn't cheap—median home values sit around $394,000 and rent averages $1,421 monthly—but the job market is solid with unemployment at just 3.4%, and the median household income of $92,944 suggests most residents here are working professionals or established families making it work.
Forest Lake at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
39.6 yrs
Poverty Rate
7.0%
Foreign-Born
5.2%
Broadband Internet
92.6%
of households
Population Growth
+1.6%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.2% foreign-born, most often from Cameroon
Who lives in Forest Lake: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Forest Lake, the largest foreign-born group is from Cameroon (16.2%), and 1.5% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.2%
of residents
65 and Older
16.9%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
25.7%
of households
Married Couples
51.0%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.49
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 11% above MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Forest Lake
In Forest Lake, rent runs 11% above the MN average, and home values are 19% above the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
48.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
104.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$3,751
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.9%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1988
median year built
Vacant Homes
5.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $428,361 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below MN average
Unemployment in Forest Lake and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Washington County, which includes Forest Lake, is 0.5 percentage points lower than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
Forest Lake: Washington County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Washington County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Forest Lake Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area
Commute24.2 min avg
How Forest Lake residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Forest Lake, most residents drive alone to work (72%), and 61% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 30 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 84% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Forest Lake runs 84% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
53.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,159.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (1,552 national, 2025)
Forest Lake Police Department
Natural DisastersWinter Storm most common — 20 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.9 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Washington County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Washington County, which includes Forest Lake, the most common type is winter storm, with 20 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 20 | Winter Weather | None reported |
| 2024 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Winter Storm | None reported |
| 2022 | 12 | Hail | None reported |
| 2021 | 5 | Lightning | $3,000 |
| 2020 | 9 | Winter Storm | $100,000 |
| 2019 | 12 | Heavy Snow | $1.5M |
| 2018 | 10 | Winter Storm | $500 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Washington County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Washington County, which includes Forest Lake, is typically good.
Median AQI
34
Washington County, county-wide
Climate81°F summers, 7°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Forest Lake has warm summers (avg high 81°F) and very cold winters (avg low 7°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
57°/32°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
81°/58°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
28°/7°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
33.1"
Annual Snowfall
51.6"
Hot Days/Year
14
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
161
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
112
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 24°F | 3°F | 0.88" |
| Feb | 30°F | 6°F | 0.90" |
| Mar | 43°F | 19°F | 1.70" |
| Apr | 58°F | 33°F | 3.00" |
| May | 70°F | 45°F | 4.36" |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 4.48" |
| Jul | 83°F | 60°F | 4.70" |
| Aug | 82°F | 58°F | 4.03" |
| Sep | 74°F | 50°F | 3.18" |
| Oct | 60°F | 37°F | 2.91" |
| Nov | 43°F | 24°F | 1.80" |
| Dec | 29°F | 11°F | 1.17" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Forest Lake
Uninsured
4.5%
of residents
No hospitals inside Forest Lake's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Fairview Lakes Health Services
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 5.1 mi away · Wyoming
Ladd Memorial Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 13.1 mi away · Osceola
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education19.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Forest Lake
Forest Lake's student/teacher ratio is 19.4:1 (higher than the national average of 16:1), and 35.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
35.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
19.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, 23 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Forest Lake
Forest Lake has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (23 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Mississippi National River & Recreation Area
National River & Recreation Area
23 mi awaySaint Croix National Scenic Riverway
National Scenic Riverway
42 mi awayPublic Libraries in Forest Lake
Hardwood Creek Library
19955 Forest Road North, Forest Lake
Cities Near Forest Lake
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Forest Lake?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Forest Lake FAQ
Is Forest Lake, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Forest Lake's median rent is $1,421/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $92,944/year. Median home value is $393,500.
Is Forest Lake, Minnesota safe?⌄
Forest Lake's violent crime rate was 53 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1159 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Forest Lake, Minnesota?⌄
Washington County, which includes Forest Lake, has an unemployment rate of 3.4%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Forest Lake, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Forest Lake is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,421/month and median household income is $92,944/year. The median home value is $393,500. About 48% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Forest Lake, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Forest Lake is 24 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from