What it's like to live in Big Lake
Big Lake is a small city in Minnesota with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, a population that has grown fast since 2020, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Big Lake deals with commute times longer than most cities, cold, harsh winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Low crime rates
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Above-average commute times
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 36" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Big Lake compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Big Lake
Based on Big Lake's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,680
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $53,600 a year
- 47% of Big Lake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$66,040
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $33,020
- Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of livingNear US average
$1,340/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,340 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $330,200. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.
Median home value $330,200 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.1% county unemployment
Unemployment in Sherburne County is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Sherburne County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 72% below US
91 violent crimes per 100k
Safety is genuinely one of the selling points here. Both violent and property crime run well below the national average, the kind of numbers that fade into the background after a week of living somewhere.
Property crime 495/100k · Big Lake Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▲ 28% above US
33 min average commute
Traffic is a real factor here. The 33.2 minute average means plenty of commuters are pushing 45 to 60 minutes on a bad day. Proximity to work matters more here than it might elsewhere. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 10% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 7°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 26% below US
27% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (42 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Big Lake's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are commute times longer than most cities and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,340/mo) equals 13% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime. It may be a harder fit for people who dread long commutes, anyone who doesn't drive, and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Big Lake
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