What it's like to live in Lake Elmo
Lake Elmo is a small city in Minnesota with county unemployment below the national average, household incomes running above the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Lake Elmo deals with home prices well above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Low unemployment in the county
- Higher-than-average incomes
- Short commutes
- Highly educated workforce
- Fast-growing population
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- High home prices
- High rent burden for renters
- Cold, harsh winters
- Snowy winters — 40" per year
How Lake Elmo compares
Median household income
Median home value
What it takes to move to Lake Elmo
Based on Lake Elmo's median rent, home value and household income
To buy
$119,400
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $59,700
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Job market
3.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Washington County is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Washington County (county-wide)
Safety
55 violent crimes per 100k, whole jurisdiction
Lake Elmo doesn't have its own police department, so there's no crime rate for it alone. The figures shown are for the Washington County Sheriff's Office jurisdiction as a whole, which runs below the national average for violent crime and covers many communities. Individual neighborhoods can differ a lot from that overall rate.
Property crime 383/100k · Policed by Washington County Sheriff's Office (county-wide rate) · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 6 in 10 workers drive to work; 37% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 78°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 8°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▲ 72% above US
62% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.
Schools
3 public schools inside the boundary
There are 3 public schools inside the boundary. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, 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 (10 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Lake Elmo's strongest points are county unemployment below the national average and household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are home prices well above the national average and a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin. It tends to suit job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), remote workers (37% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
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