Moving to
White Bear Lake.

All White Bear Lake data Compare White Bear Lake

23,908people live here $83,554median household incomeNear US average $1,601median rent per month▲ 13% above US $331,800median home valueNear US average

What it's like to live in White Bear Lake

White Bear Lake is a small city in Minnesota with crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, a highly educated workforce, 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. White Bear Lake deals with a population that has been shrinking, cold, harsh winters, and snowy winters.

The good

Low crime rates
Short commutes
Highly educated workforce
Average class sizes

The not so good

Shrinking population
Cold, harsh winters
Snowy winters — 40" per year

How White Bear Lake compares

Median household income

White Bear Lake$83,554

Minnesota avg$89,062

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

White Bear Lake$1,601

Minnesota avg$1,280

US$1,413

Median home value

White Bear Lake$331,800

Minnesota avg$329,300

US$332,700

What it takes to move to White Bear Lake

Based on White Bear Lake's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$3,202

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $64,040 a year
48% of White Bear Lake renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$66,360

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $33,180
Homes cost 4.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▲ 13% above US

$1,601/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,601 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices are reasonable, with a median around $331,800. Not a steal, but not intimidating either.

Median home value $331,800 · 48% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

4.3% unemployment

Unemployment here is 4.3%, close to the national average of 4.3%.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▼ 71% below US

95 violent crimes per 100k

Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.

Property crime 1093/100k · White Bear Lake Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 15% below US

22 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 21% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

71%

Work from home

21%

Carpool

4.9%

Walk

1.5%

Other

1.1%

Public transit

0.7%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 81°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 12°F.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Education & workforce▲ 16% above US

42% bachelor's degree or higher

The population is well-educated, with 42% holding college degrees. That points to a strong professional base and generally a healthy local economy.

Schools

25 public schools inside the boundary

There are 25 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (9 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

White Bear Lake's strongest points are crime rates well below the national average and commutes that run shorter than most cities; the main tradeoffs are a population that has been shrinking and cold, harsh winters. A year of median rent ($1,601/mo) equals 23% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (21% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals. It may be a harder fit for anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.

See all the data for White Bear Lake →·All Minnesota cities →