City · Minnesota
Big Lake, Sherburne County, Minnesota
Big Lake, Sherburne County, city, in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Big Lake, Sherburne County had 12,929 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 10.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 11,686 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 12,367 (±33). GEOID 2705752.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
12,929
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 11,686 · ACS 2020-2024: 12,367 ±33
Median household income
$120,549
±$9,655 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062
Median home value
$330,200
±$11,366 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300
Median gross rent
$1,340
±$211 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280
Where is Big Lake, Sherburne County and what county is it in?
Big Lake, Sherburne County is a city in Sherburne County, Minnesota. It covers 7.2 square miles of land, 1,615 residents per square mile in 2020.
Big Lake, Sherburne County is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 15 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Big Lake, Sherburne County, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 12,929 people lived in Big Lake, Sherburne County on July 1, 2025, up 10.6% since 2020, faster than Minnesota (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 11,686 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 12,367 (±33).
| Measure | Big Lake, Sherburne County | Sherburne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 12,367±33 | 100,560 | +1,511 |
| Households | 4,036±272 | 35,555 | +476 |
| Average household size | 3.05±0.20 | 2.78 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 4,162±315 | 37,099 | +479 |
Big Lake, Sherburne County's population since 2000
From 6,063 in 2000 to 12,929 in 2025: up 113.2%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Big Lake, Sherburne County as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Big Lake, Sherburne County?
The median resident of Big Lake, Sherburne County is 32.5 years old; 28.6% are under 18 and 5.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 83.5%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 7.1%. 5.2% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Big Lake, Sherburne County | Sherburne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.5±2.8 | 37.0 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.6%±3.6 pts | 25.8% | – |
| 65 years and over | 5.7%±1.3 pts | 12.3% | – |
| Male | 49.7%±3.8 pts | 51.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.1%±2.6 pts | 3.4% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 83.5%±4.7 pts | 85.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 4.3%±3.6 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 2.0%±1.7 pts | 1.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.8%±1.8 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1%±0.2 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 5.2%±2.1 pts | 4.5% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 8.2%±3.2 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.5%±1.4 pts | 6.6% | – |
| With a disability | 13.0%±2.9 pts | 10.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 2.5%±0.9 pts | 3.9% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.9%±1.5 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26.8%±4.6 pts | 29.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.0%±2.7 pts | 8.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.6%±3.7 pts | 90.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.4%±0.5 pts | 0.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Big Lake, Sherburne County earn?
Half of Big Lake, Sherburne County's 4,036 households earn less than $120,549 a year (±$9,655), against $105,466 in Sherburne County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 the median was $99,550 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $20,999 after inflation. 5.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Big Lake, Sherburne County | Sherburne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $120,549±$9,655 | $105,466 | +$20,999 |
| Mean household income | $125,831±$8,782 | $123,508 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,522±$2,829 | $45,141 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 5.6%±2.6 pts | 5.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.2%±7.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.8%±2.9 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.6%±1.1 pts | 96.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.9%±1.7 pts | 93.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Big Lake, Sherburne County?
Owners occupy 86.9% of Big Lake, Sherburne County's occupied homes and renters 13.1%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $330,200 by its owner (±$11,366). The median renter pays $1,340 a month including utilities, and 36.5% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Big Lake, Sherburne County | Sherburne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $330,200±$11,366 | $361,400 | +$92,676 |
| Median gross rent | $1,340±$211 | $1,127 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.5%±14.2 pts | 36.6% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,088±$105 | $2,050 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 86.9%±3.8 pts | 83.2% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 13.1%±3.8 pts | 16.8% | – |
| Housing units | 4,162±315 | 37,099 | +479 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0%±0.6 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0%±4.2 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 86.3%±3.6 pts | 79.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.6%±2.2 pts | 1.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 5.7%±2.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 8.7%±3.2 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 1.0%±0.9 pts | 3.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.8%±3.0 pts | 4.2% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Big Lake, Sherburne County building?
Builders took permits for 37 new housing units in Big Lake, Sherburne County in 2025 (37 in single-family houses), 2.9 per 1,000 residents against 3.6 across Minnesota.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Big Lake, Sherburne County work and get to work?
74.9% of Big Lake, Sherburne County's workers drive alone and 9.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 33.2 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 3.2%.
| Measure | Big Lake, Sherburne County | Sherburne County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 80.2%±4.0 pts | 72.7% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2%±1.4 pts | 3.0% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 74.9%±5.8 pts | 75.4% | – |
| Carpooled | 13.0%±6.1 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 1.1%±1.2 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Walked | 0.2%±0.3 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 9.6%±2.4 pts | 13.5% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 33.2 min±2.5 | 30.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Big Lake, Sherburne County?
2 census tracts lie mostly in Big Lake, Sherburne County, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $99,250 (Tract 304.09) to $130,781 (Tract 304.06).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 304.06Sherburne County | 7,025 | $130,781 |
| Tract 304.09Sherburne County | 4,546 | $99,250 |
| Tract 304.10Sherburne County | 5,990 | $111,705 |
| Tract 304.05Sherburne County | 3,509 | $129,345 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Big Lake, Sherburne County) · Census block assignment files
How does Big Lake, Sherburne County compare with other places in Minnesota?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Big Lake, Sherburne County is the 2,681st-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 88th-most populous of 855 in Minnesota.
Big Lake, Sherburne County ranks 94th of 558 places in Minnesota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 88th | 855 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 32nd | 556 |
| Residents per square mile | 104th | 562 |
| Median household income | 94th | 558 |
| Per capita income | 288th | 562 |
| Median home value | 247th | 559 |
| Median gross rent | 144th | 465 |
| Poverty rate | 316th | 461 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 325th | 559 |
| Median age | 533rd | 561 |
| Owner-occupied share | 254th | 561 |
| Work from home | 362nd | 525 |
| Travel time to work | 37th | 562 |
Big Lake, Sherburne County's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)
Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Big Lake, Sherburne County with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Big Lake, Sherburne County?
13 of the 57 figures for Big Lake, Sherburne County on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Big Lake, Sherburne County are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Big Lake.