Township · Minnesota

Big Lake Township, Minnesota

Big Lake Township, township, in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Big Lake Township had 8,283 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 4.6% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 7,924 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 8,147 (±46). GEOID 2714105770.

Residents, July 2025 estimate

8,283

Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 7,924 · ACS 2020-2024: 8,147 ±46

Median household income

$123,077

±$15,945 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $89,062

Median home value

$404,900

±$20,135 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $329,300

Median gross rent

$1,538

±$345 (90% margin)
Minnesota: $1,280

Where is Big Lake Township and what county is it in?

Big Lake Township is a township in Sherburne County, Minnesota. It covers 38.3 square miles of land, 207 residents per square mile in 2020.

Big Lake Township is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 15 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).

Big Lake Township (marked with a dot) in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Boundaries: Census Bureau 2024.

Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files

How many people live in Big Lake Township, and is it growing?

The Census Bureau estimates that 8,283 people lived in Big Lake Township on July 1, 2025, up 4.6% since 2020, faster than Minnesota (+2.2%). The 2020 Census counted 7,924 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 8,147 (±46).

  • July 2020→2021 +126 (8,075)
  • 2021→2022 +98 (8,173)
  • 2022→2023 +40 (8,213)
  • 2023→2024 +11 (8,224)
  • 2024→2025 +59 (8,283)
ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (counts) with the change from 2015-2019
MeasureBig Lake TownshipSherburne CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Total population8,147±46100,5605,739,445+353
Households2,760±18135,5552,307,955no clear change
Average household size2.95±0.192.782.43no clear change
Housing units2,834±18737,0992,545,030no clear change

Big Lake Township's population since 2000

From 6,785 in 2000 to 8,283 in 2025: up 22.1%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Big Lake Township 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.

  • 2000 Census 6,785
  • 2005 (estimate) 7,389
  • 2010 Census 7,386
  • 2015 (estimate) 7,571
  • 2020 Census 7,924
  • 2025 (estimate) 8,283

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 Township?

The median resident of Big Lake Township is 38.6 years old; 24.3% are under 18 and 13.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 96.5%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 1.3%.

Age, origin, education and moves, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Race groups are non-Hispanic; Hispanic includes any race.
MeasureBig Lake TownshipSherburne CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Median age38.6±2.737.038.8−5.6
Under 18 years24.3%±3.4 pts25.8%22.9%–
65 years and over13.5%±3.1 pts12.3%17.3%–
Male50.3%±3.0 pts51.3%50.1%–
Hispanic or Latino (any race)1.0%±1.2 pts3.4%6.4%–
White alone, not Hispanic96.5%±2.8 pts85.8%75.9%no clear change
Black or African American alone, not Hispanic0.2%±0.4 pts4.0%6.9%–
Asian alone, not Hispanic0.0%±0.3 pts1.7%5.1%–
American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic0.0%±0.3 pts0.2%0.7%–
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic0.0%±0.3 pts0.0%0.0%–
Two or more races, not Hispanic1.3%±1.0 pts4.2%4.5%–
Some other race alone, not Hispanic1.1%±1.7 pts0.6%0.5%–
Born outside the United States0.8%±0.8 pts4.5%8.7%–
Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+)2.1%±1.4 pts5.9%12.4%–
Civilian veterans (age 18+)7.8%±2.4 pts6.6%5.9%–
With a disability9.2%±2.5 pts10.3%11.6%–
No health insurance coverage4.2%±2.0 pts3.9%4.7%–
High school graduate or higher (age 25+)96.4%±2.0 pts94.4%93.9%–
Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+)35.9%±4.4 pts29.7%39.4%+11.0 pts
Graduate or professional degree (age 25+)11.5%±2.9 pts8.8%13.8%–
Lived in the same house a year earlier90.7%±3.5 pts90.2%87.8%–
Moved from another state in the past year1.5%±1.6 pts0.9%1.8%–

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 Township earn?

Half of Big Lake Township's 2,760 households earn less than $123,077 a year (±$15,945), against $105,466 in Sherburne County and $89,062 in Minnesota. In 2015-2019 it was $126,006 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.

Income and poverty in 2024 dollars, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates; 2015-2019 dollars adjusted with the R-CPI-U-RS
MeasureBig Lake TownshipSherburne CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Median household income$123,077±$15,945$105,466$89,062no clear change
Mean household income$143,687±$15,893$123,508$118,304–
Per capita income$49,487±$4,767$45,141$48,237no clear change
People below the poverty line1.1%±1.1 pts5.1%9.3%–
Children under 18 below the poverty line0.7%±2.7 pts3.8%10.3%–
Households receiving SNAP2.5%±2.2 pts5.0%7.9%–
Households with a computer97.7%±1.3 pts96.3%95.8%–
Households with a broadband subscription95.8%±2.2 pts93.3%91.6%–

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 Township?

Owners occupy 94.6% of Big Lake Township's occupied homes and renters 5.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $404,900 by its owner (±$20,135). The median renter pays $1,538 a month including utilities.

Housing, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Home values are owners' own estimates.
MeasureBig Lake TownshipSherburne CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
Median home value (owner-occupied)$404,900±$20,135$361,400$329,300+$56,121
Median gross rent$1,538±$345$1,127$1,280–
Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent13.1%±24.0 pts36.6%38.4%–
Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage$2,182±$111$2,050$1,947–
Owner-occupied homes94.6%±3.3 pts83.2%72.2%no clear change
Renter-occupied homes5.4%±3.3 pts16.8%27.8%–
Housing units2,834±18737,0992,545,030no clear change
Homeowner vacancy rate0.0%±0.9 pts0.3%0.6%–
Rental vacancy rate0.0%±13.9 pts2.2%5.3%–
Single-family detached homes96.3%±3.1 pts79.3%66.0%–
Mobile homes0.7%±1.1 pts1.3%2.9%–
Built 2020 or later1.9%±1.5 pts3.7%1.9%–
Built 2010 to 20196.0%±3.5 pts10.1%8.5%–
Built 1939 or earlier2.1%±1.5 pts3.1%15.6%–
Households with no vehicle2.2%±1.3 pts4.2%6.7%–

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 do people in Big Lake Township work and get to work?

72.9% of Big Lake Township's workers drive alone and 17.6% work from home. The average trip to work takes 31.3 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 2.9%.

Work and commuting, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (workers 16 and over)
MeasureBig Lake TownshipSherburne CountyMinnesotaChange since 2015-2019
In the labor force (age 16+)71.3%±4.1 pts72.7%68.1%–
Unemployment rate2.9%±1.7 pts3.0%4.1%no clear change
Drove alone to work72.9%±5.7 pts75.4%68.9%–
Carpooled8.5%±3.5 pts8.5%7.5%–
Public transportation0.7%±1.1 pts0.9%1.8%–
Walked0.4%±0.7 pts0.7%2.5%–
Worked from home17.6%±4.3 pts13.5%17.6%+11.1 pts
Mean travel time to work31.3 min±1.930.7 min22.7 minno 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 Township?

2 census tracts lie mostly in Big Lake Township, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $111,705 (Tract 304.10) to $129,345 (Tract 304.05).

Census tracts in Big Lake Township, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
TractResidents, 2020-2024Median household incomeMedian home valueShare of tract in Big Lake Township
Tract 304.10Sherburne County5,990 $111,705 $363,00051%
Tract 304.05Sherburne County3,509 $129,345 $405,60082%
Tract 304.06Sherburne County7,025 $130,781 $336,60032%
Tract 304.09Sherburne County4,546 $99,250 $346,70040%
Tract 304.07Sherburne County4,937 $102,794 $311,3002%

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 Township) · Census block assignment files

How does Big Lake Township compare with other places in Minnesota?

By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Big Lake Township is the 1,498th-most populous of the 16,079 U.S. towns and townships that have one and the 2nd-most populous of 1,772 in Minnesota.

Big Lake Township ranks 84th of 558 places in Minnesota with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.

Big Lake Township's rank in Minnesota (1 = highest): by population among the state's towns and townships with a 2025 estimate; by the other measures among places of 1,000+ residents with a reliable estimate
MeasureRankOf
Population, July 2025 estimate2nd1,772
Growth 2020-2025 (PEP)113th556
Residents per square mile338th562
Median household income84th558
Per capita income163rd562
Median home value124th559
Median gross rent82nd465
Bachelor's degree or higher187th559
Median age390th561
Owner-occupied share104th561
Work from home138th525
Travel time to work69th562

Big Lake Township's figures with every place in Minnesota (CSV)

Every place in Minnesota, sortable · Compare Big Lake Township 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 Township?

21 of the 57 figures for Big Lake Township 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 Township 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' school search.