City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Forest Lake, MN

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Forest Lake - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

20,678
Residents
$89,879
Median income
$375,900
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

Forest Lake - the verdict

Nationally, Forest Lake sits in the 71st percentile for household income and the 42nd percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

71st
percentile, household income
75th
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
42nd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Forest Lake, MN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 20,678 residents in Forest Lake, a small city within Minnesota. Forest Lake households earn a median of $89,879 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 4.3%. Typical homes in Forest Lake are valued around $375,900, and the median resident age is 38.8 years. Educational attainment runs 35.7% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 67.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 121 residential building permits were authorized in Forest Lake (Construction Slowdown), down 37% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Forest Lake reports a comparatively low crime rate: per-100,000 total crime stands at 1595.8 in FBI UCR data, below the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Forest Lake's yearly average temperature at 44.9°F with 33.1 inches of precipitation per year and 51.6 inches of snowfall.

Minnesota tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Minnesota scores 98.6 (Near Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,709 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Minnesota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 83.9 out of 100 (High).

Population

20,678 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$89,879 /yr

Poverty 4.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Forest Lake compare to other US cities?

Here's how Forest Lake stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 71% higher than other cities
Home value 75% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities
Safety 42% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Minnesota, Forest Lake ranks #168 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Forest Lake's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Minnesota, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

71stIncome percentile
42ndSafety percentile

71st percentile nationally for median household income · 42nd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Forest Lake's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Forest Lake's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 47 Avg. percentile National median
Forest Lake's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Forest Lake's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$375,900 25th percentile more affordable than 25% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Forest Lake $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Forest Lake, MN Forest Lake, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Forest Lake, MN-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Forest Lake, MN median $89,879/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Forest Lake, MN's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Forest Lake, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 35.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 4.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 67.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
20,678
Median Income
$89,879
Median Home Value
$375,900
Median Age
38.8
Poverty Rate
4.3%
Labor force participation
67.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
35.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1595.8
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
120.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1474.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
44.9°F
Annual Precipitation
33.1"
Annual Snowfall
51.6"

Schools

Total Schools
14
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
20,600 residents20,700 residents20,800 residents20,900 residents21,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 20,703 residents 20,952 residents ▲ +1.2%
Forest Lake's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
121
housing units authorized
Single-Family
38
detached homes
Multifamily
83
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
5.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 192
2020 53
2021 202
2022 31
2023 22
2024 121

Permit volume decreased 37% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
73.0%
Carpool
7.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.6%
Work from Home
16.1%
Other
0.7%

Based on 10,894 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Minnesota - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$95
avg/month
Natural Gas
$85
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$225
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Minnesota state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Minnesota state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Forest Lake sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,709/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
83.9 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Northfield
20,678 people
South St. Paul
20,633 people
West St. Paul
21,076 people
Willmar
21,136 people
Otsego
21,358 people
New Hope
21,402 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Lake's 20,678 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

West Pensacola, FL
20,679 people
Tullahoma, TN
20,672 people
Marquette, MI
20,691 people
Lockport, NY
20,699 people
Montrose, CO
20,703 people
Wade Hampton, SC
20,703 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Forest Lake's $89,879 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Atqasuk, AK
$89,875 median income
Newport CDP (Washington County), OH
$89,883 median income
Linglestown, PA
$89,887 median income
Chesilhurst, NJ
$89,904 median income
Baltic, CT
$89,907 median income
Richmond Hill, GA
$89,910 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Forest Lake, MN Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Forest Lake, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 82.4% 6.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.5% White 82.4% Black or African American 3.6% Asian 5.9% American Indian 0.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.8% Two or more races 6.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Forest Lake compares to nearby Minnesota cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Forest Lake (this city) 20,678 $89,879
Northfield 20,678 $92,000
South St. Paul 20,633 $84,472
West St. Paul 21,076 $70,738
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Forest Lake, MN?

What is the population of Forest Lake, MN? +

20,678 people live in Forest Lake, MN according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Forest Lake, MN? +

In Forest Lake, the typical household earns $89,879 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Forest Lake? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Forest Lake; the closest available measure is the Minnesota state average, a cost of living index of 98.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Minnesota vary by metro area.

Is Forest Lake, MN safe? +

Forest Lake has a total crime rate of 1595.8 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Forest Lake, MN? +

Forest Lake's median home value sits at $375,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Forest Lake? +

The average annual temperature in Forest Lake runs 44.9°F, 33.1 inches of precipitation, and 51.6 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.