City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Lake City, MN

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

5,021
Residents
$76,125
Median income
$234,100
Median home
$1,001
Median rent (state)

Lake City - the verdict

Lake City ranks in the 57th percentile for household income and the 65th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

57th
percentile, household income
52nd
percentile, home value
20th
percentile, median rent
65th
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: Lake City, MN

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 5,021 residents in Lake City, a small town within Minnesota. Median household income here is $76,125 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 3.4%. Typical homes in Lake City are valued around $234,100, and the median resident age is 48.4 years. Educational attainment runs 32.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 62.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 17 residential building permits were authorized in Lake City (Rapid Growth), up 42% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Lake City reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 974.6 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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 $1,001 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Minnesota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Lake City report an average commute of 19.4 minutes, with 72.2% driving alone and 10.8% working from home. Natural-hazard exposure scores 45.5 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

5,021 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$76,125 /yr

Poverty 3.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Lake City compare to other US cities?

Lake City measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 57% higher than other cities
Home value 52% pricier than other cities
Median rent 20% pricier than other cities
Safety 65% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just Minnesota and the picture shifts: Lake City ranks #118 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile 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 Lake City'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.

57thIncome percentile
65thSafety percentile

57th percentile nationally for median household income · 65th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lake City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lake City'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 62 Avg. percentile National median
Lake City'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 Lake City's home value compares nationally

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

$234,100 48th percentile more affordable than 48% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $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. Lake City $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 - Lake City, MN Lake City, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake City, 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 Lake City, MN median $76,125/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%
Lake City, 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 Lake City, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 32.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.6%

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

Population
5,021
Median Income
$76,125
Median Home Value
$234,100
Median Age
48.4
Poverty Rate
3.4%
Labor force participation
62.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
32.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
974.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
75.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
899.6
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.

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
5,200 residents5,250 residents5,300 residents5,350 residents 202020212022202320242025 5,249 residents 5,306 residents ▲ +1.1%
Lake City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
17
housing units authorized
Single-Family
17
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
3.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 12
2020 18
2021 23
2022 18
2023 19
2024 17

Permit volume increased 42% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
19.4 minutes
Drive Alone
72.2%
Carpool
11.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.0%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
2.5%

Based on 2,564 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 Lake City sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,001/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
45.5 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Princeton
4,988 people
Circle Pines
4,980 people
Redwood Falls
5,075 people
Becker
4,958 people
Morris
5,092 people
Lindstrom
4,933 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake City's 5,021 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Ellisburg, NJ
5,021 people
Munroe Falls, OH
5,019 people
Cheraw, SC
5,024 people
Kenneth City, FL
5,025 people
Wright City, MO
5,025 people
Hudson, TX
5,017 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake City's $76,125 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lake Belvedere Estates, FL
$76,125 median income
Waterville, NY
$76,125 median income
Gleed, WA
$76,125 median income
Gratis, OH
$76,131 median income
Fields Landing, CA
$76,116 median income
Weissport East, PA
$76,116 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake City, 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 Lake City, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.2% White 93.4% Black or African American 1.0% Asian 1.6% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 3.6% 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 Lake City 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
Lake City (this city) 5,021 $76,125
Princeton 4,988 $52,450
Circle Pines 4,980 $96,477
Redwood Falls 5,075 $61,947
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake City, MN?

What is the population of Lake City, MN? +

Lake City, MN has a population of 5,021 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Lake City, the typical household earns $76,125 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lake City; 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 Lake City, MN safe? +

Lake City has a total crime rate of 974.6 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 Lake City, MN? +

Lake City's median home value sits at $234,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, 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.