City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Lake Elmo, MN

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

12,504
Residents
$153,407
Median income
$588,900
Median home
$1,709
Median rent (state)

Lake Elmo - the verdict

Nationally, Lake Elmo sits in the 95th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

95th
percentile, household income
89th
percentile, home value
68th
percentile, median rent
📝 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 Elmo, MN

Lake Elmo is a small town in Minnesota, home to 12,504 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $153,407 per year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.8%. Home values in Lake Elmo run a median of $588,900, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. About 61.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 66.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 86 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 105% from five years earlier.

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

Population

12,504 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$153,407 /yr

Poverty 2.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Lake Elmo compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 95% higher than other cities
Home value 89% pricier than other cities
Median rent 68% pricier than other cities

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

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 Elmo'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.

95thIncome percentile

95th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Lake Elmo's home value compares nationally

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

$588,900 11th percentile more affordable than 11% 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%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). This entry sits in this band. $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 Elmo $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 Elmo, MN Lake Elmo, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lake Elmo, 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 Elmo, MN median $153,407/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 Elmo, 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 Elmo, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 61.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 66.1%

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

Population
12,504
Median Income
$153,407
Median Home Value
$588,900
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Labor force participation
66.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
61.7%

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
11,000 residents12,000 residents13,000 residents14,000 residents15,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,347 residents 14,376 residents ▲ +26.7%
Lake Elmo's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
86
housing units authorized
Single-Family
86
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
6.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 42
2020 651
2021 273
2022 187
2023 171
2024 86

Permit volume increased 105% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
57.1%
Carpool
6.3%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
34.5%
Other
1.3%

Based on 6,198 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 Elmo 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

North St. Paul
12,511 people
Cloquet
12,582 people
Vadnais Heights
12,789 people
St. Peter
12,085 people
Mounds View
12,992 people
East Bethel
11,995 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Elmo's 12,504 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Freehold, NJ
12,504 people
Haddonfield, NJ
12,502 people
Ridge, NY
12,506 people
Baraboo, WI
12,506 people
Winnetka, IL
12,508 people
Lake Norman of Iredell, NC
12,496 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lake Elmo's $153,407 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Ladera Heights, CA
$153,403 median income
St. Peter, WI
$153,400 median income
Carman, IL
$153,419 median income
East Northport, NY
$153,380 median income
Halesite, NY
$153,375 median income
No Name, CO
$153,361 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lake Elmo, 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 Elmo, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4.0% White 87.0% Black or African American 1.4% Asian 3.8% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.5% Two or more races 4.3% 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 Elmo 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 Elmo (this city) 12,504 $153,407
North St. Paul 12,511 $81,641
Cloquet 12,582 $63,854
Vadnais Heights 12,789 $91,946
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lake Elmo, MN?

What is the population of Lake Elmo, MN? +

Lake Elmo, MN counts 12,504 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

In Lake Elmo, the typical household earns $153,407 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lake Elmo? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lake Elmo; 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.

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

A typical home in Lake Elmo is worth $588,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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