City profile · Minnesota · Census ACS 2023

Lester Prairie, MN

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

1,848
Residents
$87,188
Median income
$217,000
Median home
$999
Median rent (state)

Lester Prairie - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Lester Prairie places in the 68th percentile for household income and the 94th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

68th
percentile, household income
48th
percentile, home value
19th
percentile, median rent
94th
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: Lester Prairie, MN

Lester Prairie is a small town in Minnesota, home to 1,848 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Lester Prairie brings in $87,188 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.7%. Lester Prairie's housing stock carries a median value of $217,000, and the median resident age is 36.1 years. 15.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 75.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 0 residential units were authorized in 2024 (No Permits), down 100% from five years earlier. Lester Prairie reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 262.9 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

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 $999 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $225 across Minnesota, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 46.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Low).

Population

1,848 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Minnesota

Median Household Income

$87,188 /yr

Poverty 5.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

98.6 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Minnesota average

How does Lester Prairie compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 68% higher than other cities
Home value 48% pricier than other cities
Median rent 19% pricier than other cities
Safety 94% 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: Lester Prairie ranks #37 of 229 Minnesota cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Lester Prairie against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Minnesota only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Minnesota-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher sits close to the middle of Minnesota's city distribution

Among the 784 Minnesota cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Lester Prairie ranks #541 - the 31st percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lester Prairie only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#204 of 775
74th percentile in Minnesota
Median Gross Rent
#476 of 785
38th percentile in Minnesota
Median Home Value
#284 of 774
63rd percentile in Minnesota
Poverty Rate
#369 of 785
52nd percentile in Minnesota
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#541 of 784
31st percentile in Minnesota

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Minnesota only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

68thIncome percentile
94thSafety percentile

68th percentile nationally for median household income · 94th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lester Prairie's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lester Prairie'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 76 Avg. percentile National median
Lester Prairie'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 Lester Prairie's home value compares nationally

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

$217,000 Among the most affordable more affordable than 52% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $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. Lester Prairie $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 - Lester Prairie, MN Lester Prairie, MN's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lester Prairie, 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 Lester Prairie, MN median $87,188/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%
Lester Prairie, 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 Lester Prairie, MN. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 15.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 75.6%

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

Population
1,848
Median Income
$87,188
Median Home Value
$217,000
Median Age
36.1
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Labor force participation
75.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
15.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
262.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
262.9
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.

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 →
1,870 residents1,880 residents1,890 residents1,900 residents1,910 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,897 residents 1,881 residents ▼ -0.8%
Lester Prairie's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

Total Permits (2024)
0
housing units authorized
Single-Family
0
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 4
2021 7
2022 3
2023 2
2024 0

Permit volume decreased 100% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.5%
Carpool
9.4%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
4.6%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
0.7%

Based on 1,011 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 Lester Prairie sits in

Cost of Living Index
98.6
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$999/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
46.6 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Minnesota

Ada
1,834 people
Mountain Lake
1,833 people
Howard Lake
1,864 people
Spring Park
1,869 people
Tracy
1,869 people
Dundas
1,882 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lester Prairie's 1,848 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Yosemite Valley, CA
1,848 people
South Connellsville, PA
1,848 people
Springerville, AZ
1,847 people
Sterling, GA
1,849 people
Orion, IL
1,849 people
Hamilton, IN
1,849 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lester Prairie's $87,188 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Galena, MD
$87,188 median income
Mayview, MO
$87,188 median income
Houghton, NY
$87,188 median income
Lequire, OK
$87,188 median income
Marquez, TX
$87,188 median income
Hatley, WI
$87,188 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lester Prairie, 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 Lester Prairie, MN - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.6% 10.4% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.6% White 86.6% Black or African American 0.4% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 1.5% Two or more races 10.4% 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 Lester Prairie 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
Lester Prairie (this city) 1,848 $87,188
Ada 1,834 $67,857
Mountain Lake 1,833 $59,115
Howard Lake 1,864 $99,464
Census ACS 5-year FIPS MN FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lester Prairie, MN?

What is the population of Lester Prairie, MN? +

Lester Prairie, MN counts 1,848 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lester Prairie, MN? +

The median household income in Lester Prairie is $87,188 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lester Prairie? +

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

Lester Prairie has a total crime rate of 262.9 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 Lester Prairie, MN? +

A typical home in Lester Prairie is worth $217,000, 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

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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.