Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Its National Register listings include Prospect House and First Baptist Church. Battle Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Battle Lake beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 420 in 1900, 857 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1929 and 2 maps from 1912 on.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Battle Lake, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Battle Lake.
Its two schools are below. Public schools: the Battle Lake Public School District. 2 public schools serve Battle Lake, with 414 students in all.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Battle Lake ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–6 | Grades K–6 | 230 | A− |
| Battle Lake SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 184 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts
Battle Lake’s FEMA hazard score stands at 21 of 100. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 59% come from inland flooding and 18% from cold waves. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 79% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
The share of households in Battle Lake who are owner-occupiers is 62%, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 75% and U.S. towns at 73%. Home values are up 8.8% over the year to September 2026. Also worth knowing: the town’s median rent comes in at $1,052 a month.
| Battle Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 62% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,052 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The July high for Battle Lake comes to 80°F, against 82°F in Minnesota’s towns and 85°F across U.S. towns.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Half commute less than 18 miles. In Battle Lake, the average trip to work is 20 minutes. Most people who work leave Battle Lake to do it: just 8% work in town. The top destinations are Fergus Falls (33%), Underwood (8%) and Perham (3%).
| Battle Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 6.5% | 7% | 9.6% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
3 crimes were reported in Battle Lake in 2025: 2 property and 1 violent. In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown.
Battle Lake is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Among adults in Battle Lake, 26% get no exercise outside work. Of 32 CDC measures, Battle Lake beats the Minnesota average on 11 and trails it on 8. Only 4 of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who had a checkup this year than Battle Lake.
| Battle Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 17% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 18% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 30% | 36% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 80% | 75% | 79% |
| What stands out | Battle Lake | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.2% | 9.3% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 8% | 11.4% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 14% | 8.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
None within 15 miles of Battle Lake; the nearest are
About 1 of every 100 Battle Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
City in Minnesota, United States
Battle Lake is a city in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 857 according to the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Battle Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. Home to 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
