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The Big Lake handbook

Living in Big Lake, MN: what to set up and who to call

Big Lake has no town government of its own, so Carlton County runs its elections and most services, and its children attend Carlton Public School District. For emergencies, Big Lake is closest to Community Memorial Hospital, 8.5 miles away.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes
Big Lake has no town government. It’s a census-designated place in Carlton County, so the county and regional agencies provide most services. This page answers what we can; the same answers appear on Big Lake’s town page under “Getting set up”.

I’m new in town

What to set up in Big Lake, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerMinnesota Powerinvestor-owned utility · 15.9¢/kWhMore →Internet4 providers95% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Big Lake’s trash rules yetMore →SchoolCarlton Public School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code55720Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Big Lake.

Electricity

Power comes from Minnesota Power

Minnesota Power (ALLETE, Inc.), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Big Lake. Its homes paid an average of 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025, about $107 a month (its average across Minnesota).

Start or move service: mnpower.com · (218) 722-2625

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

4 home internet providers serve Big Lake

95% of 277 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 95% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
Fond du Lac CommunicationsFiber95%1,000/1,000
CenturyLinkDSL6%10/1
T-MobileFixed wireless50%100/20
VerizonFixed wireless5%25/6

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Big Lake’s trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Big Lake.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileBig Lake has no town government of its own, so look for trash and recycling rules on the county’s site.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Big Lake kids go to
PK–43 elementary schoolsDepends on your address
5–122 schoolsDepends on your address

Most of Big Lake (60%) is in Carlton Public School District; parts are in Cloquet Public School District (40%).

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

No town hall: the county runs things

Big Lake is unincorporated, so Carlton County is the local government.

Local governmentCarlton CountyBig Lake is a census-designated place: no town hall of its ownCensus
Who runs elections hereCarlton County AuditorElections here are run by Carlton County (county election office). 301 Walnut Ave, PO Box 130, Carlton, MN 55718-0130 · (218) 384-9127 · [email protected]FVAP, Sep 2024
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govCheck your registration and polling placemnvotes.sos.state.mn.usThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2024; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Big Lake is in ZIP code 55720

ZIP codes where Big Lake residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of Big LakeZIP’s residents in Big Lake
55720Cloquet, MN100%3%

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomCommunity Memorial Hospital8.5 miles awayGet a library cardCloquet Public Library320 14th St. · (218) 879-1531

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Big Lake

Who provides electricity in Big Lake?

Minnesota Power (ALLETE, Inc.), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 15.9¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).

What internet providers serve Big Lake?

Fond du Lac Communications, CenturyLink, T-Mobile, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Big Lake?

55720. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Big Lake in?

Carlton Public School District. Parts of the city are in Cloquet Public School District.

How do I register to vote in Big Lake?

In Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before). Elections here are run by the Carlton County Auditor. Check your registration at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.