Big Lake Watertower, 2010
Big Lake Township’s story
Big Lake Township in pictures
Census counts: 177 in 1900, 11,686 in 2020. The archive holds 5 old photos and papers going back to 2010 and 3 maps from 1961 on.
Explore the history →
Big Lake TownshipMN
A town of 8,283 in Minnesota.
6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: KAM32296 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
8,283
2025 Census estimate · +4.6% since 2020
Median home value
$405K
Census ACS
Household income
$123K
median
Median age
38.6
years
Jobs based here
488
A commuter town
TownGrade
A−
#106 of 271 in MN
Is Big Lake Township a good place to live?
One weak subject stands out against an otherwise good record. Incomes are its strong suit: the median household earns $123K. It is strong on schools as well: its public schools beat 86% of Minnesota towns on state tests and graduation. What holds it back is walkability (C−). Most errands need a car: it is less walkable than 81% of U.S. towns. Hazard risk is weaker too — FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 63% of U.S. communities, with inland flooding at the top. A typical home there costs about $405K, 4.1 years of the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income. The overall grade lands at A−, 106th of 271 in Minnesota. Nationally, it does better than 82% of U.S. towns.
Figures: incomes, Census ACS, 2020–24 · schools, state test and graduation results · FEMA National Risk Index · home values, Zillow.
A commuter town
99% of working residents leave Big Lake Township for work
Where Big Lake Township’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
488jobs based in Big Lake Township
1%of working residents work in town
23 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Big Lake Township grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Big Lake Township is from typical.
Jobs & incomeBased on what households earn, poverty and workAOpen →SchoolsSchools rank among the strongest comparedAOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 4.7 of 20; 2.2% of households have no car; 1.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC−Open →HealthCentracare Health - Monticello 4.2 miles awayA−Open →Hazard riskInland flooding tops the listCOpen →Cost of livingBased on what homes cost against what households earnC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 0% conserved landDOpen →HistoryBased on listed places, the town’s age and notable peopleDOpen →Civic life0.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Big Lake Township: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Big Lake Township, and how to reach them.
PowerConnexus Energy14.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBig Lake water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet8 providers93% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Big Lake Township’s trash rules yet
SchoolsBig Lake Public School DistrictElk River School District2 districts serve Big Lake Township; which school depends on your address and gradeNCES
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.govWho runs elections hereSherburne County AuditorSherburne County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP codes55309, 55330, 5530855309 58% · 55330 41% · 55308 1%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Big Lake Township.
Big Lake Township sends most of its workers to Minneapolis and beyond and owes part of its health edge to its incomes, but it has little public open land.
HealthA−
Big Lake Township is healthier than 78% of U.S. towns
Against the 5,293 U.S. towns with household incomes like Big Lake Township’s, it is less healthy than 52%: its national edge comes with its incomes.
Among adults in Big Lake Township, 38% have obesity, above both Minnesota’s towns (35%) and U.S. towns (35%). Of 32 CDC measures, Big Lake Township beats the Minnesota average on 9 and trails it on 2. For adults here, the share who binge drink is 22%.
78%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Big Lake Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
9 better21 too close to call2 worse
| What stands out | Big Lake Township | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4.7% | 5.9% |
| More binge drinkers | 22.4% | 17.8% |
Centracare Health - Monticello
4.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
60th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Compared with most of Minnesota and the rest of the country, fewer of Big Lake Township’s residents live below the poverty line
Big Lake Township has 488 jobs for its 4,296 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here fell from 1,018 in 2013 to 488.
Among workers in Big Lake Township, 18% work remotely from home, above both the Minnesota town median (14%) and the median of U.S. towns (11%). Jobs here fell by 530 from 2013 to 2023, to 488. Also worth knowing: the town’s typical journey to work stands at 31 minutes. Only 5 of the 273 Minnesota towns we compare have a lower share of working residents who work in town than Big Lake Township.
1%work in town
| Big Lake Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 31 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $123,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 1.1% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 1% | 9.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Big Lake Township1%
Minneapolis8%
Big Lake7%
Elk River7%
Monticello6%
23 mi
median commute distance
488
jobs based in Big Lake Township
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 19% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Big Lake Township: four seasons and pleasant summers
Its typical July afternoon high stands at 81°F.
36″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–25°
Spring34–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall37–56°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 4
typical last frost
+1.7°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C
High risk in Big Lake Township, with inland flooding at the top
Of the losses FEMA expects in Big Lake Township, 58% come from inland flooding and 14% from tornadoes.
63risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Who lives here
More middle-aged adults than Minnesota overall
Adults 35 to 64 are 43% of residents (38% statewide). 14% of Big Lake Township residents are 65 or older. This Minnesota town is growing: up 4.6% since 2020, to 8,283 residents (2025 estimate). A bachelor’s degree or higher: 36% of adults 25 and older, vs 39% across Minnesota.
38.6median age · MN 38.8
| Big Lake Township | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 14% | 18% | 18% |
| Under 18 | 24% | 23% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 33% | 29% |
| Median age | 38.6 years | 39.9 years | 40.5 years |
Big Lake TownshipMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
15%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma4%
High school26%
Some college19%
Associate’s16%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
50% women, 50% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±3 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women.
| Big Lake Township | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 11.2% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13.1% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 10.1% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 9% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 15.1% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 15.2% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.9% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 10% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 3.5% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 3.6% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.8% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 18.8% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 15.9% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.4% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.5% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
OutdoorsD
Conserved land covers 0.4% of Big Lake Township
Just 104 of its 25,434 acres are conserved, so there is little public open land in Big Lake Township itself; its outdoors grade is D.
The biggest park or preserve is Big Lake Township’s Lions Park, at 39 acres. Walkers can cover 0.8 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves here: 4, covering 62 acres.
0.4%conserved
0.4%
conserved · 104 of 25,434 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Big Lake Township’s Lions Park | — | 39 |
| 2. Bridgeview Park | 0.1 mi | 13 |
| 3. Big Lake River Oaks Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Big Lake Township
18pages on Big Lake Township
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Big Lake Township; the nearest are
Anoka Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Anoka16.9 mi$6,267 in-state tuitionSaint Cloud State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Cloud25.8 mi$10,245 in-state tuition
About 6 of every 100 Big Lake Township residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
About Big Lake Township
City in Minnesota, United States
Big Lake is a city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,686 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 7.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 938 ft
- ZIP code
- 55309
- Area code
- 763
Big Lake Township’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Big Lake Township.
OtsegoMonticello TownshipMonticelloElk RiverOrrock TownshipBecker TownshipBig Lake Township
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Lake Township | #106 | A− | C+ | — | A | A− |
| Otsego | #82 | A | C | — | A | A |
| Monticello Township | #52 | A | B | — | A | B+ |
| Monticello | #63 | A | B− | — | A | B+ |
| Elk River | #48 | A | B− | B+ | A | A− |
| Orrock Township | #141 | A− | B− | — | A− | B+ |
| Becker Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Big Lake Township, Otsego, Monticello Township, Monticello and Orrock Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Becker Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Big Lake Township with a neighbor →
Questions about Big Lake Township
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Big Lake Township, MN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Big Lake Township grades A− overall, better than 82% of U.S. towns and #106 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A− for health and A for schools. Walkability is its weak spot, with a C−.
Is Big Lake Township, MN expensive?
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.