Eastern Screech-Owl, 2006
Forest Lake’s story
157 years in pictures
Census counts: 46 in 1880, 20,611 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 2006 and 3 maps from 1955 on.
- 1869Forest Lake is settled
Forest LakeMN
Trash day: look up yours6 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Lectrician2 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
20,952
2025 Census estimate · +1.6% since 2020
Typical home
$428K
+3.5% in a year
Household income
$93K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
7,247
A commuter town
TownGrade
B+
#168 of 271 in MN
Is Forest Lake a good place to live?
Forest Lake is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades B+ overall, ranked 168th of 271 in Minnesota, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is health: it is healthier than 79% of U.S. towns. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $93K. Its lowest everyday mark is in cost of living: the typical home is worth about $428K, 4.3 years of the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income. The biggest park or preserve is Hardwood Creek Wildlife Management Area, at 579 acres. Forest Lake’s January low is 5°F, close to Minnesota’s towns (6°F) and below U.S. towns (22°F). Forest Lake is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 68% of U.S. towns.
What makes Forest Lake stand out
Where Forest Lake beats most towns.
A growing town
Forest Lake has grown 14% since 2010
18,375 counted in 2010 and 20,611 in 2020; an estimated 20,952 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Forest Lake grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Forest Lake is from typical.
HealthFairview Lakes Health Services 5.1 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.6 of 20; 3.8% of households have no car; 3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →SchoolsBOpen →Cost of livingC+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →SafetyB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors7 miles of trailsB+Open →History5 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life5.1 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 72 attractions →U.S. Bank Stadium and 69 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Forest Lake. Close and well known come first.
Big draw24 mi Stadium & arenaU.S. Bank Stadium
23 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Stadium
24 mi Stadium & arenaTarget Field
22 mi Stadium & arenaGrand Casino Arena
23 mi Stadium & arenaAllianz Field
22 mi MuseumMinnesota State CapitolSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
U.S. Bank Stadium: Darb02, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Huntington Bank Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Target Field: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Grand Casino Arena: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Allianz Field: Andy Witchger, CC BY 2.0 · Minnesota State Capitol: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Forest Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Forest Lake, and how to reach them.
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterForest Lake water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet7 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
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 hereWashington County Government CenterWashington County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5502555025 99%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 Forest Lake.
HealthA−
For health, Forest Lake earns an A−
27% of adults sleep under 7 hours in Forest Lake. Forest Lake tracks Minnesota closely on all 32 CDC measures. 30% of adults feel lonely in Forest Lake.
79%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Forest Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 12% | 14% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 31% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better32 too close to call0 worse
Fairview Lakes Health Services
5.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
61st
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SchoolsB
Forest Lake’s public schools outperform 64% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Forest Lake Public School District. Two of its 17 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
64%of MN districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Lake Area Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 7–8 | Grades 7–8 | 916 | B− |
| Forest Lake Area High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,805 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Forest Lake has 0.7 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Forest Lake for work: only 14% work in town. Jobs based in Forest Lake grew to 7,247 in 2023, 1,212 more than in 2013. 18% of Forest Lake workers work from home.
14%work in town
| Forest Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 18% | 14% | 11% |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 9.7% | 8% |
| Median household income | $93,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Forest Lake14%
Minneapolis10%
St. Paul9%
Edina4%
Blaine3%
21 mi
median commute distance
7,247
jobs based in Forest Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 68% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade C+
For cost of living, Forest Lake earns a C+
The typical Forest Lake home is worth about $428,000, up 3.5% in a year, 23% above the Minnesota typical home. Forest Lake’s median rent is $1,421 a month.
$428KZillow home value
| Forest Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,421 a month | $1,192 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 73% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Forest Lake$428K
Minnesota$349K
Market temperature
22
days on market
99.4%
sale-to-list price
+3.5%
value change, 1 year
31
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Forest Lake has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Forest Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 82°, January nights drop to 5° and about 52 inches of snow falls in a winter.
52″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter9–26°
Spring34–55°
Summer59–80°
Fall38–57°
Oct 5
typical first frost
May 3
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsB+
6% of Forest Lake is conserved land
6.6 miles of trail in 18 parks and preserves. The trail density in Forest Lake is 0.2 miles per square mile.
#193for trails in MN
| Forest Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.5 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 6% | 4.6% | 4.3% |
6%
conserved · 1,348 of 22,580 acres
6.6 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lakeside Park | 0.5 mi | 3 |
| 2. Hardwood Creek Wildlife Management Area | — | 579 |
| 3. Bixby Park | — | 60 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Who lives here
An age mix much like Minnesota’s
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Minnesota average. 35% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 39% across Minnesota.
39.6median age · MN 38.8
| Forest Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 35% | 33% | 29% |
| Aged 65 or older | 17% | 18% | 18% |
Forest LakeMinnesotaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
14%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma5%
High school26%
Some college21%
Associate’s12%
Bachelor’s24%
Graduate12%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±1.9 points. Across Minnesota, 49.9% of residents are women. Median age: women 39.9, men 39.0.
| Forest Lake | MN | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.2% | 12.1% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 13% | 10.7% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.8% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 12% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 14% | 13.5% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.3% | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.8% | 12.9% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.7% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 7% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.4% | 6.1% | 10.4% |
| High school | 25.6% | 23.3% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.4% | 19.5% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.1% | 11.8% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.7% | 25.6% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.7% | 13.8% | 14.1% |
U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Forest Lake
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 54% of U.S. communities.
54risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
SafetyB−
Less crime per resident in Forest Lake than in 51% of U.S. towns
Reported crimes fell from 386 to 249 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings. Violent crime is rare: 11 reported in 2025, 0.5 per 1,000 residents.
51%of U.S. towns report more crimeB−Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Forest Lake0.5
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Forest Lake11.5
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
51st
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
45th
percentile among MN towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
238
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Forest Lake
20pages on Forest Lake
The big questions
SchoolsBBeat 64% of MN districts · 17 schoolsSafetyB−0.5 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than MN on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC+$428K typical home · up 3.5% in a yearWork & commuteA−$93K median household income · 7,247 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 54% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Forest Lake
Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate SchoolUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Center City11.6 miCentury CollegeCommunity college · Public · White Bear Lake14.5 mi$6,214 in-state tuition
About 5 of every 100 Forest Lake residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Minnesota.
A commuter town
86% of working residents leave Forest Lake for work
Where Forest Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7,247jobs based in Forest Lake
14%of working residents work in town
21 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Forest Lake
5 notable people were born in Forest Lake.
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About Forest Lake
City in Minnesota, United States
Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States, located 27 miles northeast of Saint Paul, and 29 miles northeast of Minneapolis. The population was 20,611 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1874
- Area
- 36 sq mi
- Elevation
- 912 ft
- ZIP code
- 55025
- Area code
- 651
Forest Lake’s neighbors
6 towns share a border with Forest Lake.
All 6 graded towns on its borders grade higher than its B+; Columbus (B+) is closest.
ScandiaHugoColumbusWyomingChisago CityChisago Lake TownshipForest Lake
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Lake | #168 | B+ | C+ | B− | B | A− |
| Scandia | #152 | B+ | C+ | — | B | A− |
| Hugo | #127 | A− | C | — | B+ | A |
| Columbus | #158 | B+ | C | — | B | A− |
| Wyoming | #41 | A | B | A− | B+ | A |
| Chisago City | #140 | A− | C+ | — | A− | B+ |
| Chisago Lake Township | #103 | A− | B− | — | A− | A− |
Scandia, Hugo, Columbus, Chisago City and Chisago Lake Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Forest Lake with a neighbor →
Questions about Forest Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Forest Lake, MN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Forest Lake grades B+ overall, better than 69% of U.S. towns and #168 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A− for health, B− for safety and B for schools.
Is Forest Lake, MN expensive?
Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
What is Forest Lake, MN known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Molly Holly and Jack Trudeau.