Foreston Hotel, 1912
Foreston’s story
137 years in pictures
Census counts: 287 in 1890, 559 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 1912 and 3 maps from 1968 on.
- 1889Foreston is settled
ForestonMN
A town of 581, settled in 1889.
Population
581
2025 Census estimate · +4.1% since 2020
Typical home
$353K
+2.2% in a year
Household income
$92K
median
Median age
34.6
years
Jobs based here
221
Balanced
Is Foreston a good place to live?
33% of residents are under 18 in Foreston, above both Minnesota’s towns (23%) and U.S. towns (22%). Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 4 have a lower share of residents 65 or older than Foreston. Foreston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
581 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Milaca TownshipMilo TownshipForeston
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Foreston: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Foreston, and how to reach them.
PowerEast Central Energy17.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterForeston water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Foreston’s trash rules yet
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 hereMille Lacs County CourthouseMille Lacs County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code5633056330 100%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 Foreston.
Climate
In Foreston, expect snowy winters and pleasant summers
Foreston has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. At 81°F, Foreston’s July high is where Minnesota’s towns sit at 82°F and U.S. towns at 85°F.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–24°
Spring32–54°
Summer57–79°
Fall36–55°
Oct 1
typical first frost
May 8
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Most of Foreston’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
Most working residents leave Foreston for work: only 1% work in town. Foreston’s average trip to work is 33 minutes. The top destinations are Milaca (10%), Princeton (9%) and St.
1%work in town
| Foreston | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 33 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.5% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Median household income | $92,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 7% | 9.6% |
Where working residents work
In Foreston1%
Milaca10%
Princeton9%
St. Cloud7%
Elk River4%
26 mi
median commute distance
221
jobs based in Foreston
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Foreston is
Foreston beats the Minnesota average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 21% of adults binge drink in Foreston.
| Foreston | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 71% | 75% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 14% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 9.3% | 10% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
1 better27 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Foreston | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 7.4% | 8.5% |
| More smokers | 17% | 13.1% |
Fairview Northland Regional Hospital
13.2 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Moderate risk in Foreston, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 55% of U.S. communities.
55risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
Homes in Foreston are worth about $353K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Foreston home is worth about $353,000, up 2.2% in a year, close to the Minnesota typical home. 86% of Foreston households own their home.
$353KZillow home value
| Foreston | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 86% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,278 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Foreston$353K
Minnesota$349K
+2.2%
value change, 1 year
2
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
0%conserved
0%
conserved · 0 of 921 acres
0.0 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Foreston Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Foreston
17pages on Foreston
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Foreston; the nearest are
Saint Cloud State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Cloud24.6 mi$10,245 in-state tuitionSt Cloud Technical and Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Saint Cloud24.8 mi$6,124 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Foreston residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Foreston
City in Minnesota, United States
Foreston is a city in Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 559 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.4 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,093 ft
- ZIP code
- 56330
- Area code
- 320
Questions about Foreston
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Foreston, MN a good place to live?
Foreston has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.