Plane Trails Over, 2008
Prior Lake’s story
154 years in pictures
Census counts: 148 in 1900, 27,617 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1957 on.
- 1872Prior Lake is settled
Photo: Jeanqueq · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
28,140
2025 Census estimate · +1.9% since 2020
Typical home
$529K
+1.8% in a year
Household income
$134K
median
Median age
39.6
years
Jobs based here
7,245
A commuter town
TownGrade
A
#74 of 271 in MN
Is Prior Lake a good place to live?
Prior Lake's standout: the median household earns $134K. Overall it grades A, 74th of 271 graded towns in Minnesota. Its schools rank ahead of 91% of Minnesota towns and it is healthier than 91% of U.S. towns. 11% of the land in Prior Lake is conserved, against 4.6% in Minnesota’s towns and 4.3% across U.S. towns. Only 39 of Minnesota’s 575 towns score higher on the outdoors. The biggest place to walk is Spring Lake Regional Park, 367 acres with 1.1 miles of trail.
What makes Prior Lake stand out
Where Prior Lake beats most towns.
A growing town
Prior Lake has grown 23% since 2010
22,796 counted in 2010 and 27,617 in 2020; an estimated 28,140 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Prior Lake grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Prior Lake is from typical.
Jobs & income7,245 jobs based hereA+Open →SchoolsAOpen →HealthSt. Francis Regional Medical Center 4.4 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingCOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.6 of 20; 2.9% of households have no car; 2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →SafetyBOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors10 miles of trailsAOpen →History4 notable people born hereC−Open →Civic life3.4 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market30 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 39.6; 52% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 78 attractions →U.S. Bank Stadium and 70 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Prior Lake. Close and well known come first.
Big draw19 mi Stadium & arenaU.S. Bank Stadium
5 mi Theme parkValleyfair
19 mi Stadium & arenaTarget Field
20 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Stadium
23 mi Stadium & arenaGrand Casino Arena
13 mi Theme parkNickelodeon UniverseSources: 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 · Valleyfair: https://www.flickr.com/photos/clumpinglitter/, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Target Field: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Huntington Bank Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Grand Casino Arena: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nickelodeon Universe: Tyler Vigen, CC BY 4.0
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Prior Lake: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Prior Lake, and how to reach them.
PowerMinnesota Valley Electric Coop14.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPrior Lake water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet10 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpHire your ownNo town pickup: you hire a private haulerTown 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 hereScott County ElectionsScott County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Sep 2017
ZIP codes55372, 5537955372 95% · 55379 5%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 Prior Lake.
Prior Lake owes part of its health edge to its incomes, has household incomes well above the Minnesota norm and has cooler summers than most of the country, though not than most of Minnesota.
SchoolsA
Prior Lake’s grade for schools is an A
Its public schools are run by the Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools. Three of its 14 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
91%of MN districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior Lake-Savage Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 2,025 | B |
| Prior Lake-Savage Area ALCLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 75 | D |
| Jeffers Pond ElementaryTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 487 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
HealthA
Prior Lake’s grade for health is an A
Against the 4,122 U.S. towns with household incomes like Prior Lake’s, it is healthier than 71%, a smaller edge than it has nationally: part of it comes with its incomes.
27% of Prior Lake adults sleep under 7 hours, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 30% and U.S. towns at 36%. 28% of Prior Lake adults feel lonely. Prior Lake beats the Minnesota average on 12 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0.
91%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Prior Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 30% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 16% | 17% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 12% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
12 better20 too close to call0 worse
| What stands out | Prior Lake | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.8% | 11.4% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 6.1% | 8.9% |
St. Francis Regional Medical Center
4.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
83rd
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
HousingCost of living grade C
The typical home in Prior Lake is valued at about $529K
60.7% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 48.1% across Minnesota.
The typical Prior Lake home is worth about $529,000, up 1.8% in a year, 52% above the Minnesota typical home. Prior Lake’s median rent is $1,654 a month.
$529KZillow home value
| Prior Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,654 a month | $1,192 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 86% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Prior Lake$529K
Minnesota$349K
Market temperature
30
days on market
98.7%
sale-to-list price
+1.8%
value change, 1 year
50
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
#120for trails in MN
11.4%
conserved · 1,418 of 12,422 acres
9.8 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Spring Lake Regional Park | 1.1 mi | 367 |
| 2. Lakefront Park | 0.5 mi | 140 |
| 3. Prior Lake | — | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A+
With 0.5 jobs for every working resident, most of Prior Lake’s workers commute out
Most working residents leave Prior Lake for work: only 10% work in town. 25% of workers work from home in Prior Lake. The top destinations are Minneapolis (9%), Eden Prairie (7%) and Bloomington (7%).
10%work in town
| Prior Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 25% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $134,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 7.1% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Prior Lake10%
Minneapolis9%
Eden Prairie7%
Bloomington7%
Shakopee7%
12 mi
median commute distance
7,245
jobs based in Prior Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 62% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Prior Lake has snowy winters and pleasant summers
July afternoons average 82.3°: cooler than most of the country, but hotter than 85% of Minnesota places with climate records; January nights average 7°.
Prior Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The January low in Prior Lake is 7°F. About 55 inches of snow falls in a winter.
55″snow a winter
| Prior Lake | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 7°F | 6°F | 22°F |
| July high | 82°F | 82°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter10–26°
Spring36–55°
Summer61–80°
Fall39–57°
Oct 14
typical first frost
Apr 23
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
57%of U.S. towns report more crimeBSafety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Prior Lake1.4
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Prior Lake10.1
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
57th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
55th
percentile among MN towns
38
violent crimes reported in 2025
283
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Prior Lake
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 46 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Prior Lake.
52risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingStrong windTornadoes
46
paid flood claims since 1979
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Prior Lake
20pages on Prior Lake
The big questions
SchoolsABeat 91% of MN districts · 14 schoolsSafetyB1.4 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than MN on 12 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$529K typical home · up 1.8% in a yearWork & commuteA+$134K median household income · 7,245 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 52% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
5 within 15 miles of the center of Prior Lake
Bethany Global UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bloomington5.9 mi$11,000 tuitionNormandale Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Bloomington9 mi$6,329 in-state tuitionNorthwestern Health Sciences UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Bloomington10.7 mi$12,015 tuition
About 4 of every 100 Prior Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
90% of working residents leave Prior Lake for work
Where Prior Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
7,245jobs based in Prior Lake
10%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Famous people from Prior Lake
4 notable people were born in Prior Lake.
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About Prior Lake
City in Minnesota, United States
Prior Lake is an exurban city 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Minneapolis, next to Savage and Shakopee in Scott County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Surrounding the shores of Lower and Upper Prior Lake, the city is south of the Minnesota River in an area known as RiverSouth and establishes the urban fringe of the south-southwest portion of Minneapolis-St. Paul, the 16th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The population was 27,617 at the 2020 census. Prior Lake was incorporated as a village in 1891. It is one of the oldest cities in the south metro area. The city's modern rapid growth is due in part to the ease of access for commuters to the rest of the region, via the upgraded …
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1891
- Area
- 19 sq mi
- Elevation
- 948 ft
- ZIP code
- 55372
- Area code
- 952
Prior Lake’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Prior Lake.
It grades higher overall than all 3 graded towns on its borders; Savage (A−) comes closest.
Spring Lake TownshipShakopeeSavageCredit RiverPrior Lake
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prior Lake | #74 | A | C | B | A | A |
| Spring Lake Township | #154 | B+ | C− | — | A | A− |
| Shakopee | #150 | B+ | C+ | B− | B+ | A− |
| Savage | #133 | A− | C− | B+ | B | A |
| Credit River | — | — | C+ | — | A | — |
Spring Lake Township and Credit River report no FBI crime data of their own. Credit River isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Prior Lake with a neighbor →
Questions about Prior Lake
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Prior Lake, MN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Prior Lake grades A overall, better than 90% of U.S. towns and #74 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades A for health, B for safety and A for schools.
Is Prior Lake, MN expensive?
That is 5.3 years of the area's median household income ($99,833 across the Minneapolis-St. 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 Prior Lake, MN known for?
4 notable people were born here, including Tiffany Stratton and John Roach.