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Minnesota›Dakota County
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Sunfish LakeMN

A town of 522.

Population
522
2025 Census estimate · −0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$1.25M
+5.1% in a year
Household income
$236K
median
Median age
50.0
years
Jobs based here
1
A commuter town

Is Sunfish Lake a good place to live?

73% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Sunfish Lake, against 33% in Minnesota’s towns and 29% across U.S. towns. No town among the 232 in Minnesota we compare has a higher value of a typical home than Sunfish Lake. The biggest park or preserve is Musser Park, at 20 acres. Sunfish Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

Small town

522 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

Nearby towns
West St. Paul · 2 miMendota Heights · 2 miSouth St. Paul · 3 miLilydale · 3 miInver Grove Heights · 3 miMendota · 4 mi
Inver Grove HeightsWest St. PaulInver Grove HeightsWest St. PaulSunfish Lake
Nearby attractions

U.S. Bank Stadium and 70 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Sunfish Lake. Close and well known come first.

All 77 attractions →
Big draw11 mi Stadium & arenaU.S. Bank Stadium5 mi Stadium & arenaGrand Casino Arena10 mi Stadium & arenaHuntington Bank Stadium12 mi Stadium & arenaTarget Field5 mi LandmarkFort Snelling8 mi Theme parkNickelodeon Universe
Sources: 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 · Grand Casino Arena: AlexiusHoratius, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Huntington Bank Stadium: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Target Field: Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Fort Snelling: en:User:The Statue With The Dictionary, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nickelodeon Universe: Tyler Vigen, CC BY 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Sunfish Lake: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Sunfish Lake, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerXcel Energy17.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterSaint Paul Regional Water Services1 health-based violation in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNearest public drop-offSouth Saint Paul Compost Site, 4 miOpenStreetMap
SchoolsWest St. Paul-Mendota Heights-EaganWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereDakota County ElectionsDakota County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP codes55118, 5507755118 92% · 55077 8%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 Sunfish Lake.

Housing

Sunfish Lake’s typical home value is about $1.25M

Only 9 of the 274 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher home-ownership rate than Sunfish Lake.

$1.25MZillow home value

Typical home value

Sunfish Lake$1.25M
Minnesota$349K
+5.1%
value change, 1 year
1
homes sold in May
Full pageSunfish Lake’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsUp 5.1% in a yearYears of income to buyA typical home costs 5.3 years of incomeRentsRentsVs. the neighbors2 bordering towns

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Work & commute

Sunfish Lake stands out in Minnesota and nationally, with the median household income higher than most

1.7% of Sunfish Lake residents live below the poverty line, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 7% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Its mean commuting time is 19 minutes. The top destinations are St. Paul (18%), Minneapolis (13%) and Eagan (9%). The median commute is under 10 miles.

0%work in town
Sunfish LakeMinnesota townsU.S. towns
Median household income$236,000$90,000$80,000
Average trip to work19 minutes23 minutes25 minutes
Below the poverty line1.7%7%9.6%

Where working residents work

In Sunfish Lake0%
St. Paul18%
Minneapolis13%
Eagan9%
Edina6%
10 mi
median commute distance
1
jobs based in Sunfish Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Full pageSunfish Lake’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here1 job based here · A commuter townWhere people work0% work in Sunfish LakeCommute times19 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 10 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazards

The biggest natural risk in Sunfish Lake is inland flooding, at a low overall level

Expected losses in Sunfish Lake break down as 40% from inland flooding and 25% from tornadoes. The FEMA hazard score for Sunfish Lake comes to 29 of 100.

29risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
29Low riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
Full pageSunfish Lake’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesLow riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters14 disaster declarations · Declared for the countyGet ready1 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

The climate in Sunfish Lake brings snowy winters and pleasant summers

In July, afternoons reach 82°; in January, nights fall to 7°, and about 51 inches of snow falls in a winter.

51″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter11–26°
Spring36–55°
Summer61–80°
Fall39–57°
Oct 12
typical first frost
Apr 25
typical last frost
+1.4°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageSunfish Lake’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 82°, January lows 7°Rain & snow51″ of snow a winter · 33 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingMostly a heating billThen and now+1.4° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Health

How healthy Sunfish Lake is

Among adults in Sunfish Lake, 27% sleep under 7 hours. The town beats the Minnesota average on 7 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. In Sunfish Lake, 28% of adults feel lonely, and 14% report frequent mental distress.

Sunfish LakeMinnesota townsU.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%
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)8.5%11%14%
32 measures vs. Minnesota
7 better22 too close to call3 worse
What stands outSunfish LakeMN
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity6.7%9.3%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity8.5%11.4%
More adults who have had cancer9.9%8.5%
Allina United Hospital
4.9 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
Full pageSunfish Lake’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer adults sleeping under 7 hoursHospitals & doctors nearby4.9 miles to an ER · Allina United HospitalHow adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional supportEvery CDC estimateBetter than MN on 7 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

Outdoors

Conservation land takes up 3% of Sunfish Lake

For Sunfish Lake, the density of trails is 0.1 miles per square mile. Trails total 0.2 miles in 2 parks and preserves.

3%conserved
Sunfish LakeMinnesota townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile0.1 miles per square mile0.50.4
Conserved land3%4.7%4.3%
3%
conserved · 32 of 1,061 acres
0.2 mi
of trails · 0.1 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Musser Park0.2 mi20
2. Harmon Park—6
Full pageSunfish Lake’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map0.2 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk0.2 miles of trail · Musser ParkConserved land3% conserved · 32 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Sunfish Lake?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Sunfish Lake

16pages on Sunfish Lake
The big questions
HealthBetter than MN on 7 of 32 CDC measuresCost of living$1.25M typical home · up 5.1% in a yearWork & commute$236K median household income · 1 jobs hereNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 29% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
Outdoors0 mi of trails · 3% conserved landPlacesAttractions77 nearby · Mississippi National River and Recreation Area 3 miLibraryWest St. Paul: Wentworth Comm LibraryCollegesInver Hills Community College is 3.4 mi away
The story
Town Hall & politicsClimate82° summer highs · 51″ of snow
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookTown SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

27 within 15 miles of the center of Sunfish Lake

Inver Hills Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Inver Grove Heights3.4 mi$6,146 in-state tuitionMitchell Hamline School of LawUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Saint Paul5.4 miMetropolitan State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Paul5.9 mi$9,840 in-state tuition

About 3 of every 100 Sunfish Lake residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A commuter town

100% of working residents leave Sunfish Lake for work

Where Sunfish Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.

18% → St. Paul St. Paul 18% 13% → Minneapolis Minneapolis 13% 9% → Eagan Eagan 9% 6% → Edina Edina 6% 4% → Mendota Heights Mendota Heights 4% 3% → West St. Paul West St. Paul 3% Sunfish Lake · 0% stay
1jobs based in Sunfish Lake
0%of working residents work in town
10 mimedian commute distance

Census LEHD 2023

Questions about Sunfish Lake

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Sunfish Lake, MN a good place to live?

Sunfish Lake has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.