United States › Minnesota › Big Lake CITY
Big Lake Minnesota · 12,929 residents (2025 est.) · 7.23 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Big Lake is a city of 12,367 people in Minnesota. The population has more than doubled since 2000, adding 6,304 people. 87% of homes are owner-occupied. This skews young, with a median age of 32.5. That puts it in the top 4% of US cities for household income. That is roughly 35% ahead of the Minnesota median.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
27% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 49%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,063 in 2000
12,929 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,710 / sq mi
+31%since 2009
from 1,302 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 28.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 5K 8K 11K 13K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Big Lake Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $120,549
+31%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $50,658 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $18,931 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 38.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.311 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 6.6%
Public administration 3.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Education & health services 1.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.7%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$330,200
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $121,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,340
+37%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $536 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 84.3% in 2000
13.1% rent
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 3.03 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 38.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 50.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.8%(5,811)
Hispanic / Latino 1.8%(109)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 83.5%(10,323)
Hispanic / Latino 7.1%(884)
from 30 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 13.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 88.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 24.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 86.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 82.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 34.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 11.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 88.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 97.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 91.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 43.1%(2,004)
Women 15+
Never married 29.1%(1,402)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 11.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 77.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 7.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 11.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 85.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 18.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 25.3%(101)
Share of the 399 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Big Lake, Minnesota? Big Lake, Minnesota has about 12,367 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Big Lake, Minnesota? The typical household in Big Lake, Minnesota earns about $120,549 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Big Lake, Minnesota expensive? In Big Lake, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $330,200, and the typical rent is about $1,340 a month.
How educated are people in Big Lake, Minnesota? About 26.8% of adults age 25 and over in Big Lake, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Big Lake, Minnesota? About 5.6% of people in Big Lake, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Big Lake, Minnesota grown since 1990? Yes, Big Lake, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,310 residents, a change of about 305 percent over that period.
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