United States › Minnesota › Forest Lake CITY
Forest Lake Minnesota · 20,952 residents (2025 est.) · 30.5 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Forest Lake is a city of 20,729 people in Minnesota. Since 2000 the city has roughly tripled, up 13,931 people. That puts it in the top 9% of US cities for household income. 5% of locals were born outside the United States. Owners hold 73% of the housing stock. Poverty is uncommon here, at 7.0% of locals.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.6
US median: 38.9
Average education
35% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 77%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 6,798 in 2000
20,952 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
679 / sq mi
+19%since 2009
from 568 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 9K 13K 18K 22K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Forest Lake Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $92,944
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,419 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $20,058 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 45.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.379 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.1%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$393,500
+77%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $121,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,421
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $578 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 60.2% in 2000
27.1% rent
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.51 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 31.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.8 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 96.5%(6,561)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86%(17,820)
Hispanic / Latino 3.8%(785)
from 16 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
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data from 18.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 88.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 6.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 71.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 84.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 35.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 6.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 87.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 94.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 37.7%(3,154)
Women 15+
Never married 29.1%(2,557)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 6.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 16.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 82.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 27.4% 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) 11.6%(86)
Gulf War (1990s) 18.2%(135)
Share of the 742 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Forest Lake Head to head
Compare Forest Lake to nearby cities FOREST LAKE VS
Hugo
Income $116,228 +25%
Home value $408,900 +4%
Population 17,167 −18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST LAKE VS
Wyoming
Income $107,565 +16%
Home value $365,700 −7%
Population 8,121 −61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST LAKE VS
Lino Lakes
Income $127,181 +37%
Home value $407,200 +3%
Population 23,220 +11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FOREST LAKE VS
Ham Lake
Income $120,135 +29%
Home value $442,500 +12%
Population 17,104 −18%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Forest Lake, Minnesota? Forest Lake, Minnesota has about 20,729 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Forest Lake, Minnesota? The typical household in Forest Lake, Minnesota earns about $92,944 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Forest Lake, Minnesota expensive? In Forest Lake, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $393,500, and the typical rent is about $1,421 a month.
How educated are people in Forest Lake, Minnesota? About 35.4% of adults age 25 and over in Forest Lake, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Forest Lake, Minnesota? About 7.0% of people in Forest Lake, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Forest Lake, Minnesota grown since 1990? Yes, Forest Lake, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,896 residents, a change of about 255 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 