Forest Lake, Minnesota

Small Minnesota city with local appeal

Midwest Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro

WhereAtHome Score

71.7

C-

out of 100

Overview

Forest Lake is a Minnesota city with a population of approximately 20,685, part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metropolitan area. The median home value is approximately $432,441. Median household income is $91,157.

Key Highlights

  • Population of approximately 20,685 (2023 Census estimate)
  • Median home value of $432,441 (Zillow ZHVI)
  • Median household income of $91,157 (Census ACS)
  • Average commute time of 26.9 minutes
  • Part of the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area

Key Metrics

Population 2023

20,685

Source: Census ACS

$432,441

Source: Zillow ZHVI

$91,157

Source: Census ACS

26.9 min

Source: Census ACS

Walk Score 2026

18

Source: Walk Score

114 (100 = U.S. avg)

Source: AreaVibes / BLS

2024 Presidential Election

Washington County (county-level results)

54%
45%
Democrat 90,324
Republican 75,271
Leans D+8.9

Source: County-level results from MIT Election Data + Science Lab. Learn more

Score Breakdown

6 of 6 score factors available. Missing factors are excluded and available weights are rescaled.

Housing Affordability 47.5/100

Median home value relative to national average (Weight: 20%)

Income vs Housing 58.1/100

How affordable housing is relative to local incomes (Weight: 20%)

Commute Time 52.1/100

Average commute time compared to national average (Weight: 15%)

Crime 80/100

Overall crime levels based on FBI crime statistics (Weight: 20%)

Walkability 18/100

Walk Score — ease of daily errands on foot (Weight: 15%)

Purchasing Power 52.1/100

Median income relative to national average, adjusted for cost of living (Weight: 10%)

WhereAtHome Score 71.7

Location

Forest Lake, MN (45.2685, -92.9749)
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Last Updated: 2026-01-01

Data sourced from U.S. Census Bureau, Zillow, FBI Crime Data Explorer, Walk Score, and Niche.