Population
20,729
+12.2% since 2010
Typical home
$429K
+3.6% in a year
Household income
$93K
median
Jobs based here
7,247
A commuter town
What makes Forest Lake stand out The 3 things Forest Lake does most differently from other towns.
A growing town Forest Lake has grown 12.2% since 2010 18,375 people in 2010; 20,729 today.
What’s changed most in Forest Lake? 18,375 2010
20,611 2020
20,729 Today
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 · ACS
Residents weigh in
Live in Forest Lake? Is an A− for health right?
Agree Disagree
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In the news: White Bear Lake Varsity Football @ Forest Lake → How do you get to work from Forest Lake? → Is Forest Lake still affordable for young families? → Where do you go to stay active in Forest Lake? →
Upcoming events
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The data Ordered by what stands out in Forest Lake. Another town gets a different order.
Work & commute
About one in seven working residents works right in Forest Lake Most working residents leave Forest Lake for work: only 14% work in town. The top destinations are Minneapolis (10%), St. Paul (9%) and Edina (4%). Half commute less than 21 miles.
14% work in town
Where working residents work In Forest Lake 14%
Minneapolis 10%
St. Paul 9%
Edina 4%
Blaine 3%
21 mi
median commute distance
7,247
jobs based in Forest Lake
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Housing
A typical Forest Lake home is worth about $429K The typical Forest Lake home is worth about $429,000, up 3.6% in a year, 22% above the Minnesota typical home.
$429K Zillow home value
Typical home value Forest Lake $429K
Minnesota $351K
Market temperature
Seller’s market A seller's market Buyer’s Seller’s +3.6%
value change, 1 year
Outdoors
6% of Forest Lake is conserved land 6.6 miles of trails across 18 parks and preserves.
6% conserved
Green: conserved land · dashed: trails · numbers: the places below 6%
conserved · 1,348 of 22,580 acres
6.6 mi
of trails · 0.2 per sq mi
#107
most conserved land in MN
Biggest places to walk Trails Acres 1. Lakeside Park 0.5 mi 3 2. Hardwood Creek Wildlife Management Area — 579 3. Bixby Park — 60
Health
Healthier than 78% of U.S. towns Forest Lake tracks Minnesota closely on all 32 CDC measures.
A− Health Grade
32 measures vs. Minnesota
Fairview Lakes Health Services
5.1 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
72nd
percentile among MN towns
Climate
Snowy winters, pleasant summers Forest Lake has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 82°, a January night drops to 5°, and about 52 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
52″ snow a winter
Typical low → high °F Winter 9–26°
Spring 34–55°
Summer 59–80°
Fall 38–57°
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
Schools
Forest Lake’s public schools outperform 60% of Minnesota districts The public schools Forest Lake’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 60% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they sit near the middle.
B School Grade
Natural hazards
Moderate risk, with inland flooding at the top Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 54% of U.S. communities.
54 risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
54 Moderate risk Lower Higher Inland flooding Tornadoes Cold waves
Safety
Less crime per resident than 53% of U.S. towns Forest Lake reports less crime per resident than 53% of the U.S. towns and cities we grade.
B− Safety Grade
Violent crime per 1,000 residents Forest Lake 0.5
Minnesota 2.3
U.S. 3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents Forest Lake 11.5
Minnesota 14.3
U.S. 15.5
53rd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
37th
percentile among MN towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
238
property crimes reported in 2025
A commuter town 86% of working residents leave Forest Lake for work Where Forest Lake’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
10% → Minneapolis Minneapolis 10%
9% → St. Paul St. Paul 9%
4% → Edina Edina 4%
3% → Blaine Blaine 3%
2% → Roseville Roseville 2%
2% → Wyoming Wyoming 2%
Forest Lake · 14% stay
7,247 jobs based in Forest Lake
14% of working residents work in town
21 mi median commute distance
How do you get to work from Forest Lake?
Census LEHD 2023
2006 · Eastern Screech-Owl · Wikimedia Commons
Forest Lake’s story
152 years in pictures
12 postcards, papers and photographs from public archives.
Explore the history →
Famous people from Forest Lake 8 notable people were born in Forest Lake.
See all 8 →
Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States, located 27 miles northeast of Saint Paul, and 29 miles northeast of Minneapolis. The population was 20,611 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia , licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Established 1874
Population 20,611
Area 36 sq mi
Elevation 912 ft
ZIP code 55025
Area code 651 Copyright © 2026 TownTapestry · Stitching communities together · In loving memory of John Cullinane whose interest in maps and discovering new places was contagious. Share TownTapestry to support usBrowse by state · Privacy · Terms 
