Forest Lake

Population: 20,678
Median household income: $89,879
Median home value: $375,900

Forest Lake is a community in Washington County, Minnesota, home to 20,678 residents. The median household income of $89,879 is below the Washington County median ($114,457).

Between 2019 and 2023, Forest Lake's population grew 3.4% from 20,004 to 20,678, while its median home value rose 38.1% from $272,200 to $375,900.

Households average 2.52 people. The median gross rent is $1,379.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 20,678
Median age: 38.8 yrs
Median household income: $89,879
Median home value: $375,900
Median gross rent: $1,379
Housing units: 8,589
Homeownership rate: 71.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 35.7%
Unemployment rate: 4.6%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

20,00420,678

Median household income

$79,840$89,879

Median home value

$272,200$375,900

Median gross rent

$1,117$1,379

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	20,004	$79,840	$272,200	$1,117
2020	20,393	$84,436	$286,500	$1,132
2021	20,366	$87,753	$299,800	$1,174
2022	20,553	$91,157	$357,500	$1,343
2023	20,678	$89,879	$375,900	$1,379

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 54.9%

5 to 1718.0%

18 to 248.4%

25 to 3414.2%

35 to 4412.3%

45 to 5413.0%

55 to 6412.3%

65 to 749.4%

75 and over7.4%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,021	4.9%
5 to 17	3,727	18.0%
18 to 24	1,742	8.4%
25 to 34	2,941	14.2%
35 to 44	2,547	12.3%
45 to 54	2,688	13.0%
55 to 64	2,539	12.3%
65 to 74	1,952	9.4%
75 and over	1,521	7.4%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	16,855	81.5%
Black or African American	749	3.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	33	0.2%
Asian	1,217	5.9%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	9	0.0%
Some other race	197	1.0%
Two or more races	690	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	928	4.5%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma6.7%

High school graduate24.6%

Some college or associate's32.9%

Bachelor's degree25.0%

Graduate or professional degree10.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	955	6.7%
High school graduate	3,493	24.6%
Some college or associate's	4,671	32.9%
Bachelor's degree	3,543	25.0%
Graduate or professional degree	1,526	10.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 25 min

Drove alone73.0%

Carpooled7.6%

Public transit0.0%

Walked2.6%

Bicycle0.3%

Worked from home16.1%

Other means0.4%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	7,954	73.0%
Carpooled	825	7.6%
Public transit	2	0.0%
Walked	281	2.6%
Bicycle	35	0.3%
Worked from home	1,755	16.1%
Other means	42	0.4%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,711	29.7%
15 to 29 min	2,389	26.1%
30 to 44 min	2,718	29.7%
45 to 59 min	886	9.7%
60+ min	435	4.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.52
Poverty rate: 6.7% (1,382 of 20,517)

	Count	Share
Family households	5,630	69.1%
Nonfamily households	2,521	30.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1990

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	8,151	94.9%
Vacant	438	5.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,856	71.8%
Renter-occupied	2,295	28.2%

1-unit, detached60.7%

1-unit, attached12.8%

2 to 4 units2.6%

5 to 19 units4.7%

20 or more units17.4%

Mobile home & other1.9%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	5,211	60.7%
1-unit, attached	1,098	12.8%
2 to 4 units	221	2.6%
5 to 19 units	401	4.7%
20 or more units	1,497	17.4%
Mobile home & other	161	1.9%

Geography

Place GEOID: 2721770
Type (LSAD): 25
Land area: 31 sq mi
Water area: 4.98 sq mi
Center point: 45.2508, -92.9669