Population 20,203 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Forest Lake
Household size in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.51 | 2.58 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.68 | 2.61 | 2.54 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.67 | 2.63 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.58 | 2.58 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.07 | −0.00 | +0.00 | −0.03 |
At 2.58 people per household, Forest Lake sits close to the national average of 2.65. Household size has crept up from 2.51 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.9 | 36.8 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.3 | 37.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 38.6 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.2 | 39.2 | 40.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.3 | +2.5 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Forest Lake are younger than 40.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The youngest areas are in the south, the oldest in the north.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 10.2% | 9.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 10.6% | 10.2% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 10.1% | 9.9% | 9.7% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 9.8% | 9.6% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.0 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Forest Lake as they are nationally: 10.8%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 2.0 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Forest Lake
Renters in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.2% | 27.3% | 25.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 25.7% | 29.6% | 27.9% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.6% | 30.0% | 28.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 27.8% | 29.3% | 27.8% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.7 pts | +2.0 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Forest Lake own their homes; 27.8% rent, below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 27.2% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the northwest and least common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 5.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.6% | 7.0% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 6.2% | 9.0% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.1% | 5.5% | 8.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.7% | 8.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.3 pts | −0.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Forest Lake than nationally: 5.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Minneapolis area. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged down 0.8 points, as it has nationally.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1975 | 1973 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1976 | 1974 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1977 | 1975 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1988 | 1980 | 1978 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +4 | +5 | +6 |
Forest Lake has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1988, versus 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,199 | $1,007 | $882 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,079 | $1,077 | $953 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,283 | $1,258 | $1,099 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,397 | $1,603 | $1,404 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$199 | +$597 | +$522 | +$606 |
Rent in Forest Lake runs $1,397 a month at the median, utilities included, below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $199 a month from 2006–10, a 17% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 29.0% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Forest Lake
Bachelor's degrees in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.7% | 37.2% | 32.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 27.0% | 39.1% | 33.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.0% | 41.8% | 36.2% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 34.3% | 45.4% | 39.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.6 pts | +8.1 pts | +7.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over a third of adults 25 and older in Forest Lake (34.3%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is lower than in the Minneapolis area overall (45.4%). The share with a degree has risen 7.6 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.0% | 92.4% | 91.4% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.5% | 92.9% | 92.2% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.3% | 93.5% | 93.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.9% | 94.0% | 93.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | +1.6 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Forest Lake is above the national rate: 93.9% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The picture is much the same across the Minneapolis area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.0 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Forest Lake
| Period | Forest Lake | Minneapolis area | Minnesota | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.9% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.9% | 6.8% | 6.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.1% | 3.6% | 3.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.1% | 4.0% | 4.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Forest Lake than nationally: unemployment was 4.1%, against 5.4%. Unemployment has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Forest Lake compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forest Lake | 2.58 | 40.2 | 10.8% | 27.8% | 5.8% | 1988 | $1,397 | 34.3% | 93.9% | 4.1% |
| Wyoming | 2.81 | 40.1 | 10.2% | 12.0% | 1.8% | 1992 | $1,177 | 36.7% | 96.3% | 4.1% |
| Columbus | 2.62 | 44.1 | 9.8% | 10.8% | 5.5% | 1984 | $1,521 | 29.7% | 96.2% | 2.1% |
| Scandia | 2.78 | 44.7 | 5.1% | 9.0% | 8.2% | 1982 | $1,561 | 37.9% | 96.5% | 2.1% |
| Hugo | 2.53 | 41.6 | 7.1% | 10.2% | 5.1% | 2000 | $1,887 | 46.5% | 98.3% | 1.6% |
| Chisago City | 2.64 | 46.0 | 3.8% | 23.7% | 8.8% | 1991 | $1,443 | 30.8% | 96.4% | 7.4% |
| Centerville | 2.66 | 40.6 | 4.6% | 11.4% | 2.3% | 1995 | $1,384 | 42.5% | 97.4% | 2.2% |
| Lino Lakes | 2.73 | 42.5 | 5.8% | 7.8% | 2.4% | 1994 | $1,893 | 44.6% | 95.3% | 4.0% |
| Stacy | 2.71 | 43.1 | 6.8% | 7.3% | 5.1% | 1987 | $1,361 | 18.8% | 94.0% | 2.4% |
| Marine On St. Croix | 2.49 | 53.4 | 4.0% | 3.4% | 11.3% | 1975 | $2,101 | 59.7% | 99.2% | 0.6% |
| Lindstrom | 2.89 | 40.5 | 7.3% | 9.2% | 12.1% | 1989 | $1,296 | 25.6% | 96.7% | 3.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Walled Lake, MI · Godfrey, IL · Waunakee, WI · Grand Island, NY · Great Neck, NY · Greenfield, CA · Watervliet, NY · Guilford, CT · Washington Court House, OH · Hannibal, MO
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Forest Lake. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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