Forest Lake, Minnesota

Forest Lake, Minnesota
City
Downtown Forest Lake
Downtown Forest Lake
Motto: 
As Good As It Sounds
Location within Washington County and Minnesota
Location within Washington County and Minnesota
Coordinates: 45°15′13″N 92°57′30″W / 45.25361°N 92.95833°W / 45.25361; -92.95833
CountryUnited States
StateMinnesota
CountyWashington
FoundedMarch 11, 1874
Incorporated1896
Government
 • TypeMayor–council government
 • MayorMara Bain (I)[1][2]
Area
[3]
 • Total
35.53 sq mi (92.01 km2)
 • Land30.54 sq mi (79.10 km2)
 • Water4.99 sq mi (12.92 km2)
Elevation
[6]
935 ft (285 m)
Population
 (2020)[5]
 • Total
20,611
 • Estimate 
(2022)[4]
20,857
 • Density674.9/sq mi (260.58/km2)
Time zoneUTC–6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP code
55025
Area code651
FIPS code27-21770
GNIS feature ID2394789[6]
Sales tax8.375%[7]
Websiteci.forest-lake.mn.us

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.[5]

History

Forest Lake began as a stop on the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad. The first train reached Forest Lake on December 23, 1868. The lake was so named for the abundant timber that lines its shores.[8] Forest Lake Township was organized on March 11, 1874. The first one-room school was built that year at the former location of city hall (220 N. Lake Street). The city of Forest Lake was incorporated on July 11, 1893 with 175 residents. In 2001, the city annexed the surrounding former Forest Lake Township.[9]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.54 square miles (92.05 km2); 30.56 square miles (79.15 km2) is land and 4.98 square miles (12.90 km2) is water.[10]

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
188046—
1900241—
1910540124.1%
192080048.1%
193091614.5%
19401,12022.3%
19501,76657.7%
19602,34732.9%
19703,20736.6%
19804,59643.3%
19905,83326.9%
20006,85617.5%
201018,375168.0%
202020,61112.2%
2022 (est.)20,857[4]1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11]
2020 Census[5]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Forest Lake had a population of 20,611. The median age was 39.1 years. 24.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 16.5% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.5 males age 18 and over.[12][13]

86.4% of residents lived in urban areas, while 13.6% lived in rural areas.[14]

There were 8,131 households in Forest Lake, of which 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.6% were married-couple households, 17.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[12]

There were 8,569 housing units, of which 5.1% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.2% and the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%.[12]

Racial composition as of the 2020 census[13]
Race Number Percent
White 18,196 88.3%
Black or African American 350 1.7%
American Indian and Alaska Native 91 0.4%
Asian 547 2.7%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 4 0.0%
Some other race 239 1.2%
Two or more races 1,184 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race) 782 3.8%

Income

Average household income for 2024 was $123,651. Per capita income was $45,527.

Politics

Forest Lake is located in Minnesota's 8th congressional district.

Public schools

Forest Lake Area High School

The Forest Lake Area school system includes seven elementary sites, one middle school site, and one high school site.[16] There are also two independent districts, North Lakes Academy and Lakes International Language Academy.

Elementary schools (grades K–6)

  • Columbus (K–6)
  • Forest View (K–5)
  • Lakes International Language Academy (K–5)
  • Lino Lakes (K–6 STEM)
  • Linwood (K–6)
  • North Lakes Academy (K–6)
  • St. Peter Catholic School (preschool–8)
  • Scandia (K–6)
  • Wyoming (preschool–6)

Secondary schools (grades 6–12)

  • Forest Lake Area High School (grades 9–12)
  • Forest Lake Area Middle School (grades 6–8)
  • North Lakes Academy (grades 7–12)
  • Lakes International Language Academy (grades 6–12)
  • St. Peter Catholic School (grades 7–8)

Media

The first newspaper, The Enterprise, was printed in 1903. It was changed in 1907 to The Forest Lake Advertiser and later to The Forest Lake Times,[17] in 1916, as it remains to this day. The Lowdown is another local paper.[18]

Notable people

Arts and entertainment, journalists, writers

  • Dan Andersson, Swedish author, poet and composer, lived in Forest Lake from 1901 to 1903.
  • John Caddy, poet and naturalist is a resident of Forest Lake.
  • Douglas Harper, sociologist, author, photographer, is a resident of Forest Lake.
  • Rich Matteson, jazz artist, educator, was born in Forest Lake.
  • H. Keith Melton, author/collector, is a resident of Forest Lake.
  • Carol Muske-Dukes, poet and novelist, grew up in Forest Lake.
  • Terry Redlin, popular American artist, lived in Forest Lake in the 1960s
  • Anni Rossi, singer, violist and keyboardist and recording artist
  • Christopher Sieber, two-time Tony Award nominated actor
  • Jordis Unga, rock singer, songwriter and performer.

Politics and public service

Newsmakers

  • T. Eugene Thompson, attorney, summer resident who hired a hit man to kill his wife in St. Paul in 1963.
  • Bugs Moran, Chicago Prohibition-era gangster, lived in Forest Lake in the early 1930s.

Sports

References

  1. ^ "MN Election Results". electionresults.sos.state.mn.us. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  2. ^ "City Council | Forest Lake, MN". www.ci.forest-lake.mn.us. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  3. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  4. ^ a b "City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022". United States Census Bureau. January 11, 2024. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c "Explore Census Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  6. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Forest Lake, Minnesota
  7. ^ "Forest Lake (MN) sales tax rate". Retrieved January 11, 2024.
  8. ^ Upham, Warren (1920). Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 569.
  9. ^ "Forest Lake - Washington County Historical Society". www.wchsmn.org. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  10. ^ "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on July 2, 2012. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  11. ^ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Retrieved November 25, 2014.
  12. ^ a b c "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  13. ^ a b "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  14. ^ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  15. ^ "City Council - Forest Lake, MN". www.ci.forest-lake.mn.us. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
  16. ^ "Forest Lake Area Schools / Homepage". www.flaschools.org. Archived from the original on August 14, 2020. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  17. ^ hometownsource.com. "Forest Lake Times". hometownsource.com. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  18. ^ Publications, Press. "Forest Lake". Press Publications. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
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