Forest Lake, Minnesota

Forest Lake, Minnesota
City
Downtown Forest Lake
Motto:  As Good As It Sounds
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
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Washington
Founded	March 11, 1874
Incorporated	1896
Government
• Type	Mayor–council government
• Mayor	Mara Bain (I)[1][2]
Area [3]
• Total	35.53 sq mi (92.01 km2)
• Land	30.54 sq mi (79.10 km2)
• Water	4.99 sq mi (12.92 km2)
Elevation [4]	935 ft (285 m)
Population  (2020)[5]
• Total	20,611
• Estimate  (2022)[6]	20,857
• Density	674.91/sq mi (260.58/km2)
Time zone	UTC–6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC–5 (CDT)
ZIP code	55025
Area code	651
FIPS code	27-21770
GNIS feature ID	2394789[4]
Sales tax	8.375%[7]
Website	ci.forest-lake.mn.us

Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, United States, located 27 miles northeast of Saint Paul. The population was 20,611 at the 2020 census.^[5]

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]

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]

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	46		—
1900	241		—
1910	540		124.1%
1920	800		48.1%
1930	916		14.5%
1940	1,120		22.3%
1950	1,766		57.7%
1960	2,347		32.9%
1970	3,207		36.6%
1980	4,596		43.3%
1990	5,833		26.9%
2000	6,856		17.5%
2010	18,375		168.0%
2020	20,611		12.2%
2022 (est.)	20,857	[6]	1.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[11] 2020 Census[5]

Median household income for 2017 was $76,904. Average household income was $93,296. Per capita income was $35,334.

As of the census of 2010, there were 18,375 people, 7,014 households, and 5,044 families residing in the city. The population density was 601.3 inhabitants per square mile (232.2/km²). There were 7,508 housing units at an average density of 245.7 per square mile (94.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.7% White, 1.1% African American, 0.4% Native American, 1.5% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.6% from other races, and 1.7% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population.

There were 7,014 households, of which 36.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.1% were non-families. 21.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.04.

The median age in the city was 37.4 years. 26.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.1% were from 25 to 44; 27.7% were from 45 to 64; and 11.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.7% male and 50.3% female.

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

• Mayor: Blake Roberts
• Council: Hanna Valento, Leif Erickson, Jeff Larson, open position ^[12]
• City Administrator: Open position
• State Senator: Karin Housley
• State Representative: Patricia Anderson and Josiah Hill

The Forest Lake Area school system includes eight elementary sites, one middle school site, and one high school site.^[13] There are also two independent districts, North Lakes Academy and Lakes International Language Academy.

• Columbus (K–6)
• Forest Lake (4–6)
• Forest View (K–3)
• Lakes International Language Academy (K–5)
• Lino Lakes (K–6 STEM)
• Linwood (K–6)
• North Lakes Academy (K–5)
• St. Peter Catholic School (preschool–8)
• Scandia (K–6)
• Wyoming (preschool–6)

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

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,^[14] in 1916, as it remains to this day. The Forest Lake Lowdown is another local paper.^[15]

• City of Forest Lake – Official Website