Lake Elmo, MN

Census place 2734244 · pop 13,140

B71/ 100
👍 Solid
A
in MN
📍 Minnesota ranks #5 of 50 states →
🏆 Growth+46.5% · top 2%
🚽 Cost$597,000 · bottom 14%
Taxes
0.81% property · US 0.99%8.14% sales · US 7.00%up to 9.85% income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Housing cost$597,00014

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$597,000 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Income inequality0.4819

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.48 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Rent$1,958/mo37

U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities

$1,958/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Natural disaster riskCounty-level87/10053

U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities

87/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time23 min58

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Property-tax burden0.81%62

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.81% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Adult obesity32.3%65

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

32.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Broadband access94.9%78

U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities

94.9% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Adult smoking9.9%80

U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities

9.9% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poverty rate4.8%88

U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities

4.8% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Physical inactivity17.4%89

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

17.4% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Air quality (AQI)County-level35 AQI89

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

35 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Bachelor's degree or higher61.9%92

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

61.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Uninsured adults4.9%94

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

4.9% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Median household income$153,66995

U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities

$153,669 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Poor mental health12.5%96

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

12.5% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Unemployment rateCounty-level2.4%96

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

2.4% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Homeownership93.5%98

U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities

93.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Population growth (5yr)+46.5%98

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+46.5% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Not measured for Lake Elmo: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Lake Elmo, MN a good place to live?
By the numbers, Lake Elmo scores 71/100 — a B (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is population growth (5yr) and its weakest is housing cost. Minnesota overall ranks #5 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Lake Elmo, MN expensive to live in?
Lake Elmo has a median home value of $597,000 and typical rent around $1,958/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Lake Elmo, MN?
Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($597,000) — 14/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Lake Elmo, MN best at?
Its strongest measured area is population growth (5yr) (+46.5%) — 98/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.