Prior Lake, MN
Census place 2752594 · pop 28,016
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$450,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · worse than most cities
$2,075/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 24 min · worse than most cities
25 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
0.99% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities
42 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 0.43 · better than most cities
Gini 0.42 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 964/100k · better than most cities
1087 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
83/100 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.
U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities
1 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.
U.S. median 152/100k · better than most cities
117 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities
+6.3% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
11.3% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
31.3% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
20.8% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
52.4% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
96.0% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
13.8% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
5.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$134,255 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 67.2% · better than most cities
86.2% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
2.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 12.1% · better than most cities
3.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
Frequently asked
- Is Prior Lake, MN a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Prior Lake scores 67/100 — a C (Solid) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 22 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is poverty rate 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.
- How safe is Prior Lake, MN?
- Prior Lake reports 117 violent crimes per 100k and 1087 property crimes per 100k — better than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Prior Lake, MN expensive to live in?
- Prior Lake has a median home value of $450,700 and typical rent around $2,075/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Prior Lake, MN?
- Its weakest measured area is housing cost ($450,700) — 24/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Prior Lake, MN best at?
- Its strongest measured area is poverty rate (3.1%) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Home of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, one of the largest casinos in the Midwest.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.