Battle Lake, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 786, Battle Lake's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Battle Lake is a small community located in Minnesota, within Otter Tail County. The total population is 786. It ranks as the 403rd most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Battle Lake is 57.9 years. This is 49% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 14.1% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 21.1% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Battle Lake is $59,375. This is 33% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.5%. This is 30% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 7.2%. This is 78% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $257,600. Housing costs are 22% lower than the state median of $329,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.3x. 61.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% lower than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Battle Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.6%.

Education

28.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% lower than the state rate of 39.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Battle Lake, Minnesota is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Minnesota state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.