Clear Lake, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 579, Clear 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

Clear Lake is a small community located in Minnesota, within Sherburne County. The total population is 579. It ranks as the 469th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in Clear Lake is 32.7 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 38.8 years. With 30.7% of the population under 18, Clear Lake has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Clear Lake is $105,625. This is 19% higher than the state median of $89,062. It is also 31% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.0%. This is 46% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. The unemployment rate is 6.9%. This is 70% higher than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $281,300. Housing costs are 15% lower than the state median of $329,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Clear Lake is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 84.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 17% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

Clear Lake has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.2% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.5%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 7.0%.

Education

19.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 52% 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 94.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Clear 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.