The Lakes, Minnesota Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 594, The Lakes'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

The Lakes is a small community located in Minnesota, within Murray County. The total population is 594. It ranks as the 464th most populous out of 914 Census-designated places in Minnesota.

Age Demographics

The median age in The Lakes is 62.7 years. This is 62% higher than the state median of 38.8 years. Only 10.6% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 17.2% 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 The Lakes is $87,969. This is 1% lower than the state median of $89,062. It is also 9% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.5%. This is 62% lower than the state poverty rate of 9.3%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 1.4%. This is 67% lower than the state rate of 4.1%. The median home value is $397,100. Housing costs are 21% higher than the state median of $329,300. The home-value-to-income ratio is 4.5x. 92.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 28% higher than the state average of 72.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The Lakes has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 92.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.0%) is well below the state average of 6.4%.

Education

28.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 28% 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 99.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for The Lakes, 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.