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Cost of living, pay and housing

45.00° N · 93.42° W · GEOID 2741462

Medicine Lake

Hennepin County, Minnesota · part of the Minneapolis, MN metro

Limited data population under 5,000

MinnesotaMedicine Lake, MNMedicine LakeMedicine Lake

The short answer

Medicine Lake is home to 596 people. Median household income is $183,750 a year and median rent is $1,150 a month, 7.5% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $1,083,300, about 5.9x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,150
16% below the median place
Median household income
$183,750
129% above the median place
Median home value
$1,083,300
239% above the median place
Unemployment
0.0%
below the median place (median 4.9%)

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Medicine Lake

  • Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 16.2% a year while rent rose 4%, so pay gained on rent more than in 98% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-lowest of 151 Minnesota places.
  • Owning with a mortgage costs about $2,851 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 151 Minnesota places.
  • After the median rent, and with prices for everything else adjusted to the US average, the median household has about $164,400 a year left, more than in 96% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 121 Minnesota places.
  • The population has grown 297% since 2020, faster than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 151 Minnesota places.
  • The median rent takes only 7.5% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 99% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 151 Minnesota places.

Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 98 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

01

Moving to Medicine Lake

Hennepin County loses about 7.3 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in55,870
Moved out63,590
Net−7,720

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Ramsey County, MN8,6558,910−255
Anoka County, MN5,3946,868−1,474
Dakota County, MN4,7456,338−1,593
Wright County, MN1,6013,026−1,425
Carver County, MN1,7152,806−1,091
Scott County, MN1,5732,255−682
Washington County, MN1,5451,770−225
Cook County, IL8941,048−154

Within Minnesota, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within MinnesotaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$71K
Leavers$95K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Hennepin County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.4% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.5% from another state. County figure.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Hennepin County report $71,500 a year in income on average; those leaving, $94,800, so leavers earn more than newcomers.
Income you would need
$46,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,150 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $4,001 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $1,083,300.
Getting to work
17 minutes each way on average; 19.9% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Milton, MA matches it on character. Compare the two
Income of households moving out8
$94,796
35% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people8
-7.3
below the median place (median -0.6)
Moved from another state1
2.5%
24% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureMedicine LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year1County figure6.4%11% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.5%24% above
Net movers per 1,000 people8County figure-7.3below (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in8County figure$71,4571% above
Income of households moving out8County figure$94,79635% above
02

What it costs to live here

Rent to income is 7.5%, 63% below the median place.

Medicine Lake7.5%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$46,000
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
7.5%
63% below the median place
Home price to income
5.9x
55% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
8%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$164,600
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Medicine Lake, $1,150 a month, and local prices for everything else (103.4 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Medicine Lake.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Medicine Lake? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Median home value1
$1,083,300
239% above the median place
Owner costs with a mortgage1
$4,001
114% above the median place
Property tax paid (median)1
$10,001
206% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureMedicine LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,15016% below
Rent to income17.5%63% below
Home price to income15.9x55% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure104.84% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,7347% above
HUD area median income4County figure$131,50023% above
Property tax paid (median)1$10,001206% above
Median home value1$1,083,300239% above
Home prices, 1-year change5County figure3.0%5% below
Home prices, 5-year change5County figure29.8%42% below
Homeownership181.2%22% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure47.5%6% below
Owner costs with a mortgage1$4,001114% above
Vacant homes1County figure5.6%21% below
Median year built119661% below
03

Work and pay

Unemployment is 0.0%, below the median place (median 4.9%).

Unemployment1
0.0%
below the median place (median 4.9%)
Commutes by transit1
0.0%
below the median place (median 0.8%)
Income per person1
$107,750
169% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$183,750 2.3×
Mean commute17 min −31%
Works from home19.9% +60%
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureMedicine LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$183,750129% above
Income per person1$107,750169% above
Unemployment10.0%below (median 4.9%)
Average annual pay6County figure$92,29440% above
Pay growth, 1 year6County figure2.4%35% below
Jobs6County figure919,062above (median 150,665)
Poverty rate1County figure9.9%8% below
Mean commute117 min31% below
Works from home119.9%60% above
Commutes by transit10.0%below (median 0.8%)
04

Who lives here

Population change since 2020 is 297.0%, above the median place (median 1.1%).

Population change since 20207
297.0%
above the median place (median 1.1%)
High school or higher1
99.8%
8% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
98.3%
6% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Bachelor's or higher70.4% 2.2×
Median age44.5 +14%
Household size2.5 +2%
All 9 people measures
MeasureMedicine LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population15966646th largest
Population change since 20207297.0%above (median 1.1%)
Median age144.514% above
Bachelor's or higher170.4%120% above
High school or higher199.8%8% above
Household size12.52% above
Born abroad1County figure13.7%55% above
No health insurance1County figure4.5%30% below
Homes with broadband198.3%6% above
05

Life in Medicine Lake

192 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places, 4 of them National Historic Landmarks.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars22.3 +7%
Shops29.3 −3%
Arts, recreation and fitness6.5 +59%
Doctors' offices and clinics23.5 +16%
Child care centers3.5 +52%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Public schools11
472
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students11
176,913
above the median place (median 4,897)
Child care centers per 10k9
3.5
52% above the median place
All 9 schools and local life measures
MeasureMedicine LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure472above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure176,913above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure15.21% below
Restaurants and bars per 10k9County figure22.37% above
Shops per 10k9County figure29.33% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k9County figure6.559% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k9County figure23.516% above
Child care centers per 10k9County figure3.552% above
National Register listings10County figure192above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

January average low is 6°F, 76% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Medicine Lake. Larger places are fetched first.

January average low12
6°F
76% below the median place
Average temperature12
45°F
18% below the median place
Tornado risk13
99.6
22% above the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureMedicine LakeAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure82°F5% below
January average low12County figure6°F76% below
Average temperature12County figure45°F18% below
Annual precipitation12County figure31.9 in27% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure98.36% above
Tornado risk13County figure99.622% above
Wildfire risk13County figure74.922% above
Heat wave risk13County figure99.110% above
Median air quality index14County figure455% above
Good air days14County figure57.8%16% below
08

Medicine Lake in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 7% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 8% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,150/mo (2024)$1,460/mo$1,200 to $1,780/mo+4.1%
Median household income$183,750 (2024)$244,500$207,000 to $289,500+4.9%
Median home value$1,083,300 (2024)$1,526,000$1,108,000 to $2,102,000+5.9%
Population1,342 (2025)2,9802,860 to 3,110+17.3%

The median home would be worth 6.2 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.9 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Medicine Lake

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Milton, MA$1,474$188,529Compare
Lake Norman of Iredell, NC$1,327$173,542Compare
Hingham, MA$1,202$205,769Compare
Cochituate, MA$1,582$192,361Compare
Cochituate, MAHingham, MALake Norman of Iredell, NCMilton, MAMedicine Lake, MNMedicine LakeMiltonLake Norman of IredellHinghamMedicine LakeMiltonLake Norman of IredellHingham

Common questions

Is Medicine Lake a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, household income rose 16.2% a year while rent rose 4%, so pay gained on rent more than in 98% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-lowest of 151 Minnesota places. Owning with a mortgage costs about $2,851 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 151 Minnesota places. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Medicine Lake expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 7.5% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $1,083,300.

What salary do you need to live in Medicine Lake?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $46,000 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Medicine Lake?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Milton, MA, Lake Norman of Iredell, NC, Hingham, MA and Cochituate, MA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  5. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  6. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  7. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  8. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  9. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Medicine Lake with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Medicine Lake itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/medicine-lake-minnesota

Citytistics. “Medicine Lake, Minnesota.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/medicine-lake-minnesota/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.