Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★3.1 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Detroit Lakes, MN
Explore Detroit Lakes and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match6.4 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Detroit Lakes at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population10,025
Median Household Income$62,958
Median Home Value$265,800
Median Gross Rent$954
Median Age41.6
Average Household Size2.2
Unemployment6.8%
Work From Home6.6%
Homeownership56.1%
Housing Vacancy13.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Detroit Lakes is a smaller community, so land use, housing supply and its relationship with surrounding communities can be especially important to movers.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Detroit Lakes Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Detroit Lakes →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Detroit Lakes and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Detroit Lakes
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$265,800
Median Gross Rent$954
Homeownership56.1%
Housing Vacancy13.3%
Home values are moderately high relative to local household income, making neighborhood-level price differences important for buyers. The housing mix leans toward owner-occupied homes while still supporting a meaningful rental market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Detroit Lakes, MN
Median Household Income$62,958
Unemployment6.8%
Work From Home6.6%
The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Detroit Lakes and how households are structured
Population10,025
Median Age41.6
Average Household Size2.2
Detroit Lakes is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Detroit Lakes
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Detroit Lakes point to warm summers, cold winters, moderate annual rainfall and substantial annual snowfall.
Average Summer High79.2°F
Average Winter Low-3.6°F
Annual Rainfall29.5 in.
Annual Snowfall47.6 in.
Seasonal Life in Detroit Lakes
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a useful time to evaluate how quickly outdoor conditions become comfortable and how seasonal rain affects everyday routines.
Summer
Summer highs are comparatively mild, which may reduce cooling demands and can make daytime outdoor activity more comfortable than in hotter inland locations.
Fall
Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.
Winter
Freezing winter lows and meaningful snowfall make snow removal, winter driving, heating costs and cold-weather routines important parts of evaluating the area.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Detroit Lakes is located in Becker County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Becker County.
County Intelligence
Detroit Lakes & Becker County
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
Detroit Lakes is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Detroit Lakes.
Current NarrowTheList data for Detroit Lakes shows a population of about 10,025. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Becker County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Detroit Lakes.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.