Living in Prior Lake, MN

Explore Prior Lake and see how it fits the life you want to build.

28,016 Population Scott County County City Place Type Minnesota State
Overall Match8.6 / 10

Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.

Prior Lake at a Glance

Key facts and current data

Population28,016
Median Household Income$134,255
Median Home Value$450,700
Median Gross Rent$1,654
Median Age39.6
Average Household Size2.8
Unemployment1.5%
Work From Home24.6%
Homeownership86.2%
Housing Vacancy3.7%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.

Prior Lake is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages. Unemployment is relatively low, which is a positive current labor-market signal.

Experience the Area

Experience Life in Prior Lake Before You Move

Explore Short-Term Stays in Prior Lake →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate

NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Prior Lake 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 Value3.6 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Employment4.8 / 5Lower unemployment produces a stronger rating.
Housing Stability4.1 / 5Combines homeownership and housing vacancy.
Remote Work Friendly4.1 / 5Based on the share of residents working from home.
Income Strength5.0 / 5Household income compared on a national scale.

These are location-wide baseline ratings, not your personal match score. Your own priorities can change which factors matter most.

Housing & Cost of Living in Prior Lake

Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau

Median Home Value$450,700
Median Gross Rent$1,654
Homeownership86.2%
Housing Vacancy3.7%
Housing Value7.2/10
Housing Stability8.2/10

Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. A large majority of occupied homes are owner-occupied.

Jobs, Income & Remote Work

Employment and household-income context for Prior Lake, MN

Median Household Income$134,255
Unemployment1.5%
Work From Home24.6%
Employment9.6/10
Remote Work Friendly8.2/10
Income Strength10.0/10

The reported unemployment rate is relatively low. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.

Population & Household Profile

Who lives in Prior Lake and how households are structured

Population28,016
Median Age39.6
Average Household Size2.8

Prior Lake 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 Prior Lake

Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context

NOAA climate normals for Prior Lake point to warm summers, cold winters, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and substantial annual snowfall.

Average Summer High83.7°F
Average Winter Low7.7°F
Annual Rainfall33.8 in.
Annual Snowfall54.7 in.

Seasonal Life in Prior Lake

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 is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.

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.

Prior Lake is located in Scott County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Scott County.

County Intelligence

Prior Lake & Scott County

Data Pending Foreclosure Activity

Prior Lake is located in Scott 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 Prior Lake.

Current NarrowTheList data for Prior Lake shows a population of about 28,016. 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 Scott 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 Prior Lake.

For someone considering a move to Prior Lake, the available data currently points to a relatively tight labor market. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.

Nearby Cities & Communities

Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.