The Town FilesCedar Lake, Minnesota
Township in Scott County · population 3,050 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $543,100
- Household income
- $173,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 5° / 81°
- Snow a year
- 41 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 24
- Median age
- 44.1
Cedar Lake is a township of 3,050 people in Scott County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $543,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for families than 99% of Minnesota towns, more upscale than 94% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 78% of Minnesota towns.
How Cedar Lake ranks
Percentile among Minnesota towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Minnesota towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Cedar Lake is worth $543,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.1 times the median household income of $173,500, which is more affordable than 65% of Minnesota towns. 98.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Cedar Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $543,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $173,500 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 98.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Cedar Lake
| People | Cedar Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 20.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 31.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Cedar Lake
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 5.3°F. About 33.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.4 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cedar Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 24, 2006 about 8.2 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 48 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on August 16, 2017.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 111 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 19, 1956.
Severe weather in Scott County since 1996
Scott County has been included in 16 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Scott County
Scott County had 63,111 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $62,133 a year. Unemployment was 2.5% in 2023; in Cedar Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.6%.
Towns near Cedar Lake
- Spring Lake, MN5.2 mi · 3,464 people · home $629,600
- New Market, MN5.8 mi · 3,525 people · home $595,300
- New Prague, MN6.3 mi · 8,162 people · home $350,500
- Elko New Market, MN6.6 mi · 4,846 people · home $433,100
- Lonsdale, MN8.0 mi · 4,686 people · home $357,000
- Prior Lake, MN9.5 mi · 27,617 people · home $450,700
- Jordan, MN10.1 mi · 6,656 people · home $336,200
- Montgomery, MN11.5 mi · 3,249 people · home $234,700
Cedar Lake questions
Is Cedar Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Cedar Lake scores better for retirees than 55% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 54%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.1).
How much does a house cost in Cedar Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Cedar Lake is valued at $543,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $173,500, so homes cost about 3.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Cedar Lake?
July highs average 80.7°F and January lows 5.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.3 inches of precipitation a year and 41.4 inches of snow.
Does Cedar Lake get tornadoes?
24 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Cedar Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 24, 2006. The typical Minnesota town has had 14.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)