The Town FilesPrior Lake, Minnesota
City in Scott County · population 27,617 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $450,700
- Household income
- $134,255
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 39.6
Prior Lake is a city of 27,617 people in Scott County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $450,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks more upscale than 93% of Minnesota towns, more vibrant than 91% of Minnesota towns, better for young professionals than 90% of Minnesota towns.
How Prior 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 Prior Lake is worth $450,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $134,255, which is more affordable than 50% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,654 a month. 86.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Prior Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $450,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,654 | $991 |
| Median household income | $134,255 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 86.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1998 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Prior Lake
| People | Prior Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.7% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.4% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 7.7% | — |
| Work from home | 24.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Prior Lake
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 7.7°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 47.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 14 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 145 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prior Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 6, 1965 about 9.6 miles from the town center. The most recent was on August 27, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 147 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 5, 1999.
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 Prior Lake itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Prior Lake
9 public schools with 4,190 students, about 16.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prior Lake-Savage Middle School | 6-8 | 1,996 | 18.8 |
| JEFFERS POND ELEMENTARY | K-5 | 504 | 14.8 |
| WestWood Elementary | K-5 | 492 | 15.9 |
| Five Hawks Elementary | K-5 | 477 | 15.9 |
| La Ola Del Lago at Grainwood | K-5 | 471 | 17.4 |
| Edgewood ECSE | PK-PK | 149 | 7.8 |
| PRIOR LAKE-SAVAGE AREA ALC | 9-12 | 93 | 11.6 |
| ALC Independent Study | 9-12 | 6 | — |
| SWMetro Passageways | K-12 | 2 | — |
Towns near Prior Lake
- Shakopee, MN3.6 mi · 43,698 people · home $374,800
- Spring Lake, MN4.3 mi · 3,464 people · home $629,600
- Savage, MN4.4 mi · 32,465 people · home $432,300
- Burnsville, MN8.4 mi · 64,317 people · home $355,200
- Eden Prairie, MN8.6 mi · 64,198 people · home $473,900
- Cedar Lake, MN9.5 mi · 3,050 people · home $543,100
- Bloomington, MN9.5 mi · 89,987 people · home $361,700
- Carver, MN9.7 mi · 5,829 people · home $445,800
Prior Lake questions
Is Prior Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Prior Lake scores better for retirees than 18% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 9%. 15.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.6).
How much does a house cost in Prior Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Prior Lake is valued at $450,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $134,255, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,654 a month.
What is the weather like in Prior Lake?
July highs average 83.7°F and January lows 7.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 30.6 inches of precipitation a year and 47.5 inches of snow.
Does Prior Lake get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Prior Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 6, 1965. 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)