What are the schools like in Clear Lake, MN?

Clear Lake is served primarily by ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district operates 7 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 11 high schools with a student-to-teacher ratio of 13.5:1.

What is the median household income in Clear Lake?

The median household income in Clear Lake, MN is $105,724 according to the most recent US Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates. The unemployment rate is 6.1%.

What is the weather like in Clear Lake, MN?

Clear Lake has an average high temperature of 20.7°F in January and 81.6°F in July. Annual precipitation averages 28.5 inches and annual snowfall averages 47.9 inches.

Clear Lake, MN Cost of Living, Crime & Is It a Good Place to Live? (2026)

Q: Is Clear Lake, MN affordable or expensive?

Clear Lake's cost of living index is 104, where 100 represents the national average. This means Clear Lake is 4% more expensive than the average US city. The median home value is $249,400 and the median rent is $915 per month.

Q: What is the crime rate in Clear Lake, MN?

Clear Lake has a violent crime rate of 79.2 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 573.8 per 100,000. The national average violent crime rate is approximately 380 per 100,000.

Is Clear Lake, MN a Good Place to Live?

Clear Lake is a small town of 698 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $105,724 and a 6.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Clear Lake's profile is close to national averages across most measures.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Clear Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Clear Lake city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 104.5

Clear Lake's overall cost of living index is 104.5, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Clear Lake costs roughly 4% more than the average American city.

Metric	Clear Lake, MN	National Avg
Median Home Value	$249,400	$244,900
Median Monthly Rent	$915	$1,163
Homeownership Rate	86.0%	65.9%
Median Household Income	$105,724	$74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Clear Lake's violent crime rate is 79.2 per 100,000 residents — 79% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime

79.2 /100k

Property Crime

573.8 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Clear Lake is served primarily by ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric	Clear Lake, MN	National Avg
School District	ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT	—
Elementary Schools	7	—
Middle Schools	2	—
High Schools	11	—
Student/Teacher Ratio	13.5:1	16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher	25.3%	35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher	94.5%	91.1%

Weather & Climate

Clear Lake sees average highs of 20.7°F in January and 81.6°F in July, with 28.5 inches of annual precipitation and 47.9 inches of snow per year.

Metric	Clear Lake, MN
Average High — January	20.7°F
Average High — July	81.6°F
Annual Precipitation	28.5"
Annual Snowfall	47.9"

Demographics

Metric	Clear Lake, MN	National Avg
Population	698	—
Median Age	32.5	38.9
Unemployment Rate	6.1%	3.7%
Avg Commute Time	26.9 min	26 min
White (non-Hispanic)	99.7%	59.3%
Black or African American	0.0%	13.6%
Hispanic or Latino	0.0%	18.9%
Asian	0.0%	6.3%
Under 18	30.1%	22.2%
65 and over	4.4%	16.8%

Nearby Cities

Clearwater, MN 3 mi Becker, MN 7 mi St. Augusta, MN 9 mi Silver Creek, MN 10 mi St. Cloud, MN 10 mi

ZIP Codes in Clear Lake

Clear Lake, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code:

55319

Clear Lake vs Other Cities

Clear Lake, MN vs Clearwater, MN Clear Lake, MN vs Becker, MN Clear Lake, MN vs St. Augusta, MN Clear Lake, MN vs Silver Creek, MN Clear Lake, MN vs St. Cloud, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Clear Lake, MN affordable or expensive?

Clear Lake's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Clear Lake roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $249,400 and median rent is $915/month.

What is the crime rate in Clear Lake, MN?

Clear Lake's violent crime rate is 79.2 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 573.8 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.

What are the schools like in Clear Lake?

Public schools in Clear Lake are operated by ST. CLOUD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 7 elementary, 2 middle, and 11 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.5:1. 25.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Is Clear Lake, MN a good place to live?

Clear Lake, MN has a population of 698, a median household income of $105,724, and an unemployment rate of 6.1%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.

What is the weather like in Clear Lake?

Clear Lake averages 20.7°F in January and 81.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 28.5 inches with about 47.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).

What ZIP codes are in Clear Lake?

Clear Lake, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 55319.

What is the population of Clear Lake?

The population of Clear Lake, Minnesota is 698 with a median age of 32.5. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What are the pros and cons of living in Clear Lake?

Key numbers for living in Clear Lake: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $249,400, median household income $105,724, crime index 23 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated C+. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Clear Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.