Is Detroit Lakes, MN a Good Place to Live?
Detroit Lakes is a small town of 9,966 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $60,317 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.
Strengths: Detroit Lakes stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Detroit Lakes is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Detroit Lakes 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: 96.9Detroit Lakes's overall cost of living index is 96.9, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Detroit Lakes costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Detroit Lakes, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $241,100 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $894 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $60,317 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeDetroit Lakes's violent crime rate is 170.5 per 100,000 residents — 55% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Detroit Lakes is served primarily by DETROIT LAKES PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST.. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Detroit Lakes, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | DETROIT LAKES PUBLIC SCHOOL DIST. | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 2 | — |
| High Schools | 7 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 13.7:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 32.2% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 93.8% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Detroit Lakes sees average highs of 17.2°F in January and 79.2°F in July, with 29.5 inches of annual precipitation and 47.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Detroit Lakes, MN |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 17.2°F |
| Average High — July | 79.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 29.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 47.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | Detroit Lakes, MN | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,966 | — |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 14.6 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 93.1% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 0.7% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 0.9% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.9% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 23.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 23.2% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Detroit Lakes
Detroit Lakes, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: