Median Income
$129,583
household / year
Median Home Value
$452,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,203
gross / month
Cost of Living
104
national avg = 100

Is Gem Lake, MN a Good Place to Live?

Gem Lake is a small town of 475 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $129,583 and a 0.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 104 (US average = 100), which is 4% above the national average.

Strengths: Gem Lake stands out for a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Gem Lake is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Gem 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

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

Metric Gem Lake, MN National Avg
Median Home Value $452,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,203 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 91.4% 65.9%
Median Household Income $129,583 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Gem Lake's violent crime rate is 450.8 per 100,000 residents — 19% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
450.8 /100k
Property Crime
2738.9 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Gem Lake, MN National Avg
School District N/A —
Elementary Schools N/A —
Middle Schools N/A —
High Schools N/A —
Student/Teacher Ratio N/A 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 50.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 98.5% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Gem Lake sees average highs of 24.6°F in January and 82.7°F in July, with 33.8 inches of annual precipitation and 40.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricGem Lake, MN
Average High — January24.6°F
Average High — July82.7°F
Annual Precipitation33.8"
Annual Snowfall40.4"

Demographics

MetricGem Lake, MNNational Avg
Population475—
Median Age42.338.9
Unemployment Rate0.8%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.8 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)92.8%59.3%
Black or African American0.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.5%18.9%
Asian2.3%6.3%
Under 1826.1%22.2%
65 and over20.4%16.8%

Nearby Cities

White Bear Lake, MN 1 mi Vadnais Heights, MN 1 mi Maplewood, MN 3 mi Birchwood Village, MN 3 mi Mahtomedi, MN 3 mi

Gem Lake vs Other Cities

Gem Lake, MN vs White Bear Lake, MN Gem Lake, MN vs Vadnais Heights, MN Gem Lake, MN vs Maplewood, MN Gem Lake, MN vs Birchwood Village, MN Gem Lake, MN vs Mahtomedi, MN

Frequently Asked Questions

Gem Lake's cost of living index is 104, where 100 is the national average. That puts Gem Lake roughly 4% above the national average in cost. The median home price is $452,600 and median rent is $1,203/month.
Gem Lake's violent crime rate is 450.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2738.9 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Gem Lake, MN has a population of 475, a median household income of $129,583, and an unemployment rate of 0.8%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Gem Lake averages 24.6°F in January and 82.7°F in July. Annual rainfall is 33.8 inches with about 40.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Gem Lake, Minnesota is 475 with a median age of 42.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Gem Lake: cost of living index 104 (100 = US average), median home $452,600, median household income $129,583, crime index 123 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Gem Lake side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.