The Town FilesBirch Lake, Minnesota
Township in Cass County · population 576 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $276,700
- Household income
- $61,136
- Jan low / Jul high
- 1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 61.1
Birch Lake is a township of 576 people in Cass County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $276,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 97% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 91% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 84% of Minnesota towns.
How Birch 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 Birch Lake is worth $276,700, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $61,136, which is more affordable than 10% of Minnesota towns. 92.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Birch Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $276,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $61,136 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 92.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 61.5% | — |
Who lives in Birch Lake
| People | Birch Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.1 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 41.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 8.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 14.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.9% | — |
| Work from home | 8.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 25.3 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Birch Lake
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 0.7°F. About 28.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 174 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birch Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on August 6, 1969 about 7.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 25, 2008.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 12, 2024.
Severe weather in Cass County since 1996
Cass County has been included in 14 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| August 9, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4666: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| July 8, 2022 | Severe Storm | DR-4658: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cass County
Cass County had 10,661 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,904 a year. Unemployment was 4.4% in 2023; in Birch Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.4%.
Towns near Birch Lake
- Woodrow, MN5.5 mi · 710 people · home $462,300
- Powers, MN7.4 mi · 811 people · home $242,200
- Turtle Lake, MN8.0 mi · 820 people · home $297,800
- Ponto Lake, MN9.3 mi · 589 people · home $359,500
- Shingobee, MN10.7 mi · 1,661 people · home $324,800
- Walker, MN11.3 mi · 966 people · home $261,800
- Kego, MN11.4 mi · 613 people · home $311,800
- Barclay, MN13.7 mi · 525 people · home $255,300
Birch Lake questions
Is Birch Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Birch Lake scores better for retirees than 91% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 97%. 41.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.1).
How much does a house cost in Birch Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Birch Lake is valued at $276,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $61,136, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Birch Lake?
July highs average 79.0°F and January lows 0.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.0 inches of precipitation a year and 48.2 inches of snow.
Does Birch Lake get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Birch Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on August 6, 1969. 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)