The Town FilesDead Lake, Minnesota
Township in Otter Tail County · population 535 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $482,100
- Household income
- $85,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- -2° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 49 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 17
- Median age
- 61.2
Dead Lake is a township of 535 people in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $482,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 93% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 88% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 76% of Minnesota towns.
How Dead 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 Dead Lake is worth $482,100, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 5.7 times the median household income of $85,000, which is more affordable than 2% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $817 a month. 93.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Dead Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $482,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $817 | $991 |
| Median household income | $85,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.7× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 93.2% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 43.7% | — |
Who lives in Dead Lake
| People | Dead Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 61.2 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 41.5% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 36.0% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 12.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 14.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.5% | 90.2% |
Weather in Dead Lake
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows -2.0°F. About 28.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 49.0 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 172 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dead Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 20, 2005 about 5.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 4.00 inches on July 12, 2004.
Severe weather in Otter Tail County since 1996
Otter Tail County has been included in 17 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 |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| July 2, 2010 | Tornado | DR-1921: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 9, 2009 | Severe Storm | DR-1830: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Otter Tail County
Otter Tail County had 22,910 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,013 a year. Unemployment was 3.3% in 2023; in Dead Lake itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Dead Lake
- Rush Lake, MN6.4 mi · 1,035 people · home $325,700
- Edna, MN6.7 mi · 905 people · home $477,700
- Dora, MN7.6 mi · 697 people · home $402,200
- Maine, MN8.5 mi · 665 people · home $398,400
- Ottertail, MN8.5 mi · 629 people · home $332,900
- Otter Tail, MN8.5 mi · 602 people · home $447,600
- Perham, MN8.7 mi · 977 people · home $319,800
- Perham, MN10.2 mi · 3,512 people · home $199,000
Dead Lake questions
Is Dead Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Dead Lake scores better for retirees than 76% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 88%. 41.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 61.2).
How much does a house cost in Dead Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Dead Lake is valued at $482,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,000, so homes cost about 5.7 times income. Median rent is $817 a month.
What is the weather like in Dead Lake?
July highs average 78.6°F and January lows -2.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.2 inches of precipitation a year and 49.0 inches of snow.
Does Dead Lake get tornadoes?
17 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Dead Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 20, 2005. 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)