The Town FilesEast Gull Lake, Minnesota
City in Cass County · population 986 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $553,700
- Household income
- $123,333
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 48 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 14
- Median age
- 50.6
East Gull Lake is a city of 986 people in Cass County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $553,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Minnesota towns, better for families than 97% of Minnesota towns, more of a college town than 90% of Minnesota towns.
How East Gull 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 East Gull Lake is worth $553,700, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $123,333, which is more affordable than 10% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $1,438 a month. 92.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | East Gull Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $553,700 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $1,438 | $991 |
| Median household income | $123,333 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 92.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 43.6% | — |
Who lives in East Gull Lake
| People | East Gull Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 30.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 14.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.9% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 4.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.8% | — |
| Work from home | 9.6% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 96.8% | 90.2% |
Weather in East Gull Lake
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -1.2°F. About 27.1 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 175 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Gull Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on July 5, 1991 about 5.1 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 79 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on June 19, 2016.
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 East Gull Lake itself the ACS puts it at 2.7%.
Towns near East Gull Lake
- Fairview, MN3.8 mi · 889 people · home $481,700
- Sylvan, MN4.0 mi · 2,889 people · home $298,200
- Baxter, MN5.6 mi · 8,612 people · home $324,100
- Pillager, MN7.1 mi · 507 people · home $180,300
- Lake Shore, MN7.4 mi · 1,056 people · home $513,200
- Nisswa, MN7.8 mi · 1,967 people · home $481,200
- Brainerd, MN8.4 mi · 14,395 people · home $192,500
- Lake Edward, MN9.9 mi · 2,108 people · home $386,400
East Gull Lake questions
Is East Gull Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, East Gull Lake scores better for retirees than 83% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 39%. 30.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.6).
How much does a house cost in East Gull Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in East Gull Lake is valued at $553,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $123,333, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,438 a month.
What is the weather like in East Gull Lake?
July highs average 78.9°F and January lows -1.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 27.1 inches of precipitation a year and 48.2 inches of snow.
Does East Gull Lake get tornadoes?
14 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of East Gull Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on July 5, 1991. 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)