The Town FilesHoward Lake, Minnesota
City in Wright County · population 2,071 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $273,600
- Household income
- $92,188
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 42 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 48.4
Howard Lake is a city of 2,071 people in Wright County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $273,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 96% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 73% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 71% of Minnesota towns.
How Howard 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 Howard Lake is worth $273,600, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $92,188, which is more affordable than 69% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $911 a month. 72.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Howard Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $273,600 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $911 | $991 |
| Median household income | $92,188 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 72.0% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1990 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 5.0% | — |
Who lives in Howard Lake
| People | Howard Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 26.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 10.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.5% | — |
| Work from home | 20.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 33.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.2% | 90.2% |
Weather in Howard Lake
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F. About 28.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 41.7 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 9 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 158 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Howard Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 19, 1951 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 30, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 60 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 27, 2016.
Severe weather in Wright County since 1996
Wright County has been included in 17 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| July 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| May 10, 2011 | Flood | DR-1982: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| March 19, 2010 | Flood | EM-3310: Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Wright County
Wright County had 48,758 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $55,999 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Howard Lake itself the ACS puts it at 1.4%.
Public schools in Howard Lake
8 public schools with 922 students, about 17.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Lake-Waverly-Winsted Middle | 5-8 | 399 | 20.0 |
| HOWARD LAKE-WAVERLY-WINSTED SEC. | 9-12 | 399 | 19.0 |
| MEEKER-WRIGHT EARLY CHILDHOOD SP ED | PK-PK | 81 | 20.3 |
| HLWW ALTERNATIVE LEARNING PROGRAM | 9-12 | 16 | 8.0 |
| STEP TD PROGRAM | 11-12 | 14 | 7.0 |
| JOURNEYS ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM | K-8 | 7 | 3.5 |
| TREK PROGRAM | K-12 | 6 | 6.0 |
| ALP Credit Recovery | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Howard Lake
- Victor, MN3.4 mi · 1,053 people · home $377,400
- Middleville, MN4.3 mi · 1,009 people · home $412,700
- Waverly, MN4.7 mi · 1,900 people · home $323,100
- Woodland, MN5.6 mi · 1,154 people · home $460,100
- Marysville, MN6.3 mi · 2,020 people · home $395,800
- Cokato, MN6.4 mi · 2,799 people · home $223,300
- Stockholm, MN6.6 mi · 986 people · home $365,100
- Winsted, MN6.6 mi · 2,240 people · home $201,900
Howard Lake questions
Is Howard Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Howard Lake scores better for retirees than 73% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 71%. 26.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.4).
How much does a house cost in Howard Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Howard Lake is valued at $273,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $92,188, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $911 a month.
What is the weather like in Howard Lake?
July highs average 82.3°F and January lows 2.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.7 inches of precipitation a year and 41.7 inches of snow.
Does Howard Lake get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Howard Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 19, 1951. 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)