The Town FilesLake Crystal, Minnesota
City in Blue Earth County · population 2,539 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $204,400
- Household income
- $83,317
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 38.4
Lake Crystal is a city of 2,539 people in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $204,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 93% of Minnesota towns, more walkable than 82% of Minnesota towns.
How Lake Crystal 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 Lake Crystal is worth $204,400, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $83,317, which is more affordable than 84% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $825 a month. 83.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Crystal | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $204,400 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $825 | $991 |
| Median household income | $83,317 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 83.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Lake Crystal
| People | Lake Crystal | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.6% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 7.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.5% | — |
| Work from home | 4.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Lake Crystal
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 5.7°F. About 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 40.2 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 11 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 161 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Crystal since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on June 25, 2010 about 4.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 11, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 42 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on April 13, 2026.
Severe weather in Blue Earth County since 1996
Blue Earth County has been included in 24 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Flood | DR-4797: Severe Storms And Flooding |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Blue Earth County
Blue Earth County had 41,255 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $56,997 a year. Unemployment was 2.3% in 2023; in Lake Crystal itself the ACS puts it at 1.5%.
Public schools in Lake Crystal
4 public schools with 961 students, about 14.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial Sec | 6-12 | 515 | 17.2 |
| Lk Crystal Wellcome Memorial El | PK-5 | 432 | 11.4 |
| LCWM ECSE | PK-PK | 14 | — |
| LCWM ALP | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Lake Crystal
- North Mankato, MN10.3 mi · 14,275 people · home $262,100
- Mankato, MN12.9 mi · 44,488 people · home $261,700
- Eagle Lake, MN17.2 mi · 3,278 people · home $276,500
- New Ulm, MN18.9 mi · 14,120 people · home $204,200
- St. Peter, MN19.9 mi · 12,066 people · home $250,700
- St. James, MN21.9 mi · 4,793 people · home $122,100
- Sleepy Eye, MN28.3 mi · 3,452 people · home $147,600
- Le Sueur, MN29.7 mi · 4,213 people · home $244,000
Lake Crystal questions
Is Lake Crystal, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Crystal scores better for retirees than 37% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 32%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.4).
How much does a house cost in Lake Crystal?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Crystal is valued at $204,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $83,317, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $825 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Crystal?
July highs average 81.9°F and January lows 5.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 33.9 inches of precipitation a year and 40.2 inches of snow.
Does Lake Crystal get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Crystal since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on June 25, 2010. 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)