The Town FilesLake Shore, Minnesota
City in Cass County · population 1,056 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $513,200
- Household income
- $96,563
- Jan low / Jul high
- -1° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 45 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 54.7
Lake Shore is a city of 1,056 people in Cass County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $513,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for a vacation home than 93% of Minnesota towns, quieter than 92% of Minnesota towns, better for retirees than 85% of Minnesota towns.
How Lake Shore 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 Shore is worth $513,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 5.3 times the median household income of $96,563, which is more affordable than 3% of Minnesota towns. 93.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Shore | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $513,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $96,563 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.3× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 93.6% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1995 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 53.0% | — |
Who lives in Lake Shore
| People | Lake Shore | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 54.7 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 31.8% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.8% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 18.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 21.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 90.2% |
Weather in Lake Shore
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 44.7 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
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Shore since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on June 11, 1966 about 8.7 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 47 times; the largest was 4.00 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 Lake Shore itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Towns near Lake Shore
- Nisswa, MN3.3 mi · 1,967 people · home $481,200
- Loon Lake, MN6.1 mi · 626 people · home $371,300
- Fairview, MN6.9 mi · 889 people · home $481,700
- Pequot Lakes, MN6.9 mi · 2,395 people · home $289,300
- Lake Edward, MN7.4 mi · 2,108 people · home $386,400
- East Gull Lake, MN7.4 mi · 986 people · home $553,700
- Pelican, MN10.2 mi · 501 people · home $458,300
- Breezy Point, MN10.5 mi · 2,574 people · home $340,800
Lake Shore questions
Is Lake Shore, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Shore scores better for retirees than 85% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 92%. 31.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 54.7).
How much does a house cost in Lake Shore?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Shore is valued at $513,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $96,563, so homes cost about 5.3 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Shore?
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 44.7 inches of snow.
Does Lake Shore get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Shore since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on June 11, 1966. 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)