The Town FilesLakeside, Minnesota
Township in Aitkin County · population 504 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $363,200
- Household income
- $59,773
- Jan low / Jul high
- 0° / 78°
- Snow a year
- 43 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 60.9
Lakeside is a township of 504 people in Aitkin County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $363,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks quieter than 100% of Minnesota towns, better for a vacation home than 77% of Minnesota towns, better for cycling than 77% of Minnesota towns.
How Lakeside 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 Lakeside is worth $363,200, above the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 6.1 times the median household income of $59,773, which is more affordable than 1% of Minnesota towns. 93.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lakeside | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $363,200 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | — | $991 |
| Median household income | $59,773 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.1× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 93.9% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1992 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 58.4% | — |
Who lives in Lakeside
| People | Lakeside | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 60.9 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 37.9% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 10.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 20.3% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 53.1 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 75.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Lakeside
July highs average 78.4°F and January lows -0.5°F. About 28.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 43.1 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 2 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 176 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakeside since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on July 3, 1985 about 7.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 12, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on July 4, 2026.
Severe weather in Aitkin County since 1996
Aitkin County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2023 | Flood | DR-4722: 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 Aitkin County
Aitkin County had 4,328 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,689 a year. Unemployment was 4.8% in 2023; in Lakeside itself the ACS puts it at 12.1%.
Towns near Lakeside
- East Side, MN5.0 mi · 650 people · home $242,900
- Isle, MN9.9 mi · 803 people · home $237,500
- South Harbor, MN10.9 mi · 836 people · home $329,800
- Isle Harbor, MN11.3 mi · 557 people · home $263,100
- Kathio, MN12.1 mi · 1,507 people · home $219,100
- Hazelton, MN12.8 mi · 792 people · home $359,100
- Nordland, MN14.4 mi · 983 people · home $302,800
- Vineland, MN14.5 mi · 869 people · home $154,000
Lakeside questions
Is Lakeside, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lakeside scores better for retirees than 51% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 100%. 37.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 60.9).
How much does a house cost in Lakeside?
The median owner-occupied home in Lakeside is valued at $363,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,773, so homes cost about 6.1 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Lakeside?
July highs average 78.4°F and January lows -0.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 28.8 inches of precipitation a year and 43.1 inches of snow.
Does Lakeside get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lakeside since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on July 3, 1985. 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)