The Town FilesMountain Lake, Minnesota
City in Cottonwood County · population 1,999 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $143,100
- Household income
- $66,490
- Jan low / Jul high
- 8° / 84°
- Snow a year
- 46 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 31.5
Mountain Lake is a city of 1,999 people in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $143,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better for cycling than 80% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 77% of Minnesota towns.
How Mountain 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 Mountain Lake is worth $143,100, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $66,490, which is more affordable than 91% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $929 a month. 72.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Mountain Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $143,100 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $929 | $991 |
| Median household income | $66,490 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 72.1% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1964 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Mountain Lake
| People | Mountain Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.5 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 34.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 2.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 11.2% | — |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 13.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.1% | 90.2% |
Weather in Mountain Lake
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 8.0°F. About 31.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 45.6 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 13 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 162 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mountain Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 14, 1976 about 3.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 10, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 33 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on July 4, 1961.
Severe weather in Cottonwood County since 1996
Cottonwood County has been included in 17 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 |
| 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 |
| June 12, 2019 | Flood | DR-4442: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Cottonwood County
Cottonwood County had 4,847 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,092 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Mountain Lake itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Mountain Lake
2 public schools with 509 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| MOUNTAIN LAKE ELEMENTARY | PK-6 | 269 | 12.2 |
| MOUNTAIN LAKE SECONDARY | 7-12 | 240 | 15.0 |
Towns near Mountain Lake
- Butterfield, MN6.6 mi · 601 people · home $90,400
- Windom, MN10.8 mi · 4,798 people · home $169,700
- St. James, MN15.2 mi · 4,793 people · home $122,100
- Trimont, MN16.3 mi · 705 people · home $98,800
- Springfield, MN20.6 mi · 2,027 people · home $122,300
- Lakefield, MN21.9 mi · 1,735 people · home $133,800
- Heron Lake, MN22.0 mi · 602 people · home $88,600
- Jackson, MN22.1 mi · 3,323 people · home $128,500
Mountain Lake questions
Is Mountain Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Mountain Lake scores better for retirees than 65% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 34%. 16.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.5).
How much does a house cost in Mountain Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Mountain Lake is valued at $143,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,490, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $929 a month.
What is the weather like in Mountain Lake?
July highs average 84.3°F and January lows 8.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 31.7 inches of precipitation a year and 45.6 inches of snow.
Does Mountain Lake get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Mountain Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 14, 1976. 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)