The Town FilesPerch Lake, Minnesota
Township in Carlton County · population 977 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $235,000
- Household income
- $90,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 2° / 79°
- Snow a year
- 71 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 2
- Median age
- 39.8
Perch Lake is a township of 977 people in Carlton County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $235,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better transit than 90% of Minnesota towns.
How Perch 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 Perch Lake is worth $235,000, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.6 times the median household income of $90,000, which is more affordable than 82% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $717 a month. 89.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Perch Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $235,000 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $717 | $991 |
| Median household income | $90,000 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.6× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 89.8% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 14.0% | — |
Who lives in Perch Lake
| People | Perch Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.8 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 23.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.3% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 11.9% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 8.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.9% | 90.2% |
Weather in Perch Lake
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 1.7°F. About 32.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 71.3 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 6 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 191 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perch Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 21, 1986 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 21, 1986.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on September 16, 2021.
Severe weather in Carlton County since 1996
Carlton County has been included in 10 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 |
| April 7, 2020 | Biological | DR-4531: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3453: Covid-19 |
| September 5, 2018 | Flood | DR-4390: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| July 6, 2012 | Severe Storm | DR-4069: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Carlton County
Carlton County had 13,269 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $58,073 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Perch Lake itself the ACS puts it at 6.8%.
Towns near Perch Lake
- Cloquet, MN6.6 mi · 12,568 people · home $212,700
- Brevator, MN7.5 mi · 1,214 people · home $242,500
- Scanlon, MN10.3 mi · 987 people · home $228,800
- Twin Lakes, MN11.2 mi · 2,093 people · home $325,600
- Carlton, MN11.6 mi · 948 people · home $201,400
- Industrial, MN12.3 mi · 812 people · home $252,000
- Esko, MN12.8 mi · 2,082 people · home $318,800
- Thomson, MN13.3 mi · 5,465 people · home $339,000
Perch Lake questions
Is Perch Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Perch Lake scores better for retirees than 12% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 23%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.8).
How much does a house cost in Perch Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Perch Lake is valued at $235,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $90,000, so homes cost about 2.6 times income. Median rent is $717 a month.
What is the weather like in Perch Lake?
July highs average 78.5°F and January lows 1.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 32.7 inches of precipitation a year and 71.3 inches of snow.
Does Perch Lake get tornadoes?
2 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Perch Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 21, 1986. 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)