The Town FilesPickerel Lake, Minnesota
Township in Freeborn County · population 643 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $312,300
- Household income
- $81,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 6° / 82°
- Snow a year
- 40 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 33
- Median age
- 43.0
Pickerel Lake is a township of 643 people in Freeborn County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $312,300, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks easier by car than 99% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Minnesota towns.
How Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake is worth $312,300, close to the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 3.8 times the median household income of $81,750, which is more affordable than 30% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $489 a month. 93.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Pickerel Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $312,300 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $489 | $991 |
| Median household income | $81,750 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.8× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 93.4% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1970 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.0% | — |
Who lives in Pickerel Lake
| People | Pickerel Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.0 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.6% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.5% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.3% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.9% | — |
| Work from home | 13.4% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 18.7 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.3% | 90.2% |
Weather in Pickerel Lake
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 5.9°F. About 35.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 39.5 inches of snow (typical Minnesota town: 47.0 in). Expect about 8 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 159 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pickerel Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF4, struck on June 17, 2010 about 6.4 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 8 deaths and 89 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 17, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 59 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on June 27, 1998.
Severe weather in Freeborn County since 1996
Freeborn County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| 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 |
| November 2, 2016 | Flood | DR-4290: Severe Storms And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Freeborn County
Freeborn County had 11,963 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $53,099 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Pickerel Lake itself the ACS puts it at 1.9%.
Towns near Pickerel Lake
- Alden, MN5.6 mi · 583 people · home $128,400
- Albert Lea, MN6.0 mi · 18,492 people · home $157,500
- Albert Lea, MN6.4 mi · 602 people · home $257,900
- Bancroft, MN9.3 mi · 792 people · home $260,300
- Glenville, MN10.4 mi · 568 people · home $123,300
- Clarks Grove, MN12.2 mi · 694 people · home $123,400
- Lake Mills, IA14.5 mi · 2,143 people · home $122,600
- Wells, MN15.3 mi · 2,410 people · home $103,900
Pickerel Lake questions
Is Pickerel Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Pickerel Lake scores better for retirees than 32% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 64%. 21.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.0).
How much does a house cost in Pickerel Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Pickerel Lake is valued at $312,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,750, so homes cost about 3.8 times income. Median rent is $489 a month.
What is the weather like in Pickerel Lake?
July highs average 81.6°F and January lows 5.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 35.8 inches of precipitation a year and 39.5 inches of snow.
Does Pickerel Lake get tornadoes?
33 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Pickerel Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF4 on June 17, 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)