The Town FilesRed Lake, Minnesota
Community in Beltrami County · population 1,786 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $116,500
- Household income
- $46,328
- Jan low / Jul high
- -3° / 77°
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 31.6
Red Lake is a community of 1,786 people in Beltrami County, Minnesota. The median home is worth $116,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). It ranks better transit than 89% of Minnesota towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Minnesota towns.
How Red 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 Red Lake is worth $116,500, below the typical Minnesota town ($301,800). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $46,328, which is more affordable than 84% of Minnesota towns. Median rent is $378 a month. 66.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Red Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $116,500 | $301,800 |
| Median rent | $378 | $991 |
| Median household income | $46,328 | $87,375 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 3.4× |
| Homeownership | 66.3% | 88.6% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Red Lake
| People | Red Lake | Typical Minnesota town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.6 | 42.7 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.0% | 20.0% |
| Under 18 | 34.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.8% | 26.2% |
| Below the poverty line | 41.4% | 6.9% |
| Veterans | 14.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 11.1% |
| Average commute | 5.9 min | 24.5 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.0% | 90.2% |
Weather in Red Lake
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows -2.7°F. About 22.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year. Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 187 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Red Lake since 1950, compared with 14 for the typical Minnesota town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on July 26, 2021 about 0.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 26, 2021.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 15 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on July 26, 2021.
Severe weather in Beltrami County since 1996
Beltrami County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| July 13, 2022 | Flood | DR-4659: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 21, 2014 | Flood | DR-4182: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in Beltrami County
Beltrami County had 20,746 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $54,299 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Red Lake itself the ACS puts it at 5.9%.
Public schools in Red Lake
10 public schools with 1,416 students, about 13.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RED LAKE ELEMENTARY | 1-5 | 487 | 10.6 |
| RED LAKE SECONDARY | 9-12 | 341 | 14.2 |
| Red Lake Middle School | 6-8 | 278 | 21.4 |
| RED LAKE EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER | PK-K | 113 | 8.7 |
| Endazhi-Nitaawiging (charter) | K-6 | 90 | 22.5 |
| RED LAKE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING | 9-12 | 81 | 16.2 |
| Red Lake EC Special Education Ext | PK-PK | 19 | — |
| RED LAKE MIDDLE LEVEL ALC | 6-8 | 7 | — |
| RED LAKE JUVENILE DETENTION FACLTY | 6-12 | — | — |
| Red Lake Schools Online Learning | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Red Lake
- Little Rock, MN4.4 mi · 1,021 people · home $41,900
- Redby, MN4.7 mi · 1,302 people · home $108,000
- Ponemah, MN12.4 mi · 599 people · home $123,600
- Liberty, MN15.8 mi · 746 people · home $261,400
- Turtle Lake, MN18.5 mi · 1,299 people · home $420,600
- Port Hope, MN20.3 mi · 745 people · home $315,600
- Hines, MN21.3 mi · 612 people · home $238,800
- Eckles, MN22.1 mi · 2,014 people · home $227,400
Red Lake questions
Is Red Lake, Minnesota a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Red Lake scores better for retirees than 0% of Minnesota towns and quieter than 23%. 12.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.6).
How much does a house cost in Red Lake?
The median owner-occupied home in Red Lake is valued at $116,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $46,328, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $378 a month.
What is the weather like in Red Lake?
July highs average 76.6°F and January lows -2.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 22.8 inches of precipitation a year.
Does Red Lake get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Red Lake since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on July 26, 2021. 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)