Forest Lake is a city in Washington County, Minnesota, home to about 20,729 people across 31 square miles. Its ZIP code is 55025, and parts of 55073 are in Forest Lake too.
Homes sold for a median of $201 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Forest Lake; also Columbus and Wyoming
Mostly Scandia; part is in Forest Lake
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Forest Lake. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Forest Lake’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Forest Lake well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)29 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Paul, MN23 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL355 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Forest Lake; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Forest Lake had 20,611 residents in the 2020 census, up 203% since 2000.
It’s the 58th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Washington County grew from 27,808 residents in 1900 to 267,568 in 2020.
Washington County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 3°F. About 33.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 52 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Forest Lake 5ne, MN weather station (6 miles away).
95,631 jobs at 6,542 businesses in Washington County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
190 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Forest Lake.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 18 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 3 |
| Dentists | 22 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 14 |
| Mental health providers | 74 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 35 |
| Optometrists | 7 |
| Chiropractors | 17 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (22 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1874.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Forest Lake Public School District, Lakes International Language Academ, North Lakes Academy. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus ElementaryForest Lake | Pre-K–6 | 441 | Public | 3.9 mi |
| Early Childhood Special EducationForest Lake | Pre-K | 103 | Special Education | 1.3 mi |
| Forest View ElementaryForest Lake | Pre-K–3 | 345 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| LILA Kinder CenterForest Lake | Pre-K–K | — | Charter | 0.5 mi |
| North Lakes Academy ElementaryForest Lake | K–6 | 220 | Charter | 2.5 mi |
| Out-of-State Care and TreatmentForest Lake | K–12 | — | Alternative Education | 1.1 mi |
| LILA Lower SchoolForest Lake | 1–5 | 607 | Charter | 0.5 mi |
| Forest Lake ElementaryForest Lake | 4–6 | 309 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Forest Lake Area Community SchoolForest Lake | 6–12 | 113 | Alternative Education | 1.3 mi |
| LILA Upper SchoolForest Lake | 6–12 | 579 | Charter | 2.6 mi |
| Online Learning ProgramForest Lake | 6–12 | — | Charter | 2.6 mi |
| Forest Lake Area Middle SchoolForest Lake | 7–8 | 916 | Public | 0.6 mi |
| Forest Lake Therapeutic EducationForest Lake | 7–12 | 4 | Alternative Education | 1.3 mi |
| North Lakes Academy 7-12 CampusForest Lake | 7–12 | 245 | Charter | 1.7 mi |
| Community School Credit RecoveryForest Lake | 9–12 | 34 | Alternative Education | 1.3 mi |
| Forest Lake Area High SchoolForest Lake | 9–12 | 1,805 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| StepForest Lake | 10–12 | 47 | Special Education | 1.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Peter Elementary SchoolForest Lake | Pre-K–8 | 282 | Roman Catholic | 0.3 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Columbus, Scandia, Wyoming, Chisago City, Chisago Lake and Franconia.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.