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Community Profiles

Community Profile for Forest Lake

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NOTE: Forest Lake Township merged with Forest Lake on 03/23/2000. Data prior to 03/23/2000 aggregate the city and township data.

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OVERVIEW PEOPLEECONOMY AND JOBSINCOME AND POVERTYHOUSINGCOMMUTINGLAND USE AND DEVELOPMENTCHART EXPORTS

Area	35.5 sq miles 22,711 Acres
Parks, Recreation & Preserves (in 2020)	1,394 Acres
Population (2023)	21,502
Households (2023)	8,599
Employment (2024)	7,717
Community Website	Forest Lake website
County	Washington
Met Council Sector Rep	Emma Dvorak
Met Council District	District 11

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Population/Households (Historic, Current, and Forecasts)
Population by Age and Gender
Highest Level of Education
Household Type
Average Household Size
Population by Race and Ethnicity

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Population Households

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Click a population column for the mix of population in households and population in group quarters

(not available for forecast years).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates, and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Population by Age and Gender in Forest Lake

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Census 1990Census 2000Census 2010ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018Census 2020ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Census 1990Census 2000ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Census 1990Census 2000Census 2010ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018Census 2020ACS 2019-2023

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The Census Bureau started classifying same-sex married couples as married in the 2009-2013 ACS release; previously, it had treated them as unmarried partners. Use caution when comparing household type categories in pre-2013 and 2013-onward ACS releases as well as in the 2010 and 2020 Census data.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates.
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Census 1990Census 2000Census 2010ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018Census 2020ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Employment by Community
Employment by Industry
Forecasted Employment
Average Annual Wages
Average Annual Unemployment

Due to data restrictions, employment data may not be available for all years.

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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points; and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data. Data are not adjusted for inflation.
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No unemployment data are available for this community.

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Current year data average monthly data year-to-date.

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Median Household Income
Per Capita Personal Income
Population Below the Federal Poverty Level

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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA Compare another place

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Data from historical communities cannot be combined in this chart. For years when aggregation would be necessary, only the data for the community with the higher value is shown. To obtain all data for these years, contact us.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA Compare another place

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Housing Type
Housing Units Permitted
New Affordable Housing
Housing Tenure and Vacancy
Homeownership
Median Housing Value
Median Gross Rent
Count of Existing Home Sales by Price
Households Experiencing Housing Cost Burden

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Housing Stock Estimates.
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Note: Between 2003 & 2004 housing unit type definitions changed: Duplex category was expanded to include duplex, triplex and quad, and the definition of multifamily changed from 3 or more units to 5 or more units.
Source: Metropolitan Council Residential Building Permit Survey.
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Owner-occupied Renter-occupied

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Source: Metropolitan Council Affordable Housing Production Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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County Twin Cities Region (7-county)

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Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA

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The Census Bureau began adjusting home values for inflation before summarizing them in the 2018-2022 ACS estimates. Median home values in 2018-2022 and subsequent ACS releases should not be compared with earlier ACS releases.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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County Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: Certificate of Real Estate Value, Minnesota Department of Revenue.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
Households experience housing cost burden when their housing costs are 30% or more of their gross income. For renters, housing costs include rent and utilities; for owners, housing costs include mortgage principal and interest, property taxes, property insurance, utilities, and other fees. Use caution when comparing 1990 and 2000 data (which include only some households) to American Community Survey data (which include all households). See the metadata for more information.
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Means of Transportation to Work
Travel Time to Work
Average Travel Time to Work
Commuting Patterns

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Census 1990Census 2000ACS 2009-2013ACS 2014-2018ACS 2019-2023

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. The universe is residents age 16 and over who worked outside the home.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Commuting Patterns for Forest Lake

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Top ten workplaces of people who live in
Forest Lake

Workplaces	Workers
Forest Lake	1,315
Minneapolis	1,029
St. Paul	893
Blaine	279
Roseville	222
White Bear Lake	220
Plymouth	173
Hugo	154
Fridley	148
Coon Rapids	146
Other	3,690

Top ten residences of people who work in
Forest Lake

Residences	Workers
Forest Lake	1,315
Linwood Township	204
Columbus	191
Blaine	187
Hugo	163
St. Paul	142
Lino Lakes	138
East Bethel	119
Scandia	116
Minneapolis	105
Other	1,449

Note: Workplaces and residences not in the top 10 are counted in "Other".
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Local Employment-Household Dynamics.
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Generalized Land Use:

Table
Pie Chart

Features Affecting Development (includes MUSA, wetlands and slopes)

Regional Planned Land Use:

Table
Pie Chart

Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Construction Projects:

     Total Permit Value
     Total Permit Value by Type
     Total Square Footage Permitted
     Total Square Footage Permitted by Type

Generalized Land Use in Forest Lake

Year

Land Use

2016

2020

Acres

Change

Acres

Change

Residential Total

4,260

N/A

4,454

4.55%

Single Family Detached

3,977

N/A

4,116

3.50%

Multifamily

283

N/A

338

19.51%

Commercial Total

395

N/A

382

-3.29%

Retail and Other Commercial

386

N/A

362

-6.24%

Office

N/A

141.18%

Industrial Total

122

N/A

143

17.21%

Industrial and Utility

108

N/A

123

14.09%

Extractive

N/A

39.01%

Institutional Total

354

N/A

357

0.85%

Park and Recreational

1,560

N/A

1,755

12.50%

Park, Recreational or Preserve

1,194

N/A

1,394

16.80%

Golf Course

367

N/A

361

-1.64%

Mixed Use Total

N/A

600.00%

Mixed Use Residential

N/A

46.30%

Mixed Use Industrial

N/A

100%

Mixed Use Commercial and Other

N/A

100%

Major Roadways

279

N/A

281

0.72%

Airport

N/A

21.82%

Agricultural and Undeveloped Total

12,430

N/A

11,990

-3.54%

Agriculture

3,595

N/A

3,663

1.91%

Undeveloped Land

8,835

N/A

8,326

-5.76%

Open Water

3,251

N/A

3,247

-0.12%

Total

22,711

N/A

22,711

0.00%

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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Features Affecting Development in Forest Lake

YEAR

Features Affecting Development

Total

Total

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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Inventories, Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA), Steep Slopes, National Wetland Inventory, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 Flood Zones , and Metro Wetlands and Wet Areas.
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Regional Planned Land Use in Forest Lake for 2040

Year

Planned Land Use

2040

Acres

% of Total

Agricultural

1,621.0

7.14 %

Airport

224.8

0.99 %

Commercial

734.8

3.24 %

Industrial

75.7

0.33 %

Institutional

378.0

1.66 %

Multifamily Residential

256.5

1.13 %

Multi-Optional Development

2,032.1

8.95 %

Open Space or Restrictive Use

580.8

2.56 %

Park and Recreation

1,013.3

4.46 %

Rights-of-Way (i.e., Roads)

334.5

1.47 %

Rural and Large-Lot Residential

6,091.1

26.82 %

Single Family Residential

6,121.0

26.95 %

Water

3,247.8

14.30 %

Total

22,711.3

100.00 %

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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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Regional Planned Land Use in Forest Lake for 2040

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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Chart.

Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Chart.

Note: Cities and townships do not consistently report information on both square footage and permit value on commercial, industrial, and public and institutional building permits. View "Download Tabular Data" for more details.
Source: Metropolitan Council Commercial, Industrial, and Public and Institutional Building Permits Survey
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Community Profiles

Community Profile for Forest Lake

NOTE: Forest Lake Township merged with Forest Lake on 03/23/2000. Data prior to 03/23/2000 aggregate the city and township data.

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Interactive Maps

Resources for Forest Lake

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates, and Metropolitan Council Forecasts. Download chart data Back to top

Population by Age and Gender in Forest Lake

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Due to data restrictions, employment data may not be available for all years.

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points; and Metropolitan Council Forecasts. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data. Data are not adjusted for inflation. Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Current year data average monthly data year-to-date. Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Housing Stock Estimates. Download chart data Back to top

Source: Metropolitan Council Affordable Housing Production Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Link to inflation calculator Back to top

Source: Certificate of Real Estate Value, Minnesota Department of Revenue. Download chart data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. The universe is residents age 16 and over who worked outside the home. Download chart data Back to top

Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Download chart data Back to top

Commuting Patterns for Forest Lake

Top ten workplaces of people who live in Forest Lake

Top ten residences of people who work in Forest Lake

Note: Workplaces and residences not in the top 10 are counted in "Other". Source: U.S. Census Bureau Local Employment-Household Dynamics. Download chart data: Commuteshed - Laborshed Back to top

Generalized Land Use in Forest Lake

Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set Download chart data Back to top

Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set Download chart data Back to top

Features Affecting Development in Forest Lake

Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Inventories, Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA), Steep Slopes, National Wetland Inventory, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 Flood Zones , and Metro Wetlands and Wet Areas. Download chart data Back to top

Regional Planned Land Use in Forest Lake for 2040

Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set Land Use Definitions (pdf) Download chart data Back to top

Regional Planned Land Use in Forest Lake for 2040

Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set Land Use Definitions (pdf) Download chart data Back to top

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census, Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates, and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Annual Estimates.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census or American Community Survey.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data; Metropolitan Council staff have estimated some data points; and Metropolitan Council Forecasts.
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Source: Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2nd quarter data. Data are not adjusted for inflation.
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Source: Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Current year data average monthly data year-to-date.

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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and Metropolitan Council Housing Stock Estimates.
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Source: Metropolitan Council Affordable Housing Production Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: Certificate of Real Estate Value, Minnesota Department of Revenue.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey. The universe is residents age 16 and over who worked outside the home.
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau Decennial Census and American Community Survey.
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Top ten workplaces of people who live in
Forest Lake

Top ten residences of people who work in
Forest Lake

Note: Workplaces and residences not in the top 10 are counted in "Other".
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Local Employment-Household Dynamics.
Download chart data: Commuteshed - Laborshed
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Historical Data Set
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Source: Metropolitan Council Generalized Land Use Inventories, Metropolitan Urban Service Areas (MUSA), Steep Slopes, National Wetland Inventory, U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency Q3 Flood Zones , and Metro Wetlands and Wet Areas.
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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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Source: Metropolitan Council Regional Planned Land Use Data Set
Land Use Definitions (pdf)
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