EAST BETHEL, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE

LIVING IN EAST BETHEL

East Bethel started as Bethel Township in 1858, the same year Minnesota became a state; the name comes from the Bible and means “House of God.” Quakers were the first settlers in 1856, and the township grew slowly, from 423 people in 1880 to about 1,300 by 1957. It incorporated as a village in the late 1950s and became the city of East Bethel on January 1, 1974. Today about 11,800 people live here.

Outdoor space is the big draw. Coon Lake, about 1,260 acres, has the Coon Lake Beach neighborhood on its East Bethel side, and Fish Lake is a quiet, no-motor lake for canoeing and kayaking. The Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve, run by the University of Minnesota since 1942, is a National Natural Landmark where prairie, hardwood forest and northern conifer forest meet. The Sandhill Crane Natural Area protects land around Neds, Mud and Deer lakes.

Booster Park, next to City Hall, is the city’s oldest and busiest park — 77 acres with nine baseball diamonds, tennis courts, picnic areas, a paved trail system, a skate park and a sliding hill. John Anderson Memorial Park, about 70 acres around Cooper Lake in the northwest part of the city, adds more open space. It hosts Booster Days each July, with a parade, pancake breakfast, car show and fireworks.

Highway 65 runs north–south through the city and Viking Boulevard (County Road 22) runs east–west. Central Minneapolis is about 26 miles southeast, and Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport is about 34 miles away. Most of East Bethel is rural — about 98 percent of residents lived in rural areas as of 2020 — with homes on larger lots, lake neighborhoods around Coon Lake and smaller areas like Coopers Corner in the north.

EAST BETHEL AT A GLANCE

Population: 11,786
Size: 47.7 sq mi
Incorporated: 1974 (as a city)
Schools: St. Francis · Forest Lake
Lakes: Coon & Fish
Commute: Hwy 65 · CR 22
County: Anoka
Summer festival: Booster Days (July)
Drive to MSP Airport: about 55 minutes (40 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 40 minutes (28 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 45 minutes (33 miles), off-peak

EAST BETHEL SCHOOLS

East Bethel is served by two public school districts: St. Francis Area Schools (ISD 15) and Forest Lake Area Schools (ISD 831). In the St. Francis district, students attend schools such as East Bethel Elementary or Cedar Creek Community School, then St. Francis Middle School and St. Francis High School. Students in the Forest Lake district portion attend Forest Lake Area High School.

Because the city is split, the district can change from one road to the next. I’ll confirm the district and assigned schools for any home before you make an offer.

What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of East Bethel’s children of that school’s age who live in its attendance area — ages 5–10 for elementary, 11–13 for middle and 14–17 for high school (about 851, 453 and 654 children in the 2020 Census). District percentages use all children ages 5–17. It shows where the city’s kids are assigned; it is not a test score or a rating. Students per grade is each school’s 2025–26 enrollment divided by the number of grades it serves.

School districts serving East Bethel: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 88% of the city’s school-age children; Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 12% of the city’s school-age children.

HOW EAST BETHEL’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE

St. Francis (ISD 15): reading 49% and math 44% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #142 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 89% (class of 2025), #211 of 317
Forest Lake (ISD 831): reading 50% and math 50% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #115 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 85% (class of 2025), #255 of 317

Proficient = share of tested students who met or exceeded Minnesota’s grade-level standards (MCA, MTAS and Alternate MCA, all tested grades). Test-score rank = position among Minnesota school districts (charter schools not included) by the average of reading and math proficiency; school ranks compare each school with all Minnesota public schools at the same level. Ranks are calculated by Minnesota Chuck from Minnesota Department of Education data and are not an official state rating.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS SERVING EAST BETHEL

Cedar Creek Elementary: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 57% of East Bethel’s children that age; grades K–5, about 110 students per grade; reading 48%, math 48% proficient (2025–26), #456 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
East Bethel Elementary: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 30% of East Bethel’s children that age; grades K–5, about 78 students per grade; reading 57%, math 55% proficient (2025–26), #309 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Linwood Elementary: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 13% of East Bethel’s children that age; grades K–5, about 62 students per grade; reading 53%, math 53% proficient (2025–26), #362 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING EAST BETHEL

St. Francis Middle School: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 91% of East Bethel’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 293 students per grade; reading 50%, math 35% proficient (2025–26), #136 of 264 Minnesota middle schools
Forest Lake Middle School: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 9% of East Bethel’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 438 students per grade; reading 52%, math 50% proficient (2025–26), #80 of 264 Minnesota middle schools

HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING EAST BETHEL

St. Francis High School: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 87% of East Bethel’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 288 students per grade; reading 32%, math 44% proficient (2025–26), #202 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 96%
Forest Lake High School: Forest Lake (ISD 831) — about 13% of East Bethel’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 460 students per grade; reading 42%, math 41% proficient (2025–26), #153 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 89%

Sources: Minnesota Department of Education, School Attendance Areas, SY2025-26; Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 assessment results and graduation rates (Minnesota Report Card); U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census (children by age, by census block); Minnesota Department of Education 2025–26 enrollment. Boundaries can change, so confirm the assigned school with the district for a specific address.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What school district is East Bethel, MN in?

East Bethel is served by two public school districts: St. Francis Area Schools (ISD 15) and Forest Lake Area Schools (ISD 831). St. Francis students attend St. Francis High School, and Forest Lake students attend Forest Lake Area High School. Because the city is split, always confirm the district for a specific address.

What county is East Bethel, MN in?

East Bethel is in Anoka County, in the northern part of the county. It borders Columbus to the southeast, Ham Lake to the south, Andover to the southwest, Oak Grove to the west, and St. Francis and Bethel to the northwest. Anoka County handles property taxes and records for East Bethel homes.

How far is East Bethel from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?

Driving from the center of East Bethel at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 28 miles (roughly 40 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 33 miles (roughly 45 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 40 miles (roughly 55 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of East Bethel you start from.

What is there to do in East Bethel, MN?

East Bethel has Coon Lake for boating and fishing, the no-motor Fish Lake for paddling, and trails through the Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve and the Sandhill Crane Natural Area. Booster Park has ball fields, a skate park and trails, and it hosts Booster Days each July with a parade, car show and fireworks.

Is East Bethel a good place to buy a home?

East Bethel suits buyers who want room — larger lots, lake homes around Coon Lake and lots of protected natural land — with Highway 65 for the commute. Rural homes bring things to check, like well, septic and shoreline rules. I can help you weigh those details and run the numbers on any home you’re considering.

NEARBY CITIES I SERVE

Bethel · Ham Lake · Columbus · Oak Grove · St. Francis · Andover · Forest Lake · Lino Lakes

Thinking about buying or selling in East Bethel? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results