GEM LAKE, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE
LIVING IN GEM LAKE
Gem Lake has a history out of proportion to its size. The land was once part of White Bear Township and was split between wealthy estate owners, who came for horseback riding and fox hunts, and French-Canadian farm families who grew vegetables for local markets. In the late 1950s, White Bear Lake tried more than once to annex the area. Residents fought it all the way to the Minnesota Supreme Court, and on June 30, 1959, they voted 102 to 5 to incorporate as their own city.
That independent streak still shows. Gem Lake covers only about 725 acres, and most of it is single-family residential, with zoning that has long favored large lots to protect the rural feel. The city’s own planning documents describe its natural environment as very high quality, with rolling glacial hills and heavy woods, especially around Gem Lake — a roughly 38-acre lake with surrounding wetlands at the center of town. Gem Lake Hills golf course occupies about 63 acres of former farmland, and a small commercial district sits near Highway 61.
Despite the quiet setting, getting around is easy. U.S. Highway 61 runs through the southeastern part of the city, County Road E forms the southern edge, and I-35E is about a mile west, near its junction with I-694. Gem Lake is about 7 miles north of downtown St. Paul and about 11 miles northeast of downtown Minneapolis.
Living in Gem Lake means having White Bear Lake’s downtown, beaches and summer events a few minutes east and the trails of Vadnais-Snail Lakes Regional Park a short drive west, while coming home to a city with fewer than 600 residents. It’s a rare mix of privacy and convenience this close to St. Paul.
GEM LAKE AT A GLANCE
Population: 528
Size: 1.1 sq mi
Incorporated: 1959
Schools: White Bear Lake ISD 624
Lakes: Gem Lake
Commute: Hwy 61 · I-35E
County: Ramsey
Known for: Large wooded lots
Drive to MSP Airport: about 30 minutes (19 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 30 minutes (18 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 20 minutes (12 miles), off-peak
GEM LAKE SCHOOLS
Gem Lake is served by White Bear Lake Area Schools (ISD 624), which covers Gem Lake along with White Bear Lake, White Bear Township, Vadnais Heights and other nearby communities. Students attend one of the district’s two middle schools, Central or Mariner, and then White Bear Lake Area High School, which moved into unified high school facilities in 2024. Because Gem Lake is so small, its students are part of a much larger district community shared with the surrounding cities, and I confirm the district for any specific address before you make an offer.
What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Gem Lake’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 43, 18 and 24 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 Gem Lake: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — all of the city’s school-age children.
HOW GEM LAKE’S SCHOOL DISTRICTS COMPARE STATEWIDE
White Bear Lake (ISD 624): reading 54% and math 49% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #91 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 94% (class of 2025), #119 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 GEM LAKE
Willow Lane Elementary: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — all of Gem Lake’s children that age; grades K–5, about 46 students per grade; reading 37%, math 31% proficient (2025–26), #688 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING GEM LAKE
Mariner Middle School: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — all of Gem Lake’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 311 students per grade; reading 53%, math 45% proficient (2025–26), #90 of 264 Minnesota middle schools
HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING GEM LAKE
White Bear Lake High School: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — all of Gem Lake’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 638 students per grade; reading 50%, math 44% proficient (2025–26), #88 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 97%
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 Gem Lake in?
Gem Lake is served by White Bear Lake Area Schools (ISD 624). Students attend Central or Mariner Middle School and then White Bear Lake Area High School, which moved into unified facilities in 2024. I always double-check the district for a specific address before you write an offer.
What county is Gem Lake in?
Gem Lake is in Ramsey County. It’s surrounded by Vadnais Heights, White Bear Lake and White Bear Township, and it sits in the Northeast Metro about 7 miles north of downtown St. Paul. U.S. Highway 61 runs through the city, and County Road E forms its southern boundary.
How big is Gem Lake, MN?
Gem Lake is one of the smallest cities in the Twin Cities area, with 528 residents in the 2020 Census and about 1.1 square miles — roughly 725 acres. Most of that land is single-family residential, along with the Gem Lake Hills golf course, a small business area and the lake itself.
How far is Gem Lake from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?
Driving from the center of Gem Lake at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 18 miles (roughly 30 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 12 miles (roughly 20 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 19 miles (roughly 30 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Gem Lake you start from.
Is Gem Lake a good place to buy a home?
Gem Lake suits buyers who want larger, wooded lots and a quiet, rural feel while staying close to St. Paul. Homes don’t come up often and vary a lot in lot size and setting, so I compare each one carefully and help you price or offer with confidence.
NEARBY CITIES I SERVE
Vadnais Heights · White Bear Lake · White Bear Township · North Oaks · Birchwood Village · Mahtomedi · Arden Hills
Thinking about buying or selling in Gem Lake? Use the form at the top of this page, or call or text me at 763-218-2573. — Chuck Glasser, Realtor®, RE/MAX Results