OAK GROVE, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE

LIVING IN OAK GROVE

Oak Grove was settled in 1855 and organized as a township in 1857, named for the large groves of oak trees in the area. It stayed a township for well over a century before incorporating as a city in 1993. About 8,900 people live here today, and most of the city remains rural.

Lake George is the heart of Oak Grove. The roughly 495-acre lake has clear water and a sandy bottom, and it’s used year-round for fishing, water skiing, canoeing, ice fishing and snowmobiling. Lake George Regional Park covers much of the north shore with picnic areas, a boat launch and a large swimming beach. The lake has a long history as a summer getaway — resorts and cabins went up in the early 1900s, and starting in the 1970s permanent homes replaced many of those cabins. Neighborhoods around the lake go by names like Paradise Alley, Beaver Shores, South Bay and Greenwald Island.

Away from the lake, Oak Grove is open country with homes on larger lots and acreage, wooded parcels and farmland — about 86 percent of residents lived in rural areas as of the 2020 census. The Rum River runs along the western edge of the city. City Hall and the fire station sit on Nightingale Street, and the city has a project underway for a new City Hall and Fire Station.

There’s no freeway here; most residents get around on county roads like Viking Boulevard (County Road 22) and Highway 47, which crosses the city’s northwest corner, then connect to Highway 10 or Highway 65 heading south. Minneapolis is roughly 30 miles away, and Anoka, with its riverfront downtown, shopping and services, is about 12 miles south of Lake George.

OAK GROVE AT A GLANCE

Population: 8,929
Size: 35.2 sq mi
Incorporated: 1993 (as a city)
Schools: St. Francis ISD 15 (most)
Lakes: Lake George
Commute: Hwy 47 · CR 22
County: Anoka
Known for: Lake George Regional Park
Drive to MSP Airport: about 65 minutes (42 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 50 minutes (29 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 55 minutes (35 miles), off-peak

OAK GROVE SCHOOLS

Most of Oak Grove is in St. Francis Area Schools (ISD 15). Elementary students attend East Bethel Community School, Cedar Creek Community School or St. Francis Elementary, then St. Francis Middle School and St. Francis High School. The southwest corner of the city is in Anoka-Hennepin School District 11.

St. Francis Area Schools covers about 165 square miles and also serves St. Francis, Bethel and East Bethel, so Oak Grove families share schools with those neighboring communities. Because the district line runs through the city, I’ll confirm the district for any home you’re considering before you make an offer.

What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of Oak Grove’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 707, 359 and 502 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 Oak Grove: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 99% of the city’s school-age children; Anoka-Hennepin (ISD 11) — about 1% of the city’s school-age children.

HOW OAK GROVE’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
Anoka-Hennepin (ISD 11): reading 51% and math 51% proficient on the 2025–26 state tests — test-score rank #98 of 326 Minnesota districts; 4-year graduation rate 89% (class of 2025), #215 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 OAK GROVE

Cedar Creek Elementary: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 62% of Oak Grove’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
St. Francis Elementary: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 23% of Oak Grove’s children that age; grades K–5, about 102 students per grade; reading 58%, math 61% proficient (2025–26), #248 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
East Bethel Elementary: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 14% of Oak Grove’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
Brookside Elementary: Anoka-Hennepin (ISD 11) — under 1% of Oak Grove’s children that age; grades K–5, about 128 students per grade; reading 66%, math 71% proficient (2025–26), #92 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING OAK GROVE

St. Francis Middle School: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 97% of Oak Grove’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
Anoka Middle School for the Arts: Anoka-Hennepin (ISD 11) — about 3% of Oak Grove’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 559 students per grade

HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING OAK GROVE

St. Francis High School: St. Francis (ISD 15) — about 99% of Oak Grove’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%
Anoka High School: Anoka-Hennepin (ISD 11) — about 1% of Oak Grove’s children that age; grades 9–12, about 578 students per grade; reading 41%, math 24% proficient (2025–26), #270 of 435 Minnesota high schools; 4-year graduation 92%

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 Oak Grove, MN in?

Most of Oak Grove is in St. Francis Area Schools (ISD 15), where students attend St. Francis Middle School and St. Francis High School after elementary school. The southwest corner of the city is in Anoka-Hennepin School District 11, so it’s worth confirming the district for any specific address.

What county is Oak Grove, MN in?

Oak Grove is in Anoka County. It borders St. Francis to the north, East Bethel to the east, Ham Lake to the southeast, Andover to the south, Ramsey to the southwest and Nowthen to the west. Anoka County handles property taxes and records for Oak Grove homes.

How far is Oak Grove from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?

Driving from the center of Oak Grove at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 29 miles (roughly 50 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 35 miles (roughly 55 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 42 miles (roughly 65 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of Oak Grove you start from.

What is there to do in Oak Grove, MN?

Lake George is the main attraction, with fishing, water skiing, canoeing and ice fishing. Lake George Regional Park on the north shore has a swimming beach, boat launch and picnic areas. The Rum River runs along the city’s western side, and the open countryside is popular with people who want room for hobbies, gardens or animals.

Is Oak Grove a good place to buy a home?

Oak Grove suits buyers who want space — acreage, wooded lots and lake homes on Lake George — with St. Francis or Anoka-Hennepin schools depending on location. Rural properties come with details like well, septic and zoning to check. I can help you sort through those and run the numbers on any home you’re considering.

NEARBY CITIES I SERVE

St. Francis · East Bethel · Andover · Ramsey · Ham Lake · Bethel · Anoka

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