WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN REALTOR · LOCAL GUIDE

LIVING IN WHITE BEAR LAKE

White Bear Lake grew up as a summer getaway. When the railroad arrived in 1868, hotels followed, and through the 1870s and 1880s the lake drew visitors from St. Paul and beyond. Some of that era still stands — the Fillebrown House, built in 1879, is one of the best-known examples. The community incorporated as a city in 1921 and today is home to about 24,900 people, mostly in Ramsey County with a portion in Washington County.

The lake is the main event. White Bear Lake is one of the largest lakes in the Twin Cities area, with sailing and tubing in summer and ice fishing and snowmobiling in winter, and Memorial Beach and West Park sit right on the shore. Downtown has restaurants, shops and bars, plus the White Bear Center for the Arts and Lakeshore Players Community Theater. Summer is busy: Marketfest fills downtown on Thursday evenings with live music, classic cars and food trucks, and Manitou Days runs for several weeks from mid-June to the Fourth of July with a parade, the Beach Dance and fireworks over the lake.

Neighborhoods range from older homes near downtown and along the lake to established residential streets farther out. For commuting, I-35E, I-694 and U.S. Highway 61 all serve the city, so downtown St. Paul is usually about 20 to 25 minutes away and Minneapolis is reachable by freeway.

The lake also connects the city to its neighbors. Mahtomedi, Birchwood, Dellwood and White Bear Township all touch the shoreline, so much of the area’s social life — beaches, boat launches, restaurants and summer events — revolves around the water. Even if you don’t buy on the lake, it shapes daily life here more than in most suburbs.

WHITE BEAR LAKE AT A GLANCE

Population: 24,883
Size: 8.6 sq mi
Incorporated: 1921 (as a city)
Schools: White Bear Lake ISD 624
Lakes: White Bear Lake
Commute: I-35E · I-694 · Hwy 61
County: Ramsey · Washington
Summer festival: Manitou Days
Drive to MSP Airport: about 30 minutes (20 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown Minneapolis: about 30 minutes (18 miles), off-peak
Drive to Downtown St. Paul: about 20 minutes (13 miles), off-peak

WHITE BEAR LAKE SCHOOLS

White Bear Lake is served by White Bear Lake Area Schools (ISD 624), which also covers neighboring communities including White Bear Township, Gem Lake, Vadnais Heights, Hugo and Birchwood. The district operates two middle schools, Central and Mariner, and White Bear Lake Area High School, which reunited its two campuses into unified high school facilities in 2024. With a city this size, which elementary school a home feeds into can vary by neighborhood, so I always confirm the district and school assignment for a specific address before you make an offer.

What the percentages mean: the percentage beside each school below is the share of White Bear 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 1,667, 896 and 1,089 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 White Bear Lake: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — all of the city’s school-age children.

HOW WHITE BEAR 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 WHITE BEAR LAKE

Lakeaires Elementary: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 39% of White Bear Lake’s children that age; grades K–5, about 60 students per grade; reading 38%, math 32% proficient (2025–26), #681 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Birch Lake Elementary: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 20% of White Bear Lake’s children that age; grades K–5, about 40 students per grade; reading 41%, math 42% proficient (2025–26), #584 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Willow Lane Elementary: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 14% of White Bear 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
Matoska Elementary: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 13% of White Bear Lake’s children that age; grades K–5, about 90 students per grade; reading 61%, math 59% proficient (2025–26), #246 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Lincoln Elementary: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 13% of White Bear Lake’s children that age; grades K–5, about 75 students per grade; reading 72%, math 73% proficient (2025–26), #49 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools
Otter Lake Elementary: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 2% of White Bear Lake’s children that age; grades K–5, about 79 students per grade; reading 64%, math 62% proficient (2025–26), #187 of 893 Minnesota elementary schools

MIDDLE SCHOOLS SERVING WHITE BEAR LAKE

Mariner Middle School: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 87% of White Bear 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
Central Middle School: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — about 13% of White Bear Lake’s children that age; grades 6–8, about 315 students per grade; reading 65%, math 53% proficient (2025–26), #34 of 264 Minnesota middle schools

HIGH SCHOOLS SERVING WHITE BEAR LAKE

White Bear Lake High School: White Bear Lake (ISD 624) — all of White Bear 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 White Bear Lake in?

White Bear Lake is served by White Bear Lake Area Schools (ISD 624). The district has two middle schools, Central and Mariner, and White Bear Lake Area High School, which moved into unified high school facilities in 2024. I confirm the district for any specific address before you write an offer.

What county is White Bear Lake in?

The city of White Bear Lake is mostly in Ramsey County, with a portion in Washington County. Property taxes and some services can differ by county, so it’s worth knowing which side a home is on — I check that for every property. The bulk of the city, including downtown, is on the Ramsey County side.

How far is White Bear Lake from Minneapolis, St. Paul and MSP Airport?

Driving from the center of White Bear Lake at off-peak times, downtown Minneapolis is about 18 miles (roughly 30 minutes), downtown St. Paul is about 13 miles (roughly 20 minutes) and MSP Airport is about 20 miles (roughly 30 minutes). Rush-hour traffic adds time, and drives vary with which part of White Bear Lake you start from.

What is Manitou Days?

Manitou Days is White Bear Lake’s summer festival, running for several weeks from mid-June to the Fourth of July. It includes a Grand Parade, the Beach Dance at Memorial Beach, a medallion hunt and a classic boat show, and it wraps up with Independence Day fireworks at West Park and Memorial Beach.

What is there to do in White Bear Lake?

The lake itself is the draw, with sailing, beaches and ice fishing. Downtown has shops and restaurants, the White Bear Center for the Arts and Lakeshore Players Community Theater, and summer brings Marketfest on Thursday nights and Manitou Days. Nearby regional parks and trails add plenty more.

Is White Bear Lake a good place to buy a home?

White Bear Lake offers a real downtown, one of the metro’s largest lakes, an active arts scene and quick access to I-35E, I-694 and Highway 61. Homes range from historic and lakeshore properties to established neighborhoods, and I’ll help you compare them so you price or offer with confidence.

NEARBY CITIES I SERVE

White Bear Township · Birchwood Village · Mahtomedi · Gem Lake · Vadnais Heights · Dellwood · Willernie · Hugo · North Oaks

Thinking about buying or selling in White Bear 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