The typical owner-occupied home in Detroit Lakes is worth about $265,800, 19% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 20% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $2,359 a year in property taxes, about 0.89% of their home's value, lower than the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $62,958 a year, so the median home costs 4.2 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 56% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 65% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Detroit Lakes at a glance
| Detroit Lakes | Minnesota | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $265,800 | $329,300 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $2,359 | $3,357 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.89% | 1.02% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $62,958 | $89,062 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 56% | 72% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 65% | 64% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,636 | $1,947 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 24.1% | 19.7% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $954 | $1,280 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 29.2% | 29.2% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1979 | 1979 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 13.3% | 9.3% | 10.1% |
| Population | 10,025 | 5,739,445 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Detroit Lakes
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Detroit Lakes home of $265,800 with 20% down costs about $1,738 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $2,181, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.
Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $74,500 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 33% of the median Detroit Lakes household income of $62,958; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $225,000.
The median rent here is $954 a month, so owning the median home costs about $784 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $53,160 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $212,640 |
| Principal and interest | $1,430 |
| Property taxes (0.89% a year) | $197 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $111 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,738 |
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| Down payment | $9,303 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $260,986 |
| Principal and interest | $1,756 |
| Property taxes (0.89% a year) | $197 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $111 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $118 |
| Total per month | $2,181 |
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Questions about home buying in Detroit Lakes
What is the median home value in Detroit Lakes?
About $265,800 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Detroit Lakes?
Homeowners pay a median $2,359 a year, which is about 0.89% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.
What income do you need to buy a home in Detroit Lakes?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,738 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $74,500 a year.
More about Detroit Lakes
- Mortgage Refinance in Detroit Lakes
- Debt Relief in Detroit Lakes
- Home Equity Loans in Detroit Lakes
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data