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Buying a home in Lake Crystal, Minnesota

The typical owner-occupied home in Lake Crystal is worth about $204,400, 38% below the Minnesota median of $329,300 and 39% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,984 a year in property taxes, about 0.97% of their home's value, close to the Minnesota rate of 1.02%. The median household earns $83,317 a year, so the median home costs 2.5 times the median income (3.7 times for Minnesota). 83% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 69% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Lake Crystal at a glance

Lake Crystal Minnesota U.S.
Median home value $204,400 $329,300 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,984 $3,357 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.97% 1.02% 0.94%
Median household income $83,317 $89,062 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 83% 72% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 69% 64% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,473 $1,947 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.3% 19.7% 21.0%
Median rent $825 $1,280 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 28.0% 29.2% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1971 1979 1980
Vacant homes 3.9% 9.3% 10.1%
Population 2,606 5,739,445 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Lake Crystal

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Lake Crystal home of $204,400 with 20% down costs about $1,350 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,691, 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 $57,874 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Lake Crystal household income of $83,317; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $294,000.

The median rent here is $825 a month, so owning the median home costs about $525 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$40,880
Loan amount$163,520
Principal and interest$1,100
Property taxes (0.97% a year)$165
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$85
PMI$0
Total per month$1,350

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$7,154
Loan amount$200,698
Principal and interest$1,350
Property taxes (0.97% a year)$165
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$85
FHA mortgage insurance$90
Total per month$1,691

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Questions about home buying in Lake Crystal

What is the median home value in Lake Crystal?

About $204,400 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Lake Crystal?

Homeowners pay a median $1,984 a year, which is about 0.97% 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 Lake Crystal?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,350 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $57,874 a year.

More about Lake Crystal

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