Moving to Prior Lake: Pros, Cons & What to Know
Moving to Prior Lake means moving to a genuinely affluent, lake-chain southwestern Twin Cities exurb anchored by Mystic Lake Casino as Scott County's largest single employer.
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Learn moreA real lake-chain identity, not a single shoreline
Prior Lake's geography is built directly around the Upper and Lower Prior Lake chain, a real, distinct identity that gives the city more lake recreation access than a single-lake suburb.
A genuinely affluent, low-unemployment economy
Prior Lake's median household income ($134,255, 2024) runs at the 97th income percentile nationally per this pass's research, alongside a low 1.5% unemployment rate.
Mystic Lake Casino: a real, distinct economic anchor
Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, owned and operated by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC), is Scott County's largest employer at approximately 4,100 employees -- a real fact unlike any other market in this batch.
A below-national property tax rate
Prior Lake's own median effective property tax rate ran a real, disclosed 0.95% per Ownwell this pass -- below both the 1.02% national median and Minnesota's own broader statewide cluster.
Key takeaways
- Prior Lake's identity centers on its real Upper/Lower Prior Lake chain, not a single shoreline.
- Median household income ($134,255) runs at the 97th percentile nationally, with low 1.5% unemployment.
- Mystic Lake Casino/SMSC is Scott County's largest employer at ~4,100 employees.
- Prior Lake's 0.95% effective property tax rate runs below both national and Minnesota statewide averages.
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