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Lakeside-Lester Park

Lakeside-Lester Park

Neighborhood in Duluth, Minnesota

St Louis County 55804

$340,922 Average Value
$214 Average Price per Sq Ft
7 Homes For Sale

Nature preserve and Lake Superior bracket housing options

With a rocky lakefront on one side and a renowned natural preserve on the other, most of Lakeside-Lester Park’s residents live in the middle. Streets and avenues run north-south and east-west, with a collection of hometown dining spots nearby. Lake Superior’s shoreline is largely occupied by homes along Voyageur Highway, with more conventional real estate options north and west of the thoroughfare. Land opens up to the north, at the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve, a vast expanse of forests and trails that draws a following in the fall. “In September and October, we have birdwatchers from all over the country come into Duluth to count the hawk migrations going south,” says broker Frank Messina of Messina & Associates Real Estate. “They fly along Lake Superior; it’s kind of a landmark or directional sign.” The 235-acre preserve also attracts nature lovers of a different sort. Five individual trails weave throughout the wooded areas and intersect at different points. The Lester-Amity Chalet is a hiking destination and serves as a practice point for high school mountain bikers. It’s open as a cross-country ski hub throughout the winter, as well. Messina said snowmobiling and four-wheeling are also popular in the area during the winter.

Ranch style homes can be found in groups on the west side of Lakeside-Lester Park.
Ranch style homes can be found in groups on the west side of Lakeside-Lester Park.
Kitchi Gammi Park is home to Brighton Beach.
Kitchi Gammi Park is home to Brighton Beach.
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Lester Park is another outdoor option

Elsewhere, Lester Park has its fair share of woodland views, as well as miniature waterfalls and a playground for kids to explore. A short walk up the coast from Lester Park reveals Brighton Beach, which as of summer 2024 is still undergoing construction following heavy storm damage. When the park is back to full operation, residents can go back to swimming and sightseeing as normal or relax on the new benches. Brighton Beach is important to swimmers because much of the shore's real estate is otherwise occupied by single-family home lots.

The Lester River runs along the east side of Lester Park.
The Lester River runs along the east side of Lester Park.
Bikers and walkers long for sights of Lake Superior at Kitchi Gammi Park.
Bikers and walkers long for sights of Lake Superior at Kitchi Gammi Park.
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Bungalows and ranch-style homes across Lakeside-Lester Park

A lot of the residential properties date to the mid-century. “Homes here were built after World War II when the GIs were coming home and didn’t want to live downtown anymore,” Messina said. Evenly spaced blocks form a grid. Buyers will find two- and three-bedroom homes on lots smaller than a quarter-acre. These typically range in price between $190,000 and $390,000. The styles are predominantly ranch and bungalow, but some feature the occasional colonial or modern influence. Despite the smaller lot sizes, houses aren’t jammed together as they might be in a downtown area. Most buyers will be able to snag a two- or three-bedroom home below the $400,000 mark while being no more than a mile from the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve, Lake Superior, or both.

Single family homes make up a majority of the living options in Lakeside-Lester Park.
Single family homes make up a majority of the living options in Lakeside-Lester Park.
Front porches can be found on many of the homes throughout Lakeside-Lester Park.
Front porches can be found on many of the homes throughout Lakeside-Lester Park.
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A few restaurants on the south end

Despite its expansive geographical footprint, nearby restaurants are few. Amity Coffee is a small, artsy cafe with local artwork hanging on the walls that's also for sale. Along Superior Street, Sammy’s Pizza & Deli has been family-owned and operated since 1958 and serves a menu of subs, pizza, broasted chicken and daily specials. About a mile up the road, newcomer Lake Superior Brewing, which opened in 2022, has a full Saturday brunch menu to go with craft cocktails and their signature beers. The brewery also hosts local music acts on most Wednesday nights. Weekly groceries are available at the Super One Foods on Superior Street.

Catch live music on Wednesdays at Lake Superior Brewing in Lakeside-Lester Park.
Catch live music on Wednesdays at Lake Superior Brewing in Lakeside-Lester Park.
Amity Coffee is a great place to start the day in Lakeside-Lester Park.
Amity Coffee is a great place to start the day in Lakeside-Lester Park.
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Attending class in Lakeside-Lester Park

Students in this neighborhood can attend Lester Park Elementary, which earns an A-minus overall from Niche. They then move to Ordean East Middle, which gets a B-plus. Duluth East High also gets a B-plus overall and offers a variety of unique extracurriculars like the crochet club.

At Lester Park Elementary, 77% of students are proficient in reading this year.
At Lester Park Elementary, 77% of students are proficient in reading this year.
East High School, ranked #4,218 nationally, has a 20% AP® participation rate.
East High School, ranked #4,218 nationally, has a 20% AP® participation rate.
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Accessing downtown Duluth

This neighborhood is one of several adjacent to Superior Street, making for a straightforward 6-mile drive into downtown Duluth. Going by car takes about 18 minutes, and boarding the Duluth Transit Authority (DTA) means a 30-minute bus ride. Reaching the Duluth International Airport by bus can technically be done, but the 9-mile stretch takes an hour and twenty minutes at least.

Crime in Lakeside-Lester Park

The crime rate in Lakeside-Lester Park is quite low. According to the CAP Index’s predictive, score-based model, residents of this neighborhood are much less likely to be the victim of a crime. The community gets an overall two out of 10, compared to that of the country’s average, a four out of 10.

Duluth's notorious winters

Greater Duluth is known for its winter months, which often creep into subzero temperatures. In winter 2022, Duluth’s average lows fluctuated between 7 and 19 degrees Fahrenheit. Monthly snowfall gradually accumulates over time, typically reaching its highest point in mid-December, according to Weather Spark.

Malcolm Longerbeam
Written By
Malcolm Longerbeam
Photography Contributed By
Tyler McNair
Myles Manuel
Video By
Myles Manuel

Agents Specializing in this Area

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Schools

Source:
GreatSchools: The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process. View GreatSchools Rating Methodology

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Tracey Tellor, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Parks in this Area

Crime and Safety

1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime Lakeside-Lester Park US
Homicide 1 4
Sexual Assault 1 4
Assault with Weapon 1 4
Robbery 1 4
Burglary 2 4
Motor Vehicle Theft 2 4
Larceny 2 4
Crime Score 2 4

Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com

Demographics and Home Trends

Home Trends

Median Price (12 Mo)
$310,000
Median Single Family Price
$310,000
Median Townhouse Price
$479,000
Median 2 Bedroom Price
$479,000
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$214
Number of Homes for Sale
7
Last 12 months Home Sales
147
Months of Supply
0.60
Median List Price
$310,000
Median Discount From 1st List Price
0%
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
7%

Home Facts

Number of Homes in Neighborhood
3,203
Median Year Built
1946
Avg. Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
1,385
Significantly below the national average
1,937
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
1,574
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,326
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
6,969

Distribution of Home Values

Source: Public Records

Homes for Sale

Homes for Rent

Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to Tracey Tellor, an experienced agent in this neighborhood.

Average Home Value




Source: Public Records

Property Mix - Square Feet

This Neighborhood Has More Owners

Demographics

Total Population
8,093
Median Age
41
Population Density
4 ppl/acre
Population under 18
24.4%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
20.5%
On par with the national average
19.1%

Finances

Median Household Income
$93,494
Above the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$110,975

Education and Workforce

High School Graduates
97.2%
College Graduates
54.8%
Above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
19.7%
% Population in Labor Force
74.3%
Above the national average
65.1%

Weather

Annual Precipitation
32''
Average Winter Low Temperature
6°F
Average Summer High Temperature
75°F
Annual Snowfall
69''

Area Factors

Somewhat Bikeable

Bike Score®

39 / 100

Car-Dependent

Walk Score®

6 / 100

Some Transit

Transit Score®

25 / 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score

Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.

Reviews

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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
NEIGHBORHOOD
Lakeside-Lester Park
Tracey Tellor
Tellor Realty LLC
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