Orono is a small city on the northern shores of Lake Minnetonka that makes the most of lakefront living. Residents can spend hours on the water, whether they’re hanging out on private docks or enjoying a meal at one of the area's lakefront restaurants. There’s so much more than the lake, though, with plenty of parkland and a highly rated school district. Commuters move to Orono for its highway access and proximity to the Twin Cities.
Single-family homes make up most of the area, including sprawling lakefront New Traditional or modern Craftsman styles. You can find some early-1900s cottages, farmhouses and National Folk styles as well. Townhouses and condos are less common. The median single-family home price is in the low $800,000s, but prices range from the mid-$200,000s to over $8 million, depending on size, condition and the proximity to the lake. “We have so much lakeshore that the average price is very high,” says former mayor and longtime resident Dennis Walsh. Townhouses and condos typically fall between the low $300,000s and the high $800,000s.
Life in Orono centers around Lake Minnetonka. “About 40% of the shoreline is in Orono, which gives residents year-round amenities,” Walsh says. People spend their summers boating and swimming, and anyone without a private dock can keep their vessels at one of the city’s many marinas. In the winter, the lake becomes a popular spot for ice fishing. Walsh says that Orono’s recreation goes well beyond the water. “We might be over-parked,” Walsh says. “We’ve got parks with playsets, walking parks that are all nature, and we have a lot of extra open space that we take care of.” At Noerenberg Memorial Gardens, you can walk through acres of well-maintained gardens along the shores of Crystal Bay. Baker Park Preserve spans over 2,700 acres and has miles of hiking trails, a swimming beach and a playground. There are also several golf courses in the area, including the public Orono Orchards Golf Course.
While Orono is mostly residential, you can find a handful of restaurants in the city and the surrounding suburbs like Spring Lake. Options include:
Most families enroll their children in the Orono Public School District, which earns an A-plus from Niche. “The school district brings people here and keeps people here,” Walsh says. “People bring their kids back to raise them in the community.” All the schools are located on a single campus in Long Lake, near Lake Classen. Students at the A-rated Orono High School have plenty of opportunities to earn college credit, from Advanced Placement courses and the STEM-focused Project Lead the Way to the College in the Schools program through University of Minnesota.
The district also manages Orono Community Education, where you can find anything from preschool classes to adult aquatic programs.
Location is a major draw for the area. “We are blessed to have one of the most beautiful lakeshores in the country, and it’s next to a huge metropolitan area,” Walsh says. It’s about a 20-mile (30-minute) drive to downtown Minneapolis and a 35-mile (45-minute) drive to downtown Saint Paul. U.S. Highway 12 goes through the city, eventually merging with Interstate 394. Locally, major roads include Shoreline Drive and County Road 188. Public transportation is very limited, but Metro Transit buses do stop in the area.
There are a handful of community events throughout the year, most of which support the school district and the Orono Foundation of Education. Some highlights are:
Interested in learning more about homes in this area? Reach out to , an experienced agent in this area.
Molly Hangartner
Ashworth Real Estate
(612) 441-2756
80 Total Sales
2 in Orono
$250K - $530K Price Range
Jado Hark
Compass
(612) 688-6942
260 Total Sales
2 in Orono
$3.4M - $4.2M Price Range
Michael Wasem
Edina Realty, Inc.
(844) 512-0376
195 Total Sales
2 in Orono
$615K - $630K Price Range
Dave Thorp
Coldwell Banker Realty
(952) 243-2852
27 Total Sales
1 in Orono
$742,275 Price
Christopher Wasilensky
Keller Williams Realty Integrity Lakes
(612) 261-0936
83 Total Sales
1 in Orono
$504,900 Price
Jeff Vanderlinde
Vanderlinde Group | Edge Realty, Inc.
(612) 448-3557
460 Total Sales
1 in Orono
$564,000 Price
On average, homes in Orono, MN sell after 36 days on the market compared to the national average of 55 days. The median sale price for homes in Orono, MN over the last 12 months is $695,000, down 50% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
|
Median List Price
$747,500
|
Median Sale Price
$695,000
|
|
Median Single Family Sale Price
$810,000
|
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$717,500
|
|
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$384,900
|
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
|
|
Last 12 months Home Sales
11
|
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
-50%
|
|
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$330
|
|
|
Number of Homes
559
|
Number of Homes for Sale
5
|
|
Median Year Built
1988
|
Months of Supply
5.50
|
|
Average Single Family Home Size Sq Ft
3,081
Significantly above the national average
1,935
|
Average Townhouse Size Sq Ft
2,553
|
|
Average 2 Bedroom Size Sq Ft
1,671
|
Median Lot Size Sq Ft
22,215
|
$2,103 - $2,603 per month
|
Number of Homes for Rent
1
|
Median Rent
$3,300
|
|
Median Single Family Home Rent
$3,300
|
Median 3 Bedroom Single Family Home Rent
$3,300
|
|
Total Population
8,623
|
Median Age
48
|
|
Population under 18
23.5%
On par with the national average
23.8%
|
Population over 65
23.4%
On par with the national average
19.1%
|
|
Median Household Income
$175,542
Significantly above the national average
$79,597
|
Average Household Income
$191,418
|
|
High School Graduates
99.4%
|
College Graduates
68.4%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
|
|
Advanced Degrees
24.3%
Above the national average
13.3%
|
% Population in Labor Force
71.6%
|
|
Annual Precipitation
33''
|
Average Winter Low Temperature
6°F
|
|
Average Summer High Temperature
81°F
|
Annual Snowfall
60''
|
Bikeability
Walkability
Local Logic measures the walkability, access to public transit and bikeability of any address. CAP Index provides objective, accurate, and consistent data to help measure, compare, and mitigate crime risks.
