White Bear Lake
Homes & cabins for sale
2,400 acres, 83 feet deep, and a walkable lake town 16 minutes from downtown St. Paul — one of the metro's classic addresses. Get matched with an agent who knows it.
About White Bear Lake
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Life on White Bear Lake
White Bear Lake in Ramsey County is the historic boating destination of St. Paul's north suburbs — home to a storied yacht club and one of the metro's most walkable lake-adjacent downtowns. It pairs sailing heritage with genuine town life on the water.
The market is established year-round homes, from in-town to premier lakefront; the walkable downtown and sailing tradition set it apart in the metro.
What makes White Bear Lake distinct
- 16 minutes to downtown St. Paul with a real lake-town downtown attached
- 83 feet deep with 14.4-foot clarity and an A grade
- Three distinct submarkets — Dellwood estates, Mahtomedi cottages-and-customs, and the historic city
- Muskie fishery tied directly to the lake's clarity
- White Bear Yacht Club and an established sailing culture
Featured White Bear Lake businesses
Resorts, marinas, dock builders, and lake-area pros our community relies on.
What the seasons bring on White Bear Lake
Summer is sailing, regattas, and a lively downtown by the water. Fall brings color and calmer sailing.
Winter is metro ice fishing and a year-round community with an easy commute, reopening at ice-out.
The White Bear Lake real estate picture
Typical property types: Estate homes (Dellwood), early-1900s cottages and new custom builds (Mahtomedi), historic housing near downtown. Three quite different markets on one lake.
What drives price here: Which shore and which municipality you're in matters more here than on almost any other Minnesota lake. Dellwood, Mahtomedi and the city are separate markets with separate price behaviour and separate inventory dynamics.
You have to talk about the water level. White Bear Lake has a documented, litigated history of level decline — a recorded low of 918.8 feet in January 2013 against a 1943 high of 926.7. Homeowner associations sued the DNR in 2012 over groundwater pumping; a 2014 settlement stalled on funding, a 2017 district court ruling restricted new groundwater permits within five miles, and appeals continued through 2020 and a May 2024 administrative ruling. This is not resolved. It is genuinely relevant to anyone buying shoreline here, and an agent who doesn't raise it isn't doing the job. It has not stopped White Bear from being one of the metro's most desirable addresses — but buyers deserve the full picture.
White Bear Lake by the numbers
Source: Minnesota DNR · view surveyHomes for sale on White Bear Lake
Common questions about White Bear Lake
How far is White Bear Lake from St. Paul?
About 12 miles, roughly 16 minutes via I-35E.
How big and deep is it?
2,428 acres with 14 miles of shoreline, 83 feet maximum depth and about 20 feet average.
How clear is the water?
Clarity measured 14.4 feet with an A (Excellent) grade — fifth of 75 lakes in Washington County. Monitoring does show a declining trend over recent years.
What's the story with the lake's water level?
It's a real and ongoing issue. Levels hit a recorded low of 918.8 feet in 2013 against a 1943 high of 926.7. Homeowner groups sued the DNR in 2012 over groundwater pumping near the lake; a 2014 settlement stalled on funding, a 2017 court ruling restricted new groundwater permits within five miles, and litigation and administrative rulings continued through 2024. It is not fully resolved — ask your agent for the current position.
What's the difference between Dellwood, Mahtomedi and White Bear Lake?
They're three genuinely different markets. Dellwood is estate-scale homes on large wooded lots and one of Minnesota's wealthiest cities. Mahtomedi mixes early-1900s cottages with newer luxury builds and has a public beach. The city of White Bear Lake has historic housing beside a walkable downtown.
What's the fishing like?
Muskie is the signature species, attributed to the lake's clarity, alongside walleye, northern pike, bass, crappie, bluegill, perch and white bass.
How is public access?
Three public boat launches. Zebra mussels and Eurasian watermilfoil are both present.
How do I see new listings?
Use the form on this page, or get matched with a local agent who can send them the day they hit MLS.
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