Townapedia
Grant County Courthouse 2012
Grant County Courthouse 2012 · Gobonobo, CC BY-SA 3.0
Star Bank - Elbow Lake, Minnesota
Star Bank - Elbow Lake, Minnesota · Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
Post Office - Elbow Lake, Minnesota
Post Office - Elbow Lake, Minnesota · Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
Elbow Lake, Minnesota, 7 August 2009
Elbow Lake, Minnesota, 7 August 2009 · Nic McPhee from Morris, MN, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
Elbow Lake, Minnesota 03
Elbow Lake, Minnesota 03 · Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
Eagle Bank - Elbow Lake, Minnesota
Eagle Bank - Elbow Lake, Minnesota · Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0

Elbow Lake, Minnesota

Elbow Lake is a city of 1,301 people in Grant County, Minnesota, founded in 1873.

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Population1,301 +2.7% since 2019
Elevation1,220 ft 372 m
Founded1873
Land area1.4 sq mi
ZIP code56531
Nearest airportFergus Falls Municipal Airport (FFM) 22 mi

Why visit Elbow Lake

Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 2 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.

Highlights include Grant County Courthouse.

July is the warmest month, with average highs of 81°F; January lows average 0°F.

About Elbow Lake

Elbow Lake is a city and county seat of Grant County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,276 at the 2020 census.

From the Wikipedia article Elbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Museums and landmarks3

Grant County Courthouse

Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi

Courthouse in Minnesota, United States

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Corn Maze

Monument and historic site · 0.6 mi

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Grant County Historical Museum

Museum

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Restaurants and cafes2

Knotty Pine Bar and Grill

Bar and pub

12 Central Avenue, Elbow Lake

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Hans House

Restaurant

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Where to stay1

Country Inn Motel

Motel and hotel · 0.5 mi

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Shopping1

Jim's Market

Grocery

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History

Elbow Lake was platted in 1886. The city took its name from nearby Elbow Lake.

From the History section of Elbow Lake, Grant County, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Gas and EV charging3

Schools, colleges and libraries3

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Healthcare1

Map of Elbow Lake

14 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Climate by month

0°20°40°60°80°January: 1.3 in of rainFebruary: 0.8 in of rainMarch: 1.1 in of rainApril: 2.0 in of rainMay: 3.9 in of rainJune: 4.3 in of rainJuly: 3.3 in of rainAugust: 3.0 in of rainSeptember: 3.0 in of rainOctober: 2.4 in of rainNovember: 1.0 in of rainDecember: 0.7 in of rainJanuary: 18°FFebruary: 22°FMarch: 36°FApril: 53°FMay: 67°FJune: 76°FJuly: 81°FAugust: 79°FSeptember: 71°FOctober: 56°FNovember: 38°FDecember: 24°FJanuary: 0°FFebruary: 3°FMarch: 18°FApril: 32°FMay: 45°FJune: 56°FJuly: 61°FAugust: 57°FSeptember: 49°FOctober: 35°FNovember: 21°FDecember: 8°FJFMAMJJASOND
Average high Average low Rain
Monthly table
MonthHighLowRain
Jan18°F0°F1.3 in
Feb22°F3°F0.8 in
Mar36°F18°F1.1 in
Apr53°F32°F2.0 in
May67°F45°F3.9 in
Jun76°F56°F4.3 in
Jul81°F61°F3.3 in
Aug79°F57°F3.0 in
Sep71°F49°F3.0 in
Oct56°F35°F2.4 in
Nov38°F21°F1.0 in
Dec24°F8°F0.7 in

U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Fergus Falls (22 mi away), NOAA NCEI.

People and cost of living

$59,792median household income
$126,900median home value
$742median monthly rent
37.6median age
21.1%of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
68.7%of homes are owner-occupied
22.5 minaverage commute
Age of residents
Under 1827%18 to 3420%35 to 6436%65 and over17%

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.

Disaster history

Grant County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.

  • 2023-07-19: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
  • 2022-08-09: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2022-07-08: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
  • 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
  • 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
  • 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)

OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.

Getting there and nearby towns

Fergus Falls Municipal Airport (FFM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.

  • Barrett 6 mi southeast, about 10 min by car
  • Ashby 11 mi northeast, about 17 min by car
  • Hoffman 14 mi southeast, about 23 min by car
  • Evansville 14 mi east, about 23 min by car
  • Fergus Falls 21 mi north, about 34 min by car
  • Alexandria 30 mi east, about 48 min by car
  • Breckenridge 35 mi northwest, about 56 min by car
  • Benson 50 mi south, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Barnesville 50 mi northwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
  • Appleton 55 mi south, about 1 h 30 min by car

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.