Lester Prairie is a city in McLeod County, Minnesota, United States, along the South Fork of the Crow River. The population was 1,894 at the 2020 census. A post office has been in operation at Lester Prairie since 1888. Lester Prairie was incorporated in 1888.
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.
There were 726 households in Lester Prairie, of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 53.7% were married-couple households, 16.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 21.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 26.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. of 2010, there were 1,730 people, 654 households, and 463 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 704 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 93.9% White, 0.2% African American, 0.2% Native American, 1.1% Asian, 3.8% from other races, and 0.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.3% of the population.
There were 654 households, of which 37.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.0% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.9% had a male householder with no wife present, and 29.2% were non-families. 21.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.11.
The median age in the city was 33.8 years. 28% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 29.3% were from 25 to 44; 23.5% were from 45 to 64; and 11.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 49.5% male and 50.5% female.
2000 census
As of the census
|+ 2016 Precinct Results Spreadsheet
|+ 2012 Precinct Results Spreadsheet
|+ 2008 Precinct Results Spreadsheet
|+ 2004 Precinct Results Spreadsheet
|+ 2000 Precinct Results Spreadsheet
|+ 1996 Precinct Results
|+ 1992 Precinct Results
|+ 1988 Precinct Results
|+ 1984 Precinct Results
|+ 1980 Precinct Results
|+ 1976 Precinct Results
|+ 1968 Precinct Results
|+ 1964 Precinct Results
|+ 1960 Precinct Results
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Year
! Republican
! Democratic
! Third parties
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2020
| style="text-align:center;" |72.7% 719
| style="text-align:center;" |26.1% 258
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.2% 12
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2016
| style="text-align:center;" |69.8% 615
| style="text-align:center;" |22.6% 199
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|7.6% 67
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2012
| style="text-align:center;" |63.0% 539
| style="text-align:center;" |34.5% 295
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.5% 22
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2008
| style="text-align:center;" |59.8% 515
| style="text-align:center;" |36.9% 318
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|3.3% 28
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2004
| style="text-align:center;" |68.8% 529
| style="text-align:center;" |29.8% 229
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|1.4% 11
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2000
| style="text-align:center;" |58.6% 360
| style="text-align:center;" |31.3% 192
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|10.1% 62
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1996
| style="text-align:center;" |38.4% 222
| style="text-align:center;" |43.4% 251
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|18.2% 105
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1992
| style="text-align:center;" |39.1% 245
| style="text-align:center;" |30.4% 190
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|30.5% 191
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1988
| style="text-align:center;" |61.4% 344
| style="text-align:center;" |38.6% 216
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% 0
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1984
| style="text-align:center;" |70.5% 404
| style="text-align:center;" |29.5% 169
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% 0
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1980
| style="text-align:center;" |61.8% 375
| style="text-align:center;" |30.0% 176
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|9.2% 56
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1976
| style="text-align:center;" |53.2% 268
| style="text-align:center;" |44.2% 223
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.6% 13
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1968
| style="text-align:center;" |68.3% 319
| style="text-align:center;" |29.1% 136
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|2.6% 12
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1964
| style="text-align:center;" |62.6% 278
| style="text-align:center;" |37.4% 166
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.0% 0
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1960
| style="text-align:center;" |82.8% 362
| style="text-align:center;" |16.9% 74
| style="text-align:center; background:honeyDew;"|0.3% 1
|}
Lester Prairie Schools
Lester Prairie is home to ISD #424 Lester Prairie Schools. The school is a K-12 school with both elementary and high school located in one building. There are approximately 400 students enrolled. Dr. Melissa Radeke is the district's superintendent. Mike Lee is the K-12 principal.
Notable people
- Rene Clausen, noted composer and conductor of The Concordia Choir; raised in Lester Prairie