White Bear Lake spans 2,427 acres and reaches 83 feet at its deepest point, and within that lake, Manitou Island is its own market. It's a true island community on the lake, and the closed sales prove it commands a different tier than the rest of the shoreline.
What's actually closed here
Three recent closings on Manitou Island tell the story. A 5,216-square-foot, 4-bedroom, 7-bathroom home on 0.79 acres closed at $2,450,000. A 6,254-square-foot, 5-bedroom home on 1.06 acres closed at $3,140,000. And the top sale, a 5,745-square-foot, 6-bedroom home on 0.96 acres, closed at $4,500,000, the highest closed sale on the island in this data set.
Every one of these homes closed above $2.4 million. There's no entry-level product on Manitou Island the way there is on some other streets around the lake. What you're buying here is scarcity as much as square footage, there are only so many lots on the island, and they rarely turn over.
Why Manitou Island commands this premium
Being surrounded by water on multiple sides, rather than fronting a single shoreline, changes both privacy and view. Island living on a lake this size is genuinely rare in the Twin Cities market, and the pricing reflects that. Buyers here aren't comparing Manitou to the rest of White Bear Lake, they're comparing it to the small handful of true island properties across the entire metro.
Who tends to buy on Manitou Island
Based on the closed price range, this isn't a starter lake home market or a downsizer's second home. These are primary or high-use secondary residences for buyers who already know exactly what they're looking for and are prepared to move when the right property becomes available, because inventory here is thin and demand is consistent.
Quick Answers
What's the price range on Manitou Island in White Bear Lake? Recent closed sales range from $2,450,000 to $4,500,000, with every closing above $2.4 million.
Why is Manitou Island more expensive than other parts of White Bear Lake? It's a true island community with limited lots and multi-sided water exposure, which creates scarcity that the rest of the lake's shoreline doesn't have.
How big and deep is White Bear Lake? 2,427 acres with a maximum depth of 83 feet, spanning Ramsey and Washington counties.
This reflects closed sales over the past 2,000 days (January 2021 through July 13, 2026).
I live one lake over, on Centerville Lake, and I track White Bear Lake's numbers the same way I track my own. My closed transactions run through the surrounding corridor, Bald Eagle Lake, Turtle Lake, Centerville Lake, Forest Lake, Reshanau Lake, and Sunfish Lake, with Bald Eagle Lake being the strongest part of my business. I haven't closed a sale on Manitou Island or White Bear Lake itself yet. There are good agents who specialize here, and I respect that. What I bring is the same data discipline I use on my home lakes, applied to this one, and I'm actively building toward representing buyers and sellers on this shoreline because it earns the attention.
If you're evaluating a property on Manitou Island, I can walk you through exactly how it compares to these closed sales before you make an offer.
Best,
Tim Ornell Waterfront Real Estate Advisor | Ornell Group Real Broker, LLC — Luxury Division (NASDAQ: REAX) Minnesota Real Estate License #40442506 651.263.9480 | ornellgroup.com 7037 20th Ave S, Suite 200, Centerville, MN 55038 Specializing in Twin Cities, MN waterfront properties and relocations.
Sources checked for this post:
- Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota (MLS) closed sale records for Manitou Island, White Bear Lake, MN, 2021–2026 (provided by Tim Ornell)
- DNR LakeFinder — White Bear Lake surface area and maximum depth
