New listing$1,895,000
342 Ferndale Road N · Wayzata
5 bd4 ba4,820 sqft
The neighborhood
What Orono is actually like to live in
Orono is where you go on the lake when you want land. Lot sizes here start where Wayzata's stop.
This is the north shore — wooded, private, and quiet by design. You trade the walk-to-dinner life for space, a longer driveway, and neighbors you cannot see from your kitchen window.
Orono has its own school district, 278, which is a real draw and part of why families move up here rather than across the channel.
The best parcels sit on Crystal Bay and the north arm, and they rarely hit the open market twice in a decade. When one comes, it moves fast.
On the market
Homes for sale in Orono right now
A live look at what’s moving, pulled from NorthstarMLS. The full IDX search opens once the feed is wired in — for now these are representative of the Orono market.
New listing
Price reduced$1,249,000
18 Bracketts Point Road · Orono
4 bd4 ba3,610 sqft
Just sold$2,650,000
205 Lake Street · Excelsior
5 bd5 ba5,240 sqft
New listing$624,900
9411 Preserve Trail · Eden Prairie
4 bd3 ba2,940 sqft
The lifestyle
What it’s like to live here
Schools
- Orono ISD 278 — top-rated west-metro district
- Orono High School, small class sizes
Commute
- 18 min to I-394
- 28 min to downtown Minneapolis
Parks & Trails
- Summit Park
- Lake Minnetonka shoreline access
- Luce Line State Trail
Dining
- Nav's on the water
- Wayzata dining, 10 minutes south
- Excelsior, across the lake
From Bryce
“Orono is the answer when a client says the word privacy first. You get acreage, a good school district, and lake access without the downtown foot traffic. Just know that inventory is thin — when the right estate lists, we move the same week or we miss it.”
Bryce Caldwell · RE/MAX Results · Orono specialist
Local knowledge
Bryce’s picks in Orono
Waterfront
Crystal Bay
The stretch of shoreline I'd buy on if budget were open.
Local favorite
Park · Trail
Luce Line State Trail
Crushed-limestone trail that runs right through town.
Google 4.7
Park
Summit Park
Quiet neighborhood park with a good playground.
Google 4.5
Good to know
Common questions about Orono, MN
What is the median home price in Orono MN?
The median list price in Orono is approximately $1,650,000 as of June 2026, according to NorthstarMLS. Estate and lakefront properties frequently exceed $4 million.
What school district is Orono MN in?
Orono is served by Orono Public Schools, Independent School District 278 — a small, highly rated west-metro district that many families cite as a primary reason for buying here.
How far is Orono from Minneapolis?
Orono is roughly 16 miles west of downtown Minneapolis. The drive is about 25–30 minutes via I-394 outside of rush hour.
Is Orono MN a good place to live?
Yes — Orono offers large wooded lots, lakefront access, privacy, and its own top-rated school district. The trade-off compared to Wayzata is that you give up walkability for space.
Market report
Orono market update — June 2026
41
Active listings
72 days
Avg days on market
$612/sqft
Price per sq ft
$1,650,000
Median list price
Orono runs on low volume — 41 active listings is a normal season here, and the best lakefront parcels never reach a second weekend of showings. If a north-shore estate is the goal, get pre-approved and ready to tour on short notice.
Source: NorthstarMLS · Updated June 2026
Local intel
Living in Orono
Everything about Orono and the lake around it — the schools, the water, the trails, and where to eat.
Buyer guide
Wayzata vs Orono for Families — How I Help Buyers Choose
Two of the most sought-after lake towns, two very different lives. Here's the honest trade-off between walkable Wayzata and private, acreage Orono.
5 min read
Things to do
Big Island Nature Park: The Boat-Only 56-Acre Park With Amusement-Park History
A 56-acre Orono nature preserve you can only reach by private boat — with ADA-accessible trails, a beach, and a wild past as an early-1900s amusement park and a veterans camp.
6 min read
Trails & parks
The Dakota Rail Trail: A 15-Mile Paved Ride Through 7 Lake Minnetonka Towns
A fully paved, flat 14.84-mile rail trail linking Wayzata, Orono, Minnetonka Beach, Spring Park, Mound, Minnetrista and St. Bonifacius — and where to stop for food along the way.
6 min read
Waterfront guide
The Best Bays to Buy On Lake Minnetonka — A Local's Ranking
Lake Minnetonka is really a chain of bays, each with its own price, boat traffic, and feel. Here's how I steer waterfront buyers to the right one.
7 min read
Lake life
The Best Bays to Buy On Lake Minnetonka: A Bay-by-Bay Guide
A bay-by-bay ranking of where to buy on Lake Minnetonka — the deep-water resale bays (Lower Lake North, Lower Lake South, Smithtown), the walkable prestige bays (Wayzata, Browns, Excelsior), and the quiet no-wake coves — with real depth numbers and price anchors.
8 min read
Lake life
How Deep Is Lake Minnetonka? Bays, Depth, and Navigation Basics
Lake Minnetonka's deepest point is 113 feet in Crystal Bay, and it averages about 30 feet across 14,528 acres. Here's how the bays, channels, and depth rules actually work.
7 min read
Nearby
Neighborhoods near Orono
Wayzata
from $900KWalkable downtown, lake access two blocks from dinner, and the #1 school district in Minnesota.
Deephaven
from $800KOld-growth lanes and dock rights minutes from the channel. Established and quiet.
Minnetrista
from $700KThe rural west edge of the lake — acreage, new construction, and room to breathe.
Buying in Orono
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