PlainZIP

Faribault, MN · standard

ZIP Code 55021

Rice County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

29,732
64/sq mi
$68,820
Median income
$280,200
Median home value
20.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Faribault pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

45th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 37%
home value, US ZIPs
64
people per sq mi
72%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 55021 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 55021 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Faribault, Rice County, Minnesota, with 29,732 residents across 468.2 square miles, a density of 64 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 55021 reports a modest median household income of $68,820 (16% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $36,459. 13.8% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.6%. Housing costs here run $280,200 for a typical home value (10% above the state average), with rent averaging $1,076 a month; 71.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.8, and the average commute is 21 minutes. A geography-based comparison follows: 4 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 55021, plus 6 more within Rice County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 55021

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Faribault, MN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 55021.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 55021, Faribault, MN · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

29,732

Population

468.2

Area (sq mi)

64

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 55021?

40.8

Median Age

54.2%

Male

45.8%

Female

12.1%

Foreign-Born

White 72.2%
African American 13.5%
Asian 1.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.9%
Hispanic or Latino 11.7%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$68,820

Median Household Income

-16% vs state

$36,459

Per Capita Income

13.8%

Poverty Rate

4.6%

Unemployment Rate

20.8 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 55021 ranks nationally

Faribault, MN household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$68,820 45th percentile higher than 45% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 60.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 20.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

12,443

Total Housing Units

11,424

Occupied Units

1,019

Vacant Units

2.49

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 71.8%
Renter 28.2%

$280,200

Median Home Value

+10% vs state

$1,076

Median Rent

1974

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+3.1%

YoY Change (2024)

201

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+101%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 55021 have increased 3.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +101% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.6% 148
2021 +11.5% 165
2022 +12.5% 186
2023 +5.3% 195
2024 +3.1% 201

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 733 business establishments in ZIP 55021, employing approximately 11,798 people with a combined annual payroll of $633,202,000.

733

Businesses

11,798

Employees

$633.2M

Annual Payroll

17

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 104 14.2%
Health care and social assistance 101 13.8%
Retail trade 95 13.0%
Other services (except public administration) 81 11.1%
Accommodation and food services 60 8.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 47 6.4%
Finance and insurance 44 6.0%
Transportation and warehousing 40 5.5%
Manufacturing 36 4.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 34 4.6%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 4.1%
Wholesale trade 18 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 14 1.9%
Educational services 13 1.8%
Information 7 0.9%
Utilities 4 0.6%
Management of companies and enterprises 3 0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 55021 vs 55019 →

ZIP 55021 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 55021 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 55021 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 55021 ranks #5 of 5 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
55019 Dundas, MN 1,817 8.1 mi
55087 Warsaw, MN 268 6.8 mi
55049 Medford, MN 2,476 8.9 mi
55046 Lonsdale, MN 5,211 12.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Rice County

55057 standard
Northfield, MN
Pop: 24,602
55046 standard
Lonsdale, MN
Pop: 5,211
55052 standard
Morristown, MN
Pop: 2,090
55019 standard
Dundas, MN
Pop: 1,817
55088 standard
Webster, MN
Pop: 1,704
55053 standard
Nerstrand, MN
Pop: 1,009

Related Areas

Rice County Faribault, MN Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 55021 in? ▼
ZIP code 55021 (Faribault) is located in Rice County, Minnesota. Rice County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/rice-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 55021? ▼
ZIP code 55021 in Faribault, MN has a population of 29,732 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 55021? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 55021 is $68,820, which is 10% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 55021? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 55021 is $280,200, which is 1% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55021? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 55021 is White at 72.2%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55021? ▼
ZIP code 55021 has 733 business establishments employing approximately 11,798 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 55021? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 55021 are: Construction (104), Health care and social assistance (101), Retail trade (95). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 55021? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 55021 increased by 3.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 101%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 55021? ▼
In ZIP code 55021, 60.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 55021? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 55021 is 20.8 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 55021? ▼
In ZIP code 55021, approximately 71.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55021? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 55021 is 13.8% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.