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 Moderate-density area
- $68,820
- Median income Near-median income area
- $280,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 20.0%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 55021 (Faribault, MN) rose +3.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 195.3 in 2023 to 201.4 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
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 average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $36,459. The poverty rate is 13.8%, with unemployment at 4.6%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $280,200 (10% above the average Minnesota ZIP) and median rent is $1,076; 71.8% of occupied 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. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Rice County, so 55021 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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.
- Construction
Construction
104 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
101 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
95 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
81 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
60 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, 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
Who lives in ZIP 55021?
40.8
Median Age
54.2%
Male
45.8%
Female
12.1%
Foreign-Born
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 ZIP avg
$36,459
Per Capita Income
13.8%
Poverty Rate
4.6%
Unemployment Rate
20.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 55021 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Faribault, MN household income vs. every Minnesota ZIP code
Median household income among 864 reporting Minnesota ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$68,820 28th percentile higher than 28% of 864 Minnesota ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Minnesota 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
12,443housing units
12,443
Total Housing Units
11,424
Occupied Units
1,019
Vacant Units
2.49
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$280,200
Median Home Value
+10% vs state ZIP avg
$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.
- 55021
Faribault (55021)
29,732 residents
- 55046 5,211
Lonsdale (55046)
5,211 residents
- 55049 2,476
Medford (55049)
2,476 residents
- 55019 1,817
Dundas (55019)
1,817 residents
- 55087 268
Warsaw (55087)
268 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 55021 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 55021 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55019
Dundas (55019)
$117,381 median income
- 55046
Lonsdale (55046)
$95,912 median income
- 55087
Warsaw (55087)
$92,344 median income
- 55049
Medford (55049)
$90,625 median income
- 55021
Faribault (55021)
$68,820 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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 55021, both outside MN so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (29,732 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Rice County
Related Areas
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.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 55021's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 55021 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Faribault, MN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.