North Branch, MN · standard
ZIP Code 55056
Chisago County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 13,546
- 52/sq mi
- $95,679
- Median income
- $331,300
- Median home value
- 20.1%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
North Branch pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 22%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 29%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 52
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 55056 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 55056 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 263.0 square miles in North Branch, Chisago County, Minnesota. The area is home to 13,546 residents, producing a population density of 52 people per square mile, and falls within the Chicago time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 55056 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 55056 sits at $95,679 (17% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $46,415. The poverty rate stands at 6.8% and the unemployment rate at 4.4%. On housing, the median home value is $331,300 (30% above the state average) with median rent at $1,314 per month, and 85.1% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 55056 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.1, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Chisago County, so you can benchmark 55056 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →
Top industries in ZIP 55056
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 55056.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
59 establishments
- Construction
Construction
58 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
54 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
41 establishments
- Manufacturing 23
Manufacturing
23 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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 55056, North Branch, MN · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
13,546
Population
263.0
Area (sq mi)
52
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 55056?
41.1
Median Age
52.5%
Male
47.5%
Female
2.2%
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?
$95,679
Median Household Income
+17% vs state
$46,415
Per Capita Income
6.8%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
31.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 55056 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$95,679 Top 22% higher than 78% of 30,318 US ZIPs
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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
6,080
Total Housing Units
5,886
Occupied Units
194
Vacant Units
2.47
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$331,300
Median Home Value
+30% vs state
$1,314
Median Rent
1994
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
+3.2%
YoY Change (2024)
211
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+111%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 55056 have increased 3.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +111% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.6% | 156 |
| 2021 | +12.4% | 176 |
| 2022 | +12.2% | 197 |
| 2023 | +3.6% | 204 |
| 2024 | +3.2% | 211 |
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 366 business establishments in ZIP 55056, employing approximately 3,714 people with a combined annual payroll of $171,930,000.
366
Businesses
3,714
Employees
$171.9M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 59 | 16.1% |
| Construction | 58 | 15.8% |
| Retail trade | 54 | 14.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 41 | 11.2% |
| Manufacturing | 23 | 6.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 23 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 21 | 5.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 17 | 4.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 16 | 4.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 15 | 4.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 13 | 3.5% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 10 | 2.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 1.9% |
| Information | 4 | 1.1% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.8% |
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 55056 vs 55032 →
ZIP 55056 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55056
North Branch (55056)
13,546 residents
- 55079
Stacy (55079)
8,329 residents
- 55045
Lindstrom (55045)
7,577 residents
- 55032 3,616
Harris (55032)
3,616 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 55056 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 55056 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55079
Stacy (55079)
$114,614 median income
- 55045
Lindstrom (55045)
$108,929 median income
- 55032
Harris (55032)
$104,554 median income
- 55056
North Branch (55056)
$95,679 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 55056 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Chisago County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 55056 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 55056? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 55056? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 55056? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55056? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55056? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 55056? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 55056? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 55056? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 55056? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 55056? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55056? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for North Branch, MN
Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.
Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.