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 Moderate-density area
- $95,679
- Median income Above-median income area
- $331,300
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 20.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 55056 (North Branch, MN) rose +3.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 204.4 in 2023 to 210.9 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 55056 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in North Branch, Chisago County, Minnesota, home to 13,546 residents across 263.0 square miles, a density of 52 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 55056 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $95,679 (17% above the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $46,415. The poverty rate is 6.8%, with unemployment at 4.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $331,300 (30% above the average Minnesota ZIP), while 85.1% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,314.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 20.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.1, and the average commute is 31 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Chisago County, so 55056 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 55056
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in North Branch, MN
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$46,415
Per Capita Income
6.8%
Poverty Rate
4.4%
Unemployment Rate
31.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 55056 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
North Branch, 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)
$95,679 Top 22% higher than 78% 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
6,080housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 55056, 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 (13,546 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Chisago County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 55056 in?
ZIP code 55056 (North Branch) is located in Chisago County, Minnesota. Chisago County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/chisago-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 55056?
ZIP code 55056 in North Branch, MN has a population of 13,546 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 55056?
The median household income in ZIP 55056 is $95,679, which is 25% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 55056?
The median home value in ZIP 55056 is $331,300, which is 19% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55056?
The largest racial group in ZIP 55056 is White at 91.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.4% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55056?
ZIP code 55056 has 366 business establishments employing approximately 3,714 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 55056?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 55056 are: Health care and social assistance (59), Construction (58), Retail trade (54). There are 15 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 55056?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 55056 increased by 3.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 111%. 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 55056?
In ZIP code 55056, 58.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 20.1% 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 55056?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 55056 is 31.0 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 55056?
In ZIP code 55056, approximately 85.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55056?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 55056 is 6.8% 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 55056's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 55056 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where North Branch, MN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.