Lester Prairie, MN · standard
ZIP Code 55354
McLeod County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,741
- 33/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $97,941
- Median income Above-median income area
- $268,900
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 17.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Lester Prairie pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 20%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 39%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 33
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 55354 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 55354 covers 82.1 square miles in Lester Prairie, McLeod County, Minnesota (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,741 residents on file, a density of 33 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 55354 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $97,941 (19% above the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $41,856. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 3.7% and unemployment is 1.3%. Median home value is $268,900 (5% above the average Minnesota ZIP) and median rent is $725; 88.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 17.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 33.9, and the average commute is 28 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in McLeod County, so 55354 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 55354
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lester Prairie, MN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 55354.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
9 establishments
- Construction
Construction
7 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
7 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
5 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
5 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 55354, Lester Prairie, 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
2,741
Population
82.1
Area (sq mi)
33
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 55354?
33.9
Median Age
51.9%
Male
48.1%
Female
4.5%
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?
$97,941
Median Household Income
+19% vs state ZIP avg
$41,856
Per Capita Income
3.7%
Poverty Rate
1.3%
Unemployment Rate
27.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 55354 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Lester Prairie, 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)
$97,941 Top 19% higher than 81% 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
1,143housing units
1,143
Total Housing Units
1,100
Occupied Units
43
Vacant Units
2.87
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$268,900
Median Home Value
+5% vs state ZIP avg
$725
Median Rent
1978
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
-0.7%
YoY Change (2024)
214
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+114%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 55354 have decreased 0.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +114% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +6.9% | 159 |
| 2021 | +6.5% | 169 |
| 2022 | +21.8% | 206 |
| 2023 | +4.5% | 215 |
| 2024 | -0.7% | 214 |
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 55 business establishments in ZIP 55354, employing approximately 523 people with a combined annual payroll of $34,058,000.
55
Businesses
523
Employees
$34.1M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 9 | 16.4% |
| Construction | 7 | 12.7% |
| Manufacturing | 7 | 12.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 9.1% |
| Retail trade | 5 | 9.1% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 5 | 9.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3 | 5.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 5.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 5.5% |
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 55354 vs 55395 →
ZIP 55354 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55336
Glencoe (55336)
8,054 residents
- 55395 2,892
Winsted (55395)
2,892 residents
- 55354 2,741
Lester Prairie (55354)
2,741 residents
- 55397 2,693
Young America (55397)
2,693 residents
- 55360 2,672
Mayer (55360)
2,672 residents
- 55381 2,063
Silver Lake (55381)
2,063 residents
- 55367 913
New Germany (55367)
913 residents
- 55370 802
Plato (55370)
802 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 55354 ranks #3 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 55354 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55360
Mayer (55360)
$122,117 median income
- 55370
Plato (55370)
$103,750 median income
- 55354
Lester Prairie (55354)
$97,941 median income
- 55367
New Germany (55367)
$94,107 median income
- 55381
Silver Lake (55381)
$88,661 median income
- 55397
Young America (55397)
$81,957 median income
- 55336
Glencoe (55336)
$77,261 median income
- 55395
Winsted (55395)
$72,800 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 55354 ranks #3 of 8 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 55354, 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 (2,741 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in McLeod County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 55354 in?
ZIP code 55354 (Lester Prairie) is located in McLeod County, Minnesota. McLeod County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/mcleod-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 55354?
ZIP code 55354 in Lester Prairie, MN has a population of 2,741 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 55354?
The median household income in ZIP 55354 is $97,941, which is 28% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 55354?
The median home value in ZIP 55354 is $268,900, which is 3% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55354?
The largest racial group in ZIP 55354 is White at 82.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 13.8% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55354?
ZIP code 55354 has 55 business establishments employing approximately 523 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 55354?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 55354 are: Other services (except public administration) (9), Construction (7), Manufacturing (7). There are 9 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 55354?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 55354 decreased by 0.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 114%. 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 55354?
In ZIP code 55354, 53.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 17.2% 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 55354?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 55354 is 27.5 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 55354?
In ZIP code 55354, approximately 88.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 11.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55354?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 55354 is 3.7% 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 55354's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 55354 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Lester Prairie, 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.