Silver Lake, MN · standard
ZIP Code 55381
McLeod County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,063
- 18/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $88,661
- Median income Above-median income area
- $243,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 12.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Silver Lake pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 28%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 44%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 18
- people per sq mi
- 88%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 55381 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 55381 (Silver Lake, MN) rose +7.3% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 258.5 in 2023 to 277.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 55381 covers 117.9 square miles in Silver Lake, McLeod County, Minnesota (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,063 residents on file, a density of 18 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 55381 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $88,661 (8% above the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $44,020. The poverty rate is 3.2%, with unemployment at 5.5%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $243,300 (5% below the average Minnesota ZIP) and median rent is $851; 88.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 12.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 50.3, and the average commute is 29 minutes. The page also surfaces 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in McLeod County, so 55381 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 55381
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Silver Lake, MN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 55381.
- Construction
Construction
12 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
7 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
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 55381, Silver Lake, 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
2,063
Population
117.9
Area (sq mi)
18
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 55381?
50.3
Median Age
53.2%
Male
46.8%
Female
0.3%
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?
$88,661
Median Household Income
+8% vs state ZIP avg
$44,020
Per Capita Income
3.2%
Poverty Rate
5.5%
Unemployment Rate
28.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 55381 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Silver Lake, 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)
$88,661 Top 31% higher than 69% 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
852housing units
852
Total Housing Units
767
Occupied Units
85
Vacant Units
2.34
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$243,300
Median Home Value
-5% vs state ZIP avg
$851
Median Rent
1966
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
+7.3%
YoY Change (2024)
277
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+177%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 55381 have increased 7.3% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +177% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.6% | 179 |
| 2021 | +4.5% | 187 |
| 2022 | +17.7% | 220 |
| 2023 | +17.5% | 259 |
| 2024 | +7.3% | 277 |
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 37 business establishments in ZIP 55381, employing approximately 160 people with a combined annual payroll of $5,744,000.
37
Businesses
160
Employees
$5.7M
Annual Payroll
4
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 12 | 32.4% |
| Retail trade | 7 | 18.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 7 | 18.9% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 5 | 13.5% |
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 55381 vs 55395 →
ZIP 55381 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55349
Howard Lake (55349)
3,887 residents
- 55395
Winsted (55395)
2,892 residents
- 55354
Lester Prairie (55354)
2,741 residents
- 55381
Silver Lake (55381)
2,063 residents
- 55370 802
Plato (55370)
802 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 55381 ranks #4 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 55381 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55370
Plato (55370)
$103,750 median income
- 55349
Howard Lake (55349)
$99,444 median income
- 55354
Lester Prairie (55354)
$97,941 median income
- 55381
Silver Lake (55381)
$88,661 median income
- 55395
Winsted (55395)
$72,800 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 55381 ranks #4 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 55381, 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 (2,063 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 55381 in?
ZIP code 55381 (Silver Lake) 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 55381?
ZIP code 55381 in Silver Lake, MN has a population of 2,063 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 55381?
The median household income in ZIP 55381 is $88,661, which is 16% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 55381?
The median home value in ZIP 55381 is $243,300, which is 13% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55381?
The largest racial group in ZIP 55381 is White at 95.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55381?
ZIP code 55381 has 37 business establishments employing approximately 160 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 55381?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 55381 are: Construction (12), Retail trade (7), Other services (except public administration) (7). There are 4 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 55381?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 55381 increased by 7.3% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 177%. 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 55381?
In ZIP code 55381, 56.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 12.9% 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 55381?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 55381 is 28.5 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 55381?
In ZIP code 55381, approximately 88.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 12.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55381?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 55381 is 3.2% 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 55381's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 55381 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Silver Lake, 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.