Watkins, MN · standard
ZIP Code 55389
Meeker County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,643
- 14/sq mi
- $96,786
- Median income
- $273,700
- Median home value
- 10.8%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Watkins pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 21%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 38%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 14
- people per sq mi
- 85%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 55389 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 55389 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 192.9 square miles in Watkins, Meeker County, Minnesota. The area is home to 2,643 residents, producing a population density of 14 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 55389 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 55389 sits at $96,786 (18% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $38,400. The poverty rate stands at 7.0% and the unemployment rate at 3.0%. On housing, the median home value is $273,700 (7% above the state average) with median rent at $767 per month, and 84.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 55389 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 10.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.2, and the average commute is 31 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Meeker County, so you can benchmark 55389 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 55389
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 55389.
- Construction
Construction
21 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
11 establishments
- Retail trade 7
Retail trade
7 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing 6
Transportation and warehousing
6 establishments
- Accommodation and food services 5
Accommodation and food services
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 55389, Watkins, 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
2,643
Population
192.9
Area (sq mi)
14
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 55389?
41.2
Median Age
51.8%
Male
48.2%
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?
$96,786
Median Household Income
+18% vs state
$38,400
Per Capita Income
7.0%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
30.7 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 55389 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$96,786 Top 21% higher than 79% 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?
1,010
Total Housing Units
886
Occupied Units
124
Vacant Units
2.63
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$273,700
Median Home Value
+7% vs state
$767
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
+5.8%
YoY Change (2024)
244
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+144%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 55389 have increased 5.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +144% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +5.8% | 155 |
| 2021 | +12.0% | 173 |
| 2022 | +14.5% | 198 |
| 2023 | +16.5% | 231 |
| 2024 | +5.8% | 244 |
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 63 business establishments in ZIP 55389, employing approximately 514 people with a combined annual payroll of $26,555,000.
63
Businesses
514
Employees
$26.6M
Annual Payroll
6
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 21 | 33.3% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 11 | 17.5% |
| Retail trade | 7 | 11.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 6 | 9.5% |
| Accommodation and food services | 5 | 7.9% |
| Health care and social assistance | 4 | 6.3% |
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 55389 vs 55329 →
ZIP 55389 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55353
Kimball (55353)
3,162 residents
- 55389
Watkins (55389)
2,643 residents
- 55329
Eden Valley (55329)
2,118 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 55389 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 55389 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 55389
Watkins (55389)
$96,786 median income
- 55353
Kimball (55353)
$83,854 median income
- 55329
Eden Valley (55329)
$79,453 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 55389 ranks the highest of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Meeker County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 55389 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 55389? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 55389? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 55389? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55389? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55389? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 55389? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 55389? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 55389? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 55389? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 55389? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55389? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Watkins, 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.