PlainZIP

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 covers 192.9 square miles in Watkins, Meeker County, Minnesota (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,643 residents on file, a density of 14 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 55389 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $96,786 (18% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $38,400. Poverty here runs at 7.0%, with unemployment measured at 3.0%. Housing costs here run $273,700 for a typical home value (7% above the state average), with rent averaging $767 a month; 84.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 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 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 55389

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Watkins, MN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 55389.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 55389, Watkins, 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

2,643

Population

192.9

Area (sq mi)

14

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 55389?

41.2

Median Age

51.8%

Male

48.2%

Female

0.3%

Foreign-Born

White 96.9%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 2.3%
Hispanic or Latino 0.5%

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

Watkins, MN 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

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 54.3%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 10.8%

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

Owner 84.8%
Renter 15.2%

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 55389 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 55389 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

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.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
55329 Eden Valley, MN 2,118 6.5 mi
55353 Kimball, MN 3,162 6.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Meeker County

55355 standard
Litchfield, MN
Pop: 9,656
55325 standard
Dassel, MN
Pop: 4,610
55382 standard
South Haven, MN
Pop: 3,563
56243 standard
Grove City, MN
Pop: 1,725
55324 standard
Darwin, MN
Pop: 1,234
56228 standard
Cosmos, MN
Pop: 882

Related Areas

Meeker County Watkins, MN Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 55389 in? ▼
ZIP code 55389 (Watkins) is located in Meeker County, Minnesota. Meeker County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/meeker-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 55389? ▼
ZIP code 55389 in Watkins, MN has a population of 2,643 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 55389? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 55389 is $96,786, which is 27% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 55389? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 55389 is $273,700, which is 2% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55389? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 55389 is White at 96.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55389? ▼
ZIP code 55389 has 63 business establishments employing approximately 514 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 55389? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 55389 are: Construction (21), Other services (except public administration) (11), Retail trade (7). There are 6 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 55389? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 55389 increased by 5.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 144%. 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 55389? ▼
In ZIP code 55389, 54.3% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 10.8% 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 55389? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 55389 is 30.7 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 55389? ▼
In ZIP code 55389, approximately 84.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 15.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55389? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 55389 is 7.0% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.