PlainZIP

Forbes, MN · standard

ZIP Code 55738

St. Louis County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

544
2/sq mi
$82,969
Median income
$167,400
Median home value
15.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Forbes pairs an above-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 34%
household income, US ZIPs
33th pct
home value, US ZIPs
2
people per sq mi
97%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 55738 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 55738 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Forbes, St. Louis County, Minnesota, home to just 544 residents across 286.3 square miles, a density of 2 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 55738 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $82,969 (1% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $39,771. Local economic indicators show a 7.7% poverty rate alongside 9.0% unemployment. The typical home here is valued at $167,400 (35% below the state average); renters pay a median of - monthly, and 97.1% of units are owner-occupied.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 15.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 49.3, and the average commute is -. A geography-based comparison follows: 1 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 55738, plus 6 more within St. Louis County, give a clearer read than the 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 →

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 55738, Forbes, 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

544

Population

286.3

Area (sq mi)

2

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 55738?

49.3

Median Age

50.9%

Male

49.1%

Female

0.2%

Foreign-Born

White 93.2%
African American 1.8%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.5%
Hispanic or Latino 0.0%

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?

$82,969

Median Household Income

+1% vs state

$39,771

Per Capita Income

7.7%

Poverty Rate

9.0%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 55738 ranks nationally

Forbes, MN household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$82,969 Top 34% higher than 66% 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 43.6%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

318

Total Housing Units

245

Occupied Units

73

Vacant Units

2.44

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 97.1%
Renter 2.9%

$167,400

Median Home Value

-35% vs state

1973

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 4 business establishments in ZIP 55738, employing approximately 11 people with a combined annual payroll of $250,000.

4

Businesses

11

Employees

$250K

Annual Payroll

0

Industry Sectors

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 55738 vs 55751 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
55751 Iron, MN 1,553 8.6 mi

More ZIP Codes in St. Louis County

55811 standard
Duluth, MN
Pop: 26,246
55803 standard
Duluth, MN
Pop: 17,431
55746 standard
Hibbing, MN
Pop: 17,228
55804 standard
Duluth, MN
Pop: 14,592
55812 standard
Duluth, MN
Pop: 10,924
55805 standard
Duluth, MN
Pop: 10,194

Related Areas

St. Louis County Forbes, MN Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 55738 in? ▼
ZIP code 55738 (Forbes) is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota. St. Louis County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/st-louis-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 55738? ▼
ZIP code 55738 in Forbes, MN has a population of 544 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 55738? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 55738 is $82,969, which is 9% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 55738? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 55738 is $167,400, which is 40% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 55738? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 55738 is White at 93.2%.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 55738? ▼
ZIP code 55738 has 4 business establishments employing approximately 11 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What is the education level in ZIP code 55738? ▼
In ZIP code 55738, 43.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 15.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 55738? ▼
In ZIP code 55738, approximately 97.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 2.9% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 55738? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 55738 is 7.7% 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.