PlainZIP

Ellendale, MN · standard

ZIP Code 56026

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

2,012
7/sq mi
$100,169
Median income
$232,700
Median home value
25.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Ellendale pairs an upper-quartile household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 19%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 47%
home value, US ZIPs
7
people per sq mi
91%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56026 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 56026 covers 271.9 square miles in Ellendale, Steele County, Minnesota (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,012 residents on file, a density of 7 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 56026 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $100,169 (22% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $41,380. Local economic indicators show a 3.7% poverty rate alongside 3.3% unemployment. Median home value sits at $232,700 (9% below the state average), median rent at $818 a month, and owner-occupancy at 90.6%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.3, and the average commute is 29 minutes. To put 56026 in local context, 4 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 4 additional ZIPs in Steele County, for a geography-aware comparison.

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 56026

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ellendale, MN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56026.

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 56026, Ellendale, 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

2,012

Population

271.9

Area (sq mi)

7

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 56026?

41.3

Median Age

50.0%

Male

50.0%

Female

0.1%

Foreign-Born

White 89.3%
African American 0.4%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.6%
Hispanic or Latino 7.2%

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?

$100,169

Median Household Income

+22% vs state

$41,380

Per Capita Income

3.7%

Poverty Rate

3.3%

Unemployment Rate

28.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 56026 ranks nationally

Ellendale, MN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$100,169 Top 19% higher than 81% 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%). Below this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). This entry sits in this band. $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 54.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 25.4%

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

What does housing look like?

863

Total Housing Units

815

Occupied Units

48

Vacant Units

2.60

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 90.6%
Renter 9.4%

$232,700

Median Home Value

-9% vs state

$818

Median Rent

1948

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

+0.1%

YoY Change (2024)

169

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+69%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 56026 have increased 0.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +69% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +0.4% 141
2021 +5.9% 150
2022 +8.0% 162
2023 +4.7% 169
2024 +0.1% 169

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 35 business establishments in ZIP 56026, employing approximately 205 people with a combined annual payroll of $8,581,000.

35

Businesses

205

Employees

$8.6M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Other services (except public administration) 6 17.1%
Retail trade 5 14.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 5 14.3%
Transportation and warehousing 4 11.4%
Construction 3 8.6%
Manufacturing 3 8.6%
Accommodation and food services 3 8.6%

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 56026 vs 56035 →

ZIP 56026 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 56026 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 56026 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 56026 ranks the highest of 5 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
56035 Geneva, MN 546 3.9 mi
56046 Hope, MN 94 6.2 mi
56016 Clarks Grove, MN 1,096 8.2 mi
56045 Hollandale, MN 813 9.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Steele County

55060 standard
Owatonna, MN
Pop: 28,911
55917 standard
Blooming Prairie, MN
Pop: 3,696
55049 standard
Medford, MN
Pop: 2,476
56046 standard
Hope, MN
Pop: 94

Related Areas

Steele County Ellendale, MN Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 56026 in? ▼
ZIP code 56026 (Ellendale) is located in Steele County, Minnesota. Steele County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/steele-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56026? ▼
ZIP code 56026 in Ellendale, MN has a population of 2,012 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56026? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 56026 is $100,169, which is 31% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56026? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 56026 is $232,700, which is 16% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56026? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 56026 is White at 89.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.2% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56026? ▼
ZIP code 56026 has 35 business establishments employing approximately 205 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56026? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56026 are: Other services (except public administration) (6), Retail trade (5), Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services (5). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56026? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56026 increased by 0.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 69%. 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 56026? ▼
In ZIP code 56026, 54.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.4% 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 56026? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56026 is 28.7 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 56026? ▼
In ZIP code 56026, approximately 90.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 9.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56026? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56026 is 3.7% 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.