Lake Crystal, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56055
Blue Earth County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 3,902
- 13/sq mi
- $90,987
- Median income
- $226,100
- Median home value
- 32.2%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Lake Crystal pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 26%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 49%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 13
- people per sq mi
- 86%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56055 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 56055 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 307.2 square miles in Lake Crystal, Blue Earth County, Minnesota. The area is home to 3,902 residents, producing a population density of 13 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 56055 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56055 sits at $90,987 (11% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $40,857. The poverty rate stands at 6.5% and the unemployment rate at 1.9%. On housing, the median home value is $226,100 (12% below the state average) with median rent at $848 per month, and 86.0% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56055 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 32.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Blue Earth County, so you can benchmark 56055 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 56055
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56055.
- Construction
Construction
18 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
11 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
10 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
10 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
8 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 56055, Lake Crystal, 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
3,902
Population
307.2
Area (sq mi)
13
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56055?
41.5
Median Age
49.2%
Male
50.8%
Female
1.2%
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?
$90,987
Median Household Income
+11% vs state
$40,857
Per Capita Income
6.5%
Poverty Rate
1.9%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56055 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$90,987 Top 26% higher than 74% 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?
1,723
Total Housing Units
1,645
Occupied Units
78
Vacant Units
2.37
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$226,100
Median Home Value
-12% vs state
$848
Median Rent
1970
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
+5.6%
YoY Change (2024)
218
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+118%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56055 have increased 5.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +118% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +1.8% | 157 |
| 2021 | +7.7% | 169 |
| 2022 | +18.8% | 201 |
| 2023 | +2.9% | 207 |
| 2024 | +5.6% | 218 |
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 92 business establishments in ZIP 56055, employing approximately 1,064 people with a combined annual payroll of $59,439,000.
92
Businesses
1,064
Employees
$59.4M
Annual Payroll
11
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 18 | 19.6% |
| Retail trade | 11 | 12.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 10 | 10.9% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 10 | 10.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 8.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 7 | 7.6% |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 6.5% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 4 | 4.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 4.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 3.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 3.3% |
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 56055 vs 56034 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56034 | Garden City, MN | 496 | 7.4 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Blue Earth County
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What are the main industries in ZIP code 56055? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Lake Crystal, 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.