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 Low-density area
- $90,987
- Median income Above-median income area
- $226,100
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 32.2%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 56055 (Lake Crystal, MN) rose +5.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 207.0 in 2023 to 218.5 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 56055 covers 307.2 square miles in Lake Crystal, Blue Earth County, Minnesota (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,902 residents on file, a density of 13 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 56055 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $90,987 (11% above the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $40,857. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.5% and unemployment is 1.9%. Median home value is $226,100 (12% below the average Minnesota ZIP) and median rent is $848; 86.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 41.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Blue Earth County, so 56055 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
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 56055
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Lake Crystal, MN
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$40,857
Per Capita Income
6.5%
Poverty Rate
1.9%
Unemployment Rate
25.5 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56055 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Lake Crystal, MN household income vs. every Minnesota ZIP code
Median household income among 864 reporting Minnesota ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$90,987 Top 28% higher than 72% of 864 Minnesota ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Minnesota 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?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
1,723housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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 |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 56055, both outside MN so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (3,902 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Blue Earth County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56055 in?
ZIP code 56055 (Lake Crystal) is located in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. Blue Earth County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/blue-earth-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56055?
ZIP code 56055 in Lake Crystal, MN has a population of 3,902 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56055?
The median household income in ZIP 56055 is $90,987, which is 19% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56055?
The median home value in ZIP 56055 is $226,100, which is 19% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56055?
The largest racial group in ZIP 56055 is White at 95.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56055?
ZIP code 56055 has 92 business establishments employing approximately 1,064 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56055?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56055 are: Construction (18), Retail trade (11), Health care and social assistance (10). There are 11 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56055?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56055 increased by 5.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 118%. 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 56055?
In ZIP code 56055, 59.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.2% 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 56055?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56055 is 25.5 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56055?
In ZIP code 56055, approximately 86.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56055?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56055 is 6.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 56055's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 56055 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Lake Crystal, MN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.