Residential delivery area · Minnesota
ZIP Code 56081: Saint James, MN
ZIP code 56081 uses the postal name Saint James, Minnesota and lies mostly in Watonwan County (96% of its land) with the rest in Brown County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 6,200 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $67,337 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 1% of its land lies in St. James; 99% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Saint James · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Watonwan County (96%); Brown County (4%)
- Census places
- St. James
- House district
- MN-1 119th Congress
- State
- Minnesota
- Time zone
- Central
- Land area
- 177.5 sq mi · 35 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 56081?
56081 centers on 43.993°, -94.635° and covers 177.5 square miles of land plus 1.8 of water. It borders 10 ZIP codes: 56056, 56120, 56060, 56162, 56062, 56041, 56160, 56088, 56019, 56085.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 56081, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 56081 compare with the rest of Watonwan County?
| Measure | 56081 | In Watonwan County | In MN |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 6,172 | 1st of 10 | 218th of 881 |
| Median household income | $67k | 3rd of 3 | 439th of 545 |
| Median home value | $164k | 2nd of 3 | 504th of 558 |
Its median household income is higher than in 43% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 35% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 56081?
The 2020 Census counted 6,139 people in 56081; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 6,172. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 0.7% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 6,172
- 2020 Census count
- 6,139+0.7% since 2010 (6,098)
- Households
- 2,373
- Median age
- 41.3
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 56081?
Of the 6,172 people the ACS estimates in 56081, 26.5% are under 18 and 18.3% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (61.3%), then Hispanic or Latino (37.2%).
- Under 1826.5%
- 18 to 6455.2%
- 65 and older18.3%
- White, not Hispanic61.3%
- Hispanic or Latino37.2%
- Other or two or more1.5%
- Black, not Hispanic0.1%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 56081 earn?
Median household income is $67,337 (ACS 2020-2024), the 3rd highest of the 3 ranked ZIP codes in Watonwan County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($67,015 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $67,337±$9,563
- Income per person
- $35,956
- Below the poverty line
- 16.0%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 6.5%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 16.8%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $65,1212,740 returns; wages 67% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 56081?
FHFA's house price index for 56081, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 76% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 50% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +5.4% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $163,800
- Median gross rent
- $844
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 72.2%
- Housing units
- 2,790
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 56081?
141 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 15 fewer than in 2018; the most are in other services (except public administration) (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Other services (except public administration)22
- Retail trade21
- Construction19
- Health care and social assistance15
- Accommodation and food services12
- Transportation and warehousing9
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 56081?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56056 | La Salle | 55 | $105k | 6.2 mi |
| 56120 | Butterfield | 983 | $77k | 8.1 mi |
| 56060 | Lewisville | 400 | $80k | 10.6 mi |
| 56162 | Ormsby | 313 | $89k | 10.7 mi |
| 56062 | Madelia | 3,234 | $77k | 11.6 mi |
| 56041 | Hanska | 1,039 | $81k | 12.7 mi |
| 56160 | Odin | 224 | $67k | 14.1 mi |
| 56088 | Truman | 2,071 | $71k | 14.5 mi |
| 56019 | Comfrey | 795 | $66k | 15.2 mi |
| 56085 | Sleepy Eye | 5,047 | $73k | 21.2 mi |
| 56022 | Darfur | 63 | $66k | 10.9 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.