PlainZIP

Waterville, MN · standard

ZIP Code 56096

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

3,021
22/sq mi
$87,679
Median income
$278,000
Median home value
22.7%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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

Top 29%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 37%
home value, US ZIPs
22
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56096 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 56096 covers 138.6 square miles in Waterville, Le Sueur County, Minnesota (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,021 residents on file, a density of 22 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 56096 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $87,679 (7% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $39,072. 8.9% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 5.6%. Median home value sits at $278,000 (9% above the state average), median rent at $886 a month, and owner-occupancy at 81.9%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 22.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 47.5, and the average commute is 26 minutes. To put 56096 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Le Sueur 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 56096

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Waterville, MN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56096.

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 56096, Waterville, 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

3,021

Population

138.6

Area (sq mi)

22

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 56096?

47.5

Median Age

49.2%

Male

50.8%

Female

0.5%

Foreign-Born

White 91.1%
African American 0.9%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.6%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.9%

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?

$87,679

Median Household Income

+7% vs state

$39,072

Per Capita Income

8.9%

Poverty Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

25.7 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 56096 ranks nationally

Waterville, MN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$87,679 Top 29% higher than 71% 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 56.1%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 22.7%

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

What does housing look like?

1,605

Total Housing Units

1,282

Occupied Units

323

Vacant Units

2.28

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.9%
Renter 18.1%

$278,000

Median Home Value

+9% vs state

$886

Median Rent

1971

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

+1.2%

YoY Change (2024)

223

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+123%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 56096 have increased 1.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +123% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 -1.8% 148
2021 +10.0% 163
2022 +16.7% 190
2023 +15.5% 220
2024 +1.2% 223

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 68 business establishments in ZIP 56096, employing approximately 348 people with a combined annual payroll of $12,720,000.

68

Businesses

348

Employees

$12.7M

Annual Payroll

7

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 12 17.6%
Construction 10 14.7%
Other services (except public administration) 10 14.7%
Accommodation and food services 7 10.3%
Finance and insurance 6 8.8%
Manufacturing 5 7.3%
Health care and social assistance 4 5.9%

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 56096 vs 56052 →

ZIP 56096 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 56096 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 56096 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 56096 ranks #3 of 4 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
56052 Kilkenny, MN 699 5.8 mi
56028 Elysian, MN 1,372 5.7 mi
56048 Janesville, MN 3,898 12.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Le Sueur County

56058 standard
Le Sueur, MN
Pop: 5,985
56069 standard
Montgomery, MN
Pop: 4,467
56057 standard
Le Center, MN
Pop: 3,867
56017 standard
Cleveland, MN
Pop: 1,620
56050 standard
Kasota, MN
Pop: 1,464
56028 standard
Elysian, MN
Pop: 1,372

Related Areas

Le Sueur County Waterville, MN Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 56096 in? ▼
ZIP code 56096 (Waterville) is located in Le Sueur County, Minnesota. Le Sueur County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/le-sueur-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56096? ▼
ZIP code 56096 in Waterville, MN has a population of 3,021 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56096? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 56096 is $87,679, which is 15% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56096? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 56096 is $278,000, which is 0% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56096? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 56096 is White at 91.1%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56096? ▼
ZIP code 56096 has 68 business establishments employing approximately 348 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56096? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56096 are: Retail trade (12), Construction (10), Other services (except public administration) (10). There are 7 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56096? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56096 increased by 1.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 123%. 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 56096? ▼
In ZIP code 56096, 56.1% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 22.7% 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 56096? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56096 is 25.7 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 56096? ▼
In ZIP code 56096, approximately 81.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56096? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56096 is 8.9% 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.