Heron Lake, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56137
Jackson County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 1,149
- 4/sq mi
- $71,250
- Median income
- $123,900
- Median home value
- 19.9%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Heron Lake pairs a below-median household income with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 49th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 18th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 4
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56137 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 56137 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 302.4 square miles in Heron Lake, Jackson County, Minnesota. The area is home to 1,149 residents, producing a population density of 4 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 56137 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56137 sits at $71,250 (13% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $39,683. The poverty rate stands at 6.7% and the unemployment rate at 1.0%. On housing, the median home value is $123,900 (52% below the state average) with median rent at $830 per month, and 82.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56137 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 19.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.8, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 additional ZIPs sharing Jackson County, so you can benchmark 56137 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 56137
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56137.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
5 establishments
- Construction
Construction
4 establishments
- Transportation and warehousing
Transportation and warehousing
4 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 56137, Heron Lake, 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
1,149
Population
302.4
Area (sq mi)
4
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56137?
46.8
Median Age
53.1%
Male
46.9%
Female
4.1%
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?
$71,250
Median Household Income
-13% vs state
$39,683
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Unemployment Rate
16.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56137 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$71,250 49th percentile higher than 49% 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?
499
Total Housing Units
459
Occupied Units
40
Vacant Units
2.22
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$123,900
Median Home Value
-52% vs state
$830
Median Rent
1953
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 25 business establishments in ZIP 56137, employing approximately 114 people with a combined annual payroll of $6,802,000.
25
Businesses
114
Employees
$6.8M
Annual Payroll
3
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 5 | 20.0% |
| Construction | 4 | 16.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 16.0% |
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 56137 vs 56161 →
ZIP 56137 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56137
Heron Lake (56137)
1,149 residents
- 56119
Brewster (56119)
1,017 residents
- 56161 400
Okabena (56161)
400 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 56137 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 56137 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56161
Okabena (56161)
$86,000 median income
- 56119
Brewster (56119)
$83,583 median income
- 56137
Heron Lake (56137)
$71,250 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 56137 ranks #3 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Jackson County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56137 in? ▼
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What is the median household income in ZIP 56137? ▼
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What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56137? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56137? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56137? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 56137? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 56137? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56137? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Heron Lake, 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.