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 Low-density area
- $71,250
- Median income Near-median income area
- $123,900
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 19.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
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 a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Heron Lake, Jackson County, Minnesota, home to just 1,149 residents across 302.4 square miles, a density of 4 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 56137 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $71,250 (13% below the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $39,683. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 6.7% and unemployment is 1.0%. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $123,900 (52% below the average Minnesota ZIP), and median rent is $830; owner occupancy is 82.6%.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 19.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 46.8, and the average commute is 17 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 4 more in Jackson County, so 56137 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 56137
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Heron Lake, MN
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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, 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; 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 ZIP avg
$39,683
Per Capita Income
6.7%
Poverty Rate
1.0%
Unemployment Rate
16.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56137 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Heron Lake, 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)
$71,250 33rd percentile higher than 33% 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
499housing units
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 ZIP avg
$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.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 56137, 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 (1,149 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Jackson County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56137 in?
ZIP code 56137 (Heron Lake) is located in Jackson County, Minnesota. Jackson County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/jackson-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56137?
ZIP code 56137 in Heron Lake, MN has a population of 1,149 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56137?
The median household income in ZIP 56137 is $71,250, which is 7% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56137?
The median home value in ZIP 56137 is $123,900, which is 55% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56137?
The largest racial group in ZIP 56137 is White at 86.6%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 10.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56137?
ZIP code 56137 has 25 business establishments employing approximately 114 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56137?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56137 are: Other services (except public administration) (5), Construction (4), Transportation and warehousing (4). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 56137?
In ZIP code 56137, 51.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 19.9% 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 56137?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56137 is 16.9 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 56137?
In ZIP code 56137, approximately 82.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56137?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56137 is 6.7% 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 56137's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 56137 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Heron Lake, MN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.