PlainZIP

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 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 Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $39,683. 6.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 1.0%. Median home value sits at $123,900 (52% below the state average), median rent at $830 a month, and owner-occupancy at 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. A geography-based comparison follows: 2 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 56137, plus 4 more within Jackson County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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.

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 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

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 56137?

46.8

Median Age

53.1%

Male

46.9%

Female

4.1%

Foreign-Born

White 86.6%
African American 0.0%
Asian 1.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.5%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 5.7%
Hispanic or Latino 10.0%

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

Heron Lake, MN 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

$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%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $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 51.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 19.9%

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

Owner 82.6%
Renter 17.4%

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 56137 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

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

ZIP 56137 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 56137 ranks #3 of 3 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
56161 Okabena, MN 400 8.7 mi
56119 Brewster, MN 1,017 11.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Jackson County

56143 standard
Jackson, MN
Pop: 4,478
56150 standard
Lakefield, MN
Pop: 2,742
56111 standard
Alpha, MN
Pop: 420
56161 standard
Okabena, MN
Pop: 400

Related Areas

Jackson County Heron Lake, MN Minnesota

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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.