Mountain Lake, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56159
Cottonwood County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,928
- 9/sq mi
- $71,648
- Median income
- $161,800
- Median home value
- 23.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Mountain Lake pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 49th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 30th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 76%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56159 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 56159 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 311.5 square miles in Mountain Lake, Cottonwood County, Minnesota. The area is home to 2,928 residents, producing a population density of 9 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 56159 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56159 sits at $71,648 (13% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $33,260. The poverty rate stands at 14.9% and the unemployment rate at 3.1%. On housing, the median home value is $161,800 (37% below the state average) with median rent at $921 per month, and 76.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56159 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 23.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 37.8, and the average commute is 14 minutes. We also surface 4 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 additional ZIPs sharing Cottonwood County, so you can benchmark 56159 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 56159
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56159.
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
11 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
9 establishments
- Wholesale trade
Wholesale trade
5 establishments
- Construction 4
Construction
4 establishments
- Manufacturing 4
Manufacturing
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 56159, Mountain 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
2,928
Population
311.5
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56159?
37.8
Median Age
51.7%
Male
48.3%
Female
8.8%
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?
$71,648
Median Household Income
-13% vs state
$33,260
Per Capita Income
14.9%
Poverty Rate
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
13.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56159 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$71,648 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?
1,062
Total Housing Units
987
Occupied Units
75
Vacant Units
2.59
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$161,800
Median Home Value
-37% vs state
$921
Median Rent
1962
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 52 business establishments in ZIP 56159, employing approximately 673 people with a combined annual payroll of $30,464,000.
52
Businesses
673
Employees
$30.5M
Annual Payroll
9
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Other services (except public administration) | 11 | 21.1% |
| Retail trade | 9 | 17.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 5 | 9.6% |
| Construction | 4 | 7.7% |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 7.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 4 | 7.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 4 | 7.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 4 | 7.7% |
| Information | 3 | 5.8% |
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 56159 vs 56118 →
ZIP 56159 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56159
Mountain Lake (56159)
2,928 residents
- 56120 1,121
Butterfield (56120)
1,121 residents
- 56118 421
Bingham Lake (56118)
421 residents
- 56160 214
Odin (56160)
214 residents
- 56022 70
Darfur (56022)
70 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 56159 ranks the most populous — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 56159 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56118
Bingham Lake (56118)
$91,250 median income
- 56120
Butterfield (56120)
$77,188 median income
- 56159
Mountain Lake (56159)
$71,648 median income
- 56160
Odin (56160)
$66,667 median income
- 56022
Darfur (56022)
$65,750 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 56159 ranks #3 of 5 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Cottonwood County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56159 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 56159? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 56159? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 56159? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56159? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56159? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56159? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 56159? ▼
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What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56159? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Mountain 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.