Residential delivery area · Minnesota
ZIP Code 56209: Atwater, MN
ZIP code 56209 uses the postal name Atwater, Minnesota and lies mostly in Kandiyohi County (80% of its land) with the rest in Meeker County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 2,600 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $86,118 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 1% of its land lies in Atwater; 99% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Atwater · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Kandiyohi County (80%); Meeker County (20%)
- Census places
- Atwater
- Micro area
- Willmar, MN
- House district
- MN-7 119th Congress
- State
- Minnesota
- Time zone
- Central
- Land area
- 101.1 sq mi · 25 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 56209?
56209 centers on 45.127°, -94.812° and covers 101.1 square miles of land plus 8.2 of water. It borders 7 ZIP codes: 56251, 56243, 56288, 56253, 56228, 56273, 56362.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 56209, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 56209 compare with the rest of Kandiyohi County?
| Measure | 56209 | In Kandiyohi County | In MN |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 2,570 | 5th of 16 | 372nd of 881 |
| Median household income | $86k | 4th of 11 | 226th of 545 |
| Median home value | $231k | 6th of 11 | 380th of 558 |
Its median household income is higher than in 69% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 30% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 56209?
The 2020 Census counted 2,333 people in 56209; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 2,570. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell 0.3% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 2,570±321 (90% margin)
- 2020 Census count
- 2,333−0.3% since 2010 (2,339)
- Households
- 952
- Median age
- 36.9
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 56209?
Of the 2,570 people the ACS estimates in 56209, 28.8% are under 18 and 19.2% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (87.7%).
- Under 1828.8%
- 18 to 6452.0%
- 65 and older19.2%
- White, not Hispanic87.7%
- Other or two or more7.6%
- Hispanic or Latino4.3%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.2%
- Black, not Hispanic0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 56209 earn?
Median household income is $86,118 (ACS 2020-2024), the 4th highest of the 11 ranked ZIP codes in Kandiyohi County. It rose from $74,386 in 2015-2019 (in 2024 dollars), a change larger than the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $86,118
- Income per person
- $33,932
- Below the poverty line
- 5.2%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 6.3%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 23.7%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $72,8341,160 returns; wages 63% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 56209?
FHFA's house price index for 56209, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 87% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 49% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +6.6% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $230,800
- Median gross rent
- $806
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 82.9%
- Housing units
- 1,261
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 56209?
56 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 1 fewer than in 2018; the most are in construction (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Construction14
- Other services (except public administration)8
- Retail trade6
- Health care and social assistance5
- Manufacturing4
- Transportation and warehousing4
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 56209?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56251 | Kandiyohi | 949 | $77k | 5.4 mi |
| 56243 | Grove City | 1,921 | $72k | 6.8 mi |
| 56288 | Spicer | 4,697 | $111k | 10.3 mi |
| 56253 | Lake Lillian | 740 | $75k | 12.0 mi |
| 56228 | Cosmos | 922 | $70k | 13.6 mi |
| 56273 | New London | 4,956 | $90k | 15.5 mi |
| 56362 | Paynesville | 5,773 | $86k | 19.6 mi |
| 56201 | Willmar | 25,146 | $69k | 11.3 mi (near) |
| 55355 | Litchfield | 9,663 | $63k | 12.5 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.