Atwater, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56209
Kandiyohi County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,339
- 9/sq mi Low-density area
- $86,118
- Median income Above-median income area
- $230,800
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 23.7%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Atwater pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 31%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 48%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 9
- people per sq mi
- 83%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56209 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 56209 (Atwater, MN) rose +13.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 217.3 in 2023 to 245.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 56209 covers 254.2 square miles in Atwater, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 2,339 residents on file, a density of 9 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 56209 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $86,118 (5% above the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $33,932. The poverty rate is 5.2%, with unemployment at 6.3%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $230,800 (10% below the average Minnesota ZIP) and median rent is $806; 82.9% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 23.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.9, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Kandiyohi County, so 56209 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 56209
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Atwater, MN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56209.
- Construction
Construction
14 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
8 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
6 establishments
- Health care and social assistance 5
Health care and social assistance
5 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 + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 56209, Atwater, 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
2,339
Population
254.2
Area (sq mi)
9
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56209?
36.9
Median Age
55.8%
Male
44.2%
Female
0.7%
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?
$86,118
Median Household Income
+5% vs state ZIP avg
$33,932
Per Capita Income
5.2%
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Unemployment Rate
21.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56209 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Atwater, 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)
$86,118 Top 35% higher than 65% 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
1,261housing units
1,261
Total Housing Units
952
Occupied Units
309
Vacant Units
2.67
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$230,800
Median Home Value
-10% vs state ZIP avg
$806
Median Rent
1972
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+13.1%
YoY Change (2024)
246
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+146%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56209 have increased 13.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +146% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.0% | 176 |
| 2021 | +9.3% | 193 |
| 2022 | +13.6% | 219 |
| 2023 | -0.7% | 217 |
| 2024 | +13.1% | 246 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 56 business establishments in ZIP 56209, employing approximately 319 people with a combined annual payroll of $17,642,000.
56
Businesses
319
Employees
$17.6M
Annual Payroll
8
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 14 | 25.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 8 | 14.3% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 10.7% |
| Health care and social assistance | 5 | 8.9% |
| Manufacturing | 4 | 7.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 4 | 7.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 3 | 5.4% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 5.4% |
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 56209 vs 56251 →
ZIP 56209 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56209
Atwater (56209)
2,339 residents
- 56243
Grove City (56243)
1,725 residents
- 56251
Kandiyohi (56251)
987 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 56209 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 56209 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56209
Atwater (56209)
$86,118 median income
- 56251
Kandiyohi (56251)
$76,917 median income
- 56243
Grove City (56243)
$71,528 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 56209 ranks the highest 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 56209, 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 (2,339 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Kandiyohi County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56209 in?
ZIP code 56209 (Atwater) is located in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. Kandiyohi County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/kandiyohi-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56209?
ZIP code 56209 in Atwater, MN has a population of 2,339 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56209?
The median household income in ZIP 56209 is $86,118, which is 13% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56209?
The median home value in ZIP 56209 is $230,800, which is 17% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56209?
The largest racial group in ZIP 56209 is White at 89.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56209?
ZIP code 56209 has 56 business establishments employing approximately 319 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56209?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56209 are: Construction (14), Other services (except public administration) (8), Retail trade (6). There are 8 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56209?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56209 increased by 13.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 146%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 56209?
In ZIP code 56209, 58.6% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 23.7% 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 56209?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56209 is 21.8 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 56209?
In ZIP code 56209, approximately 82.9% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 17.1% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56209?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56209 is 5.2% 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 56209's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 56209 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Atwater, MN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.