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
- $86,118
- Median income
- $230,800
- Median home value
- 23.7%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
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.
ZIP code 56209 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 254.2 square miles in Atwater, Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. The area is home to 2,339 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 56209 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56209 sits at $86,118 (5% above the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $33,932. The poverty rate stands at 5.2% and the unemployment rate at 6.3%. On housing, the median home value is $230,800 (10% below the state average) with median rent at $806 per month, and 82.9% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56209 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 23.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.9, and the average commute is 22 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Kandiyohi County, so you can benchmark 56209 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 56209
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
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 + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, 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; HUD FMR + 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
$33,932
Per Capita Income
5.2%
Poverty Rate
6.3%
Unemployment Rate
21.8 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56209 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$86,118 Top 31% higher than 69% 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?
1,261
Total Housing Units
952
Occupied Units
309
Vacant Units
2.67
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$230,800
Median Home Value
-10% vs state
$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.
More ZIP Codes in Kandiyohi County
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Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56209 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 56209? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 56209? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 56209? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56209? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56209? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56209? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56209? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 56209? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 56209? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56209? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56209? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Atwater, 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.