Saint Cloud, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56303
Stearns County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 25,984
- 899/sq mi High-density area
- $65,198
- Median income Near-median income area
- $205,200
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 30.9%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Saint Cloud pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.
- 39th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 45th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 899
- people per sq mi
- 63%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56303 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 56303 (Saint Cloud, MN) rose +3.2% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 200.8 in 2023 to 207.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 56303 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minnesota, with 25,984 residents across 28.9 square miles, a density of 899 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 56303 reports a modest median household income of $65,198 (21% below the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $35,014. The poverty rate is 16.4%, with unemployment at 3.0%; those measures add context to the income figure. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $205,200 (20% below the average Minnesota ZIP), and median rent is $927; owner occupancy is 63.3%.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 30.9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 36.7, and the average commute is 20 minutes. The page also surfaces 7 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Stearns County, so 56303 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 56303
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saint Cloud, MN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56303.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
152 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services 50
Professional, scientific, and technical services
50 establishments
- Other services (except public administration) 49
Other services (except public administration)
49 establishments
- Retail trade 44
Retail trade
44 establishments
- Construction 33
Construction
33 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 56303, Saint Cloud, 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
25,984
Population
28.9
Area (sq mi)
899
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56303?
36.7
Median Age
49.5%
Male
50.5%
Female
6.2%
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?
$65,198
Median Household Income
-21% vs state ZIP avg
$35,014
Per Capita Income
16.4%
Poverty Rate
3.0%
Unemployment Rate
19.6 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56303 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Saint Cloud, 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)
$65,198 22nd percentile higher than 22% 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
12,035housing units
12,035
Total Housing Units
11,184
Occupied Units
851
Vacant Units
2.21
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$205,200
Median Home Value
-20% vs state ZIP avg
$927
Median Rent
1979
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
+3.2%
YoY Change (2024)
207
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+107%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56303 have increased 3.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +107% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +3.1% | 145 |
| 2021 | +11.2% | 162 |
| 2022 | +14.3% | 185 |
| 2023 | +8.7% | 201 |
| 2024 | +3.2% | 207 |
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 524 business establishments in ZIP 56303, employing approximately 20,327 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,251,310,000.
524
Businesses
20,327
Employees
$1.3B
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 152 | 29.0% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 50 | 9.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 49 | 9.3% |
| Retail trade | 44 | 8.4% |
| Construction | 33 | 6.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 33 | 6.3% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 31 | 5.9% |
| Finance and insurance | 28 | 5.3% |
| Accommodation and food services | 27 | 5.2% |
| Manufacturing | 20 | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 16 | 3.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 16 | 3.0% |
| Information | 7 | 1.3% |
| Educational services | 7 | 1.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 7 | 1.3% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 3 | 0.6% |
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 56303 vs 56387 →
ZIP 56303 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56301
Saint Cloud (56301)
32,434 residents
- 56303
Saint Cloud (56303)
25,984 residents
- 56377
Sartell (56377)
17,648 residents
- 56379
Sauk Rapids (56379)
16,163 residents
- 56374 9,868
Saint Joseph (56374)
9,868 residents
- 56387 6,734
Waite Park (56387)
6,734 residents
- 56375 852
Saint Stephen (56375)
852 residents
- 56369 528
Rockville (56369)
528 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 56303 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 56303 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56375
Saint Stephen (56375)
$105,313 median income
- 56369
Rockville (56369)
$98,077 median income
- 56377
Sartell (56377)
$87,172 median income
- 56374
Saint Joseph (56374)
$80,156 median income
- 56379
Sauk Rapids (56379)
$76,138 median income
- 56301
Saint Cloud (56301)
$73,142 median income
- 56303
Saint Cloud (56303)
$65,198 median income
- 56387
Waite Park (56387)
$59,009 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 56303 ranks #7 of 8 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 56303, 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 (25,984 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Stearns County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56303 in?
ZIP code 56303 (Saint Cloud) is located in Stearns County, Minnesota. Stearns County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/stearns-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56303?
ZIP code 56303 in Saint Cloud, MN has a population of 25,984 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56303?
The median household income in ZIP 56303 is $65,198, which is 15% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56303?
The median home value in ZIP 56303 is $205,200, which is 26% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56303?
The largest racial group in ZIP 56303 is White at 78.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 7.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56303?
ZIP code 56303 has 524 business establishments employing approximately 20,327 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56303?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56303 are: Health care and social assistance (152), Professional, scientific, and technical services (50), Other services (except public administration) (49). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56303?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56303 increased by 3.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 107%. 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 56303?
In ZIP code 56303, 58.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 30.9% 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 56303?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56303 is 19.6 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 56303?
In ZIP code 56303, approximately 63.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 36.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56303?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56303 is 16.4% 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 56303's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 56303 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Saint Cloud, MN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.