PlainZIP

Saint Cloud, MN · standard

ZIP Code 56304

Sherburne County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

16,020
103/sq mi
$58,148
Median income
$251,500
Median home value
28.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Saint Cloud pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.

26th pct
household income, US ZIPs
Top 42%
home value, US ZIPs
103
people per sq mi
41%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56304 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 56304 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Saint Cloud, Sherburne County, Minnesota, home to 16,020 residents across 155.2 square miles, a density of 103 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 56304 reports a modest median household income of $58,148 (29% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $31,477. 16.5% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 7.4%. Median home value sits at $251,500 (2% below the state average), median rent at $956 a month, and owner-occupancy at 41.4%.

Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 28.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 32.1, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 3 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 additional ZIPs sharing Sherburne County, so you can benchmark 56304 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone.

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 56304

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Saint Cloud, MN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56304.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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 56304, 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

16,020

Population

155.2

Area (sq mi)

103

People / sq mi

Chicago

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 56304?

32.1

Median Age

53.3%

Male

46.7%

Female

13.6%

Foreign-Born

White 62.5%
African American 22.5%
Asian 4.1%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.9%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 8.1%
Hispanic or Latino 4.1%

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?

$58,148

Median Household Income

-29% vs state

$31,477

Per Capita Income

16.5%

Poverty Rate

7.4%

Unemployment Rate

23.0 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 56304 ranks nationally

Saint Cloud, MN household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$58,148 26th percentile higher than 26% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 55.9%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 28.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

7,494

Total Housing Units

7,134

Occupied Units

360

Vacant Units

2.27

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 41.4%
Renter 58.6%

$251,500

Median Home Value

-2% vs state

$956

Median Rent

1980

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

+3.8%

YoY Change (2024)

202

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+102%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 56304 have increased 3.8% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +102% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +3.3% 145
2021 +9.8% 159
2022 +17.5% 187
2023 +4.1% 195
2024 +3.8% 202

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 306 business establishments in ZIP 56304, employing approximately 6,692 people with a combined annual payroll of $338,828,000.

306

Businesses

6,692

Employees

$338.8M

Annual Payroll

13

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 50 16.3%
Construction 43 14.1%
Retail trade 38 12.4%
Other services (except public administration) 36 11.8%
Manufacturing 21 6.9%
Accommodation and food services 21 6.9%
Wholesale trade 20 6.5%
Transportation and warehousing 16 5.2%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 16 5.2%
Real estate and rental and leasing 15 4.9%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 12 3.9%
Finance and insurance 8 2.6%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 5 1.6%

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 56304 vs 56379 →

ZIP 56304 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 56304 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 56304 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 56304 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
56379 Sauk Rapids, MN 16,163 8.1 mi
55319 Clear Lake, MN 5,038 6.4 mi
55320 Clearwater, MN 4,973 9.1 mi

More ZIP Codes in Sherburne County

55330 standard
Elk River, MN
Pop: 36,440
55309 standard
Big Lake, MN
Pop: 18,208
55398 standard
Zimmerman, MN
Pop: 15,540
55308 standard
Becker, MN
Pop: 9,064
55319 standard
Clear Lake, MN
Pop: 5,038

Related Areas

Sherburne County Saint Cloud, MN Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 56304 in? ▼
ZIP code 56304 (Saint Cloud) is located in Sherburne County, Minnesota. Sherburne County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/sherburne-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56304? ▼
ZIP code 56304 in Saint Cloud, MN has a population of 16,020 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56304? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 56304 is $58,148, which is 24% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56304? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 56304 is $251,500, which is 10% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56304? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 56304 is White at 62.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56304? ▼
ZIP code 56304 has 306 business establishments employing approximately 6,692 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56304? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56304 are: Health care and social assistance (50), Construction (43), Retail trade (38). There are 13 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56304? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56304 increased by 3.8% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 102%. 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 56304? ▼
In ZIP code 56304, 55.9% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 28.4% 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 56304? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56304 is 23.0 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 56304? ▼
In ZIP code 56304, approximately 41.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 58.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56304? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56304 is 16.5% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.