Backus, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56435
Cass County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 2,372
- 6/sq mi
- $62,381
- Median income
- $256,800
- Median home value
- 17.0%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Backus pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 34th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 41%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 6
- people per sq mi
- 93%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56435 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 56435 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 416.1 square miles in Backus, Cass County, Minnesota. The area is home to 2,372 residents, producing a population density of 6 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 56435 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56435 sits at $62,381 (24% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $33,521. The poverty rate stands at 15.7% and the unemployment rate at 5.3%. On housing, the median home value is $256,800 (0% above the state average) with median rent at $811 per month, and 92.8% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56435 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 17.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 52.9, and the average commute is 23 minutes. We also surface 2 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Cass County, so you can benchmark 56435 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 56435
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56435.
- Construction
Construction
12 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
9 establishments
- Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services
7 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
6 establishments
- Manufacturing
Manufacturing
5 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 56435, Backus, 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
2,372
Population
416.1
Area (sq mi)
6
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56435?
52.9
Median Age
51.5%
Male
48.5%
Female
1.1%
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?
$62,381
Median Household Income
-24% vs state
$33,521
Per Capita Income
15.7%
Poverty Rate
5.3%
Unemployment Rate
22.9 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56435 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$62,381 34th percentile higher than 34% 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?
2,203
Total Housing Units
1,168
Occupied Units
1,035
Vacant Units
2.38
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$256,800
Median Home Value
+0% vs state
$811
Median Rent
1986
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
+11.6%
YoY Change (2024)
255
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+155%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56435 have increased 11.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +155% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.5% | 167 |
| 2021 | +10.2% | 184 |
| 2022 | +20.9% | 222 |
| 2023 | +3.2% | 229 |
| 2024 | +11.6% | 255 |
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 52 business establishments in ZIP 56435, employing approximately 366 people with a combined annual payroll of $17,639,000.
52
Businesses
366
Employees
$17.6M
Annual Payroll
7
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 12 | 23.1% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 9 | 17.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 13.5% |
| Retail trade | 6 | 11.5% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 9.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 3 | 5.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 3 | 5.8% |
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 56435 vs 56452 →
ZIP 56435 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56474
Pine River (56474)
4,244 residents
- 56435
Backus (56435)
2,372 residents
- 56452
Hackensack (56452)
1,755 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 56435 ranks #2 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 56435 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 56452
Hackensack (56452)
$62,941 median income
- 56435
Backus (56435)
$62,381 median income
- 56474
Pine River (56474)
$59,922 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 56435 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
More ZIP Codes in Cass County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56435 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 56435? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 56435? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 56435? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56435? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56435? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56435? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56435? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 56435? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 56435? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56435? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56435? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Backus, 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.