Wadena, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56482
Wadena County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 6,666
- 20/sq mi
- $64,439
- Median income
- $169,800
- Median home value
- 18.2%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Wadena pairs a below-median household income with below-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 37th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 34th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 20
- people per sq mi
- 68%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56482 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 56482 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 340.1 square miles in Wadena, Wadena County, Minnesota. The area is home to 6,666 residents, producing a population density of 20 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 56482 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56482 sits at $64,439 (22% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $33,776. The poverty rate stands at 13.3% and the unemployment rate at 5.0%. On housing, the median home value is $169,800 (34% below the state average) with median rent at $731 per month, and 68.4% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56482 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 18.2% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39.5, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 3 additional ZIPs sharing Wadena County, so you can benchmark 56482 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 56482
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56482.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
37 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
29 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
28 establishments
- Construction
Construction
26 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
20 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 56482, Wadena, 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
6,666
Population
340.1
Area (sq mi)
20
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56482?
39.5
Median Age
50.8%
Male
49.2%
Female
1.4%
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?
$64,439
Median Household Income
-22% vs state
$33,776
Per Capita Income
13.3%
Poverty Rate
5.0%
Unemployment Rate
19.0 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56482 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$64,439 37th percentile higher than 37% 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?
3,342
Total Housing Units
3,244
Occupied Units
98
Vacant Units
2.28
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$169,800
Median Home Value
-34% vs state
$731
Median Rent
1969
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
+9.0%
YoY Change (2024)
228
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+128%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56482 have increased 9.0% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +128% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -2.6% | 156 |
| 2021 | +15.8% | 180 |
| 2022 | +11.6% | 201 |
| 2023 | +4.2% | 210 |
| 2024 | +9.0% | 228 |
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 221 business establishments in ZIP 56482, employing approximately 2,889 people with a combined annual payroll of $135,242,000.
221
Businesses
2,889
Employees
$135.2M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 37 | 16.7% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 29 | 13.1% |
| Health care and social assistance | 28 | 12.7% |
| Construction | 26 | 11.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 20 | 9.1% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 14 | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 13 | 5.9% |
| Manufacturing | 11 | 5.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 10 | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 8 | 3.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 7 | 3.2% |
| Information | 6 | 2.7% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 4 | 1.8% |
| Utilities | 3 | 1.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 3 | 1.4% |
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 56482 vs 56518 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56518 | Bluffton, MN | 388 | 5.1 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Wadena County
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Frequently Asked Questions
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How many businesses are in ZIP code 56482? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56482? ▼
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Wadena, 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.