Detroit Lakes, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56501
Becker County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 16,290
- 34/sq mi
- $70,037
- Median income
- $314,700
- Median home value
- 32.5%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Detroit Lakes pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 47th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 31%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 34
- people per sq mi
- 71%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56501 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 56501 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 484.8 square miles in Detroit Lakes, Becker County, Minnesota. The area is home to 16,290 residents, producing a population density of 34 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 56501 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56501 sits at $70,037 (15% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $45,609. The poverty rate stands at 12.7% and the unemployment rate at 4.7%. On housing, the median home value is $314,700 (23% above the state average) with median rent at $963 per month, and 70.5% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56501 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 32.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.5, and the average commute is 17 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Becker County, so you can benchmark 56501 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 56501
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56501.
- Construction
Construction
85 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
84 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
77 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
70 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
50 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 56501, Detroit Lakes, 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
16,290
Population
484.8
Area (sq mi)
34
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56501?
44.5
Median Age
49.8%
Male
50.2%
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?
$70,037
Median Household Income
-15% vs state
$45,609
Per Capita Income
12.7%
Poverty Rate
4.7%
Unemployment Rate
17.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56501 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$70,037 47th percentile higher than 47% 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?
10,291
Total Housing Units
7,701
Occupied Units
2,590
Vacant Units
2.28
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$314,700
Median Home Value
+23% vs state
$963
Median Rent
1981
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
+11.7%
YoY Change (2024)
292
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+192%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56501 have increased 11.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +192% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | -0.2% | 207 |
| 2021 | +9.1% | 226 |
| 2022 | +14.9% | 259 |
| 2023 | +0.9% | 261 |
| 2024 | +11.7% | 292 |
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 600 business establishments in ZIP 56501, employing approximately 8,828 people with a combined annual payroll of $481,668,000.
600
Businesses
8,828
Employees
$481.7M
Annual Payroll
15
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 85 | 14.2% |
| Retail trade | 84 | 14.0% |
| Health care and social assistance | 77 | 12.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 70 | 11.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 50 | 8.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 46 | 7.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 36 | 6.0% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 26 | 4.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 25 | 4.2% |
| Manufacturing | 23 | 3.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 23 | 3.8% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 23 | 3.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 12 | 2.0% |
| Information | 10 | 1.7% |
| Educational services | 4 | 0.7% |
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 56501 vs 56577 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56577 | Richwood, MN | 21 | 9.2 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Becker County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56501 in? ▼
What is the population of ZIP code 56501? ▼
What is the median household income in ZIP 56501? ▼
What is the average home value in ZIP 56501? ▼
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56501? ▼
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56501? ▼
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56501? ▼
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56501? ▼
What is the education level in ZIP code 56501? ▼
What is the average commute time in ZIP 56501? ▼
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56501? ▼
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56501? ▼
ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Detroit Lakes, 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.