PlainZIP

Climax, MN · standard

ZIP Code 56523

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

539
3/sq mi
$56,685
Median income
$147,000
Median home value
32.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Climax pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.

24th pct
household income, US ZIPs
24th pct
home value, US ZIPs
3
people per sq mi
81%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56523 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 56523 is a sparsely populated ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Climax, Polk County, Minnesota, home to just 539 residents across 215.6 square miles, a density of 3 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.

ZIP 56523 reports a modest median household income of $56,685 (31% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $39,482. 12.3% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 3.5%. Housing costs here run $147,000 for a typical home value (43% below the state average), with rent averaging $950 a month; 80.8% of homes are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 32.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 39, and the average commute is -. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Polk County, so you can benchmark 56523 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 56523

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Climax, MN

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56523.

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 56523, Climax, 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

539

Population

215.6

Area (sq mi)

3

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 56523?

39.0

Median Age

55.5%

Male

44.5%

Female

2.4%

Foreign-Born

White 90.8%
African American 0.0%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 9.9%

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?

$56,685

Median Household Income

-31% vs state

$39,482

Per Capita Income

12.3%

Poverty Rate

3.5%

Unemployment Rate

How ZIP 56523 ranks nationally

Climax, MN household income vs. every US ZIP code

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

$56,685 24th percentile higher than 24% 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 60.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 32.1%

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

What does housing look like?

189

Total Housing Units

167

Occupied Units

22

Vacant Units

2.29

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 80.8%
Renter 19.2%

$147,000

Median Home Value

-43% vs state

$950

Median Rent

1957

Median Year Built

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

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 14 business establishments in ZIP 56523, employing approximately 54 people with a combined annual payroll of $2,069,000.

14

Businesses

54

Employees

$2.1M

Annual Payroll

3

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Construction 4 28.6%
Wholesale trade 3 21.4%
Other services (except public administration) 3 21.4%

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 56523 vs 56568 →

ZIP Code City Population Distance
56568 Nielsville, MN 142 8.3 mi

More ZIP Codes in Polk County

56721 standard
East Grand Forks, MN
Pop: 10,096
56716 standard
Crookston, MN
Pop: 9,416
56542 standard
Fosston, MN
Pop: 2,829
56540 standard
Fertile, MN
Pop: 1,962
56535 standard
Erskine, MN
Pop: 1,363
56556 standard
Mcintosh, MN
Pop: 1,160

Related Areas

Polk County Climax, MN Minnesota

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 56523 in? ▼
ZIP code 56523 (Climax) is located in Polk County, Minnesota. Polk County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/polk-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56523? ▼
ZIP code 56523 in Climax, MN has a population of 539 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56523? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 56523 is $56,685, which is 26% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56523? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 56523 is $147,000, which is 47% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56523? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 56523 is White at 90.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.9% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56523? ▼
ZIP code 56523 has 14 business establishments employing approximately 54 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56523? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56523 are: Construction (4), Wholesale trade (3), Other services (except public administration) (3). There are 3 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 56523? ▼
In ZIP code 56523, 60.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 32.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56523? ▼
In ZIP code 56523, approximately 80.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 19.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56523? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56523 is 12.3% 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.