Fergus Falls, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56537
Otter Tail County, Minnesota — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 18,548
- 25/sq mi
- $65,473
- Median income
- $246,500
- Median home value
- 31.3%
- Bachelor's or higher
The verdict
Fergus Falls pairs a below-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 39th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 43%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 25
- people per sq mi
- 71%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56537 against every reporting US ZIP.
ZIP code 56537 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 739.0 square miles in Fergus Falls, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. The area is home to 18,548 residents, producing a population density of 25 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 56537 against Minnesota and the nation.
On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56537 sits at $65,473 (20% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $37,805. The poverty rate stands at 7.7% and the unemployment rate at 5.7%. On housing, the median home value is $246,500 (4% below the state average) with median rent at $910 per month, and 71.3% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56537 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.
Education and household profile round out the picture: 31.3% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.7, and the average commute is 15 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Otter Tail County, so you can benchmark 56537 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 56537
Top 5 sectors by establishment count
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56537.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
108 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
78 establishments
- Construction
Construction
70 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
70 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
52 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 56537, Fergus Falls, 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
18,548
Population
739.0
Area (sq mi)
25
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56537?
43.7
Median Age
48.7%
Male
51.3%
Female
1.9%
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?
$65,473
Median Household Income
-20% vs state
$37,805
Per Capita Income
7.7%
Poverty Rate
5.7%
Unemployment Rate
15.1 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56537 ranks nationally
Household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$65,473 39th percentile higher than 39% 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?
9,591
Total Housing Units
8,515
Occupied Units
1,076
Vacant Units
2.24
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$246,500
Median Home Value
-4% vs state
$910
Median Rent
1976
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
+12.7%
YoY Change (2024)
240
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+140%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56537 have increased 12.7% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +140% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.2% | 164 |
| 2021 | +9.6% | 180 |
| 2022 | +10.7% | 199 |
| 2023 | +6.9% | 213 |
| 2024 | +12.7% | 240 |
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 635 business establishments in ZIP 56537, employing approximately 7,693 people with a combined annual payroll of $372,108,000.
635
Businesses
7,693
Employees
$372.1M
Annual Payroll
17
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 108 | 17.0% |
| Retail trade | 78 | 12.3% |
| Construction | 70 | 11.0% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 70 | 11.0% |
| Accommodation and food services | 52 | 8.2% |
| Finance and insurance | 49 | 7.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 49 | 7.7% |
| Manufacturing | 37 | 5.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 28 | 4.4% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 26 | 4.1% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 18 | 2.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 13 | 2.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 12 | 1.9% |
| Information | 12 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 6 | 0.9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 4 | 0.6% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.5% |
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 56537 vs 56533 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56533 | Elizabeth, MN | 291 | 9.7 mi |
More ZIP Codes in Otter Tail County
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Frequently Asked Questions
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ZIP Code Research Guides
Official Data Resources for Fergus Falls, 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.