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.

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 + 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

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 56537?

43.7

Median Age

48.7%

Male

51.3%

Female

1.9%

Foreign-Born

White 91.5%
African American 1.5%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 4.4%
Hispanic or Latino 2.0%

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

$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%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). This entry sits in this band. $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 57.4%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 31.3%

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

Owner 71.3%
Renter 28.7%

$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)

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

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 56537 in?
ZIP code 56537 (Fergus Falls) is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Otter Tail County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/otter-tail-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56537?
ZIP code 56537 in Fergus Falls, MN has a population of 18,548 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56537?
The median household income in ZIP 56537 is $65,473, which is 14% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56537?
The median home value in ZIP 56537 is $246,500, which is 11% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56537?
The largest racial group in ZIP 56537 is White at 91.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 2.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56537?
ZIP code 56537 has 635 business establishments employing approximately 7,693 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56537?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56537 are: Health care and social assistance (108), Retail trade (78), Construction (70). There are 17 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56537?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56537 increased by 12.7% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 140%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 56537?
In ZIP code 56537, 57.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 31.3% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 56537?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56537 is 15.1 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56537?
In ZIP code 56537, approximately 71.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 28.7% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56537?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56537 is 7.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Fergus Falls, MN

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.