ZIP Code 56542

ZIP code 56542 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 496.3 square miles in Fosston, Polk County, Minnesota. The area is home to 2,829 residents, producing a population density of 6 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 56542 against Minnesota and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 56542 sits at $59,706 (27% below the Minnesota average), while per-capita income is $32,663. The poverty rate stands at 17.5% and the unemployment rate at 6.6%. On housing, the median home value is $186,300 (27% below the state average) with median rent at $788 per month, and 68.2% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 56542 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 25.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 42.9, and the average commute is 16 minutes. We also surface 1 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Polk County, so you can benchmark 56542 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 →