Residential delivery area · Minnesota
ZIP Code 56542: Fosston, MN
ZIP code 56542 uses the postal name Fosston, Minnesota and lies mostly in Polk County (80% of its land) with the rest in Mahnomen County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 2,500 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $59,706 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 1% of its land lies in Fosston; 99% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Fosston · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Polk County (80%); Mahnomen County (20%)
- Census places
- Fosston
- Metro area
- Grand Forks, ND-MN
- House districts
- MN-7 (80%), MN-8 (20%) 119th Congress, by share of land
- State
- Minnesota
- Time zone
- Central
- Land area
- 180.2 sq mi · 14 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 56542?
56542 centers on 47.568°, -95.728° and covers 180.2 square miles of land plus 10.1 of water. It borders 10 ZIP codes: 56651, 56556, 56592, 56516, 56646, 56634, 56644, 56621, 56557, 56684.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 56542, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0).
How does 56542 compare with the rest of Polk County?
| Measure | 56542 | In Polk County | In MN |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 2,486 | 5th of 25 | 373rd of 881 |
| Median household income | $60k | 10th of 10 | 509th of 545 |
| Median home value | $186k | 6th of 10 | 459th of 558 |
Its median household income is higher than in 29% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 21% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 56542?
The 2020 Census counted 2,718 people in 56542; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 2,486. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population fell 3.9% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 2,486
- 2020 Census count
- 2,718−3.9% since 2010 (2,829)
- Households
- 1,034
- Median age
- 42.9
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 56542?
Of the 2,486 people the ACS estimates in 56542, 24.5% are under 18 and 24.6% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (92.6%).
- Under 1824.5%
- 18 to 6451.0%
- 65 and older24.6%
- White, not Hispanic92.6%
- Other or two or more5.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.2%
- Black, not Hispanic0.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 56542 earn?
Median household income is $59,706 (ACS 2020-2024), the 10th highest of the 10 ranked ZIP codes in Polk County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($60,853 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $59,706
- Income per person
- $32,663
- Below the poverty line
- 17.5%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 6.6%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 25.4%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $69,8121,270 returns; wages 59% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 56542?
FHFA's house price index for 56542, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 70% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 42% from 2020 to 2025, and moved −3.7% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $186,300
- Median gross rent
- $788
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 68.2%
- Housing units
- 1,208
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 56542?
104 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 12 more than in 2018; the most are in health care and social assistance (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Health care and social assistance18
- Retail trade14
- Other services (except public administration)13
- Construction10
- Finance and insurance10
- Professional, scientific, and technical services9
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 56542?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56651 | Lengby | 667 | $81k | 9.4 mi |
| 56556 | McIntosh | 1,312 | $62k | 9.7 mi |
| 56592 | Winger | 550 | $59k | 13.3 mi |
| 56516 | Bejou | 352 | $69k | 14.2 mi |
| 56646 | Gully | 266 | $49k | 15.5 mi |
| 56634 | Clearbrook | 1,801 | $65k | 17.2 mi |
| 56644 | Gonvick | 830 | $56k | 17.6 mi |
| 56621 | Bagley | 4,336 | $64k | 18.8 mi |
| 56557 | Mahnomen | 2,758 | $58k | 19.0 mi |
| 56684 | Trail | 280 | $74k | 20.9 mi |
| 56535 | Erskine | 1,307 | $66k | 16.5 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.