Zip code 56297: Wood Lake, Minnesota

Q: What city is zip code 56297?

56297 is assigned to Wood Lake, Minnesota. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

Q: What county is 56297 in?

56297 is mostly in Yellow Medicine County, but it extends into 1 other county.

Q: What is the population of 56297?

About 811 people live in 56297, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Q: What is the median household income in 56297?

The median household income in 56297 is $82,250.

Q: What zip codes are near 56297?

The closest zip codes to 56297 are 56237, 56245, 56229, 56292, 56241.

Residential delivery areaYellow Medicine CountyCentral Time

Population

811

Median household income

$82K

U.S. $81K

Median home value

$142K

U.S. $333K

Median rent

$660/mo

U.S. $1,413

Median age

45.9

U.S. 38.9

Land area

68 sq mi

12 people/sq mi

Boundary is the Census Bureau's ZIP Code Tabulation Area, which closely tracks the postal delivery area.

About 56297

56297 is a rural zip code in Wood Lake, Minnesota (Yellow Medicine County), covering 68 sq mi of land. About 811 people live here, or 12 per square mile. The median resident is 45.9 years old, compared with 38.9 nationally.

The median household earns $82,250 a year, close to the national median of $80,734. 6% of residents live below the poverty line (U.S.: 12.5%). A typical home is valued at $142,200, or 1.7 years of median household income (U.S.: 4.1 years), which makes homes relatively affordable for local earners. 89% of occupied homes are lived in by their owners, and renters pay a median of $660 a month.

16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S.: 36%). Commuters average 23.3 minutes each way, and 9% of workers work from home. The most common jobs among working residents are in management; office and administrative support; and construction and repair. 20% of them are self-employed (U.S.: 10%).

How 56297 compares

Sorted from highest to lowest national percentile

Self-employed workers20.2%
98th
U.S. 10% · MN 9.3%95th of 852 in MN
Homeownership rate88.5%
94th
StrengthU.S. 65.2% · MN 72.2%261st of 851 in MN
Median age45.9
88th
U.S. 38.9 · MN 38.8242nd of 854 in MN
Veterans9.4%
87th
U.S. 6.2% · MN 5.9%155th of 854 in MN
Residents 65 and older19.6%
71st
U.S. 17.2% · MN 17.3%455th of 854 in MN
Median household income$82,250
53rd
U.S. $80,734 · MN $89,062357th of 846 in MN
Uninsured rate7%
52nd
U.S. 8.4% · MN 4.7%157th of 853 in MN
Housing vacancy6.9%
52nd
U.S. 10.1% · MN 9.3%556th of 851 in MN
Per capita income$40,404
51st
U.S. $44,673 · MN $48,237409th of 853 in MN
Median earnings per worker$47,105
47th
U.S. $49,666 · MN $54,389520th of 851 in MN
Rent-burdened renters48.3%
40th
U.S. 51.1% · MN 48.1%291st of 828 in MN
Average commute23.3 min
32nd
U.S. 26.4 min · MN 22.7 min472nd of 849 in MN
Healthcare workers8.3%
32nd
U.S. 9.7% · MN 10.9%612th of 852 in MN
Residents under 1819.6%
28th
U.S. 22% · MN 22.9%630th of 854 in MN
Work from home8.7%
26th
U.S. 15.1% · MN 17.6%612th of 852 in MN
Income inequality (Gini)0.403
22nd
U.S. 0.483 · MN 0.453494th of 848 in MN
Poverty rate6%
19th
StrengthU.S. 12.5% · MN 9.3%617th of 852 in MN
Tech workers1.3%
18th
U.S. 3.8% · MN 4%470th of 852 in MN
Bachelor's degree or higher16.1%
12th
WeaknessU.S. 35.7% · MN 39.4%719th of 854 in MN
Broadband access83.5%
9th
WeaknessU.S. 91% · MN 91.6%730th of 851 in MN
Median home value$142,200
8th
U.S. $332,700 · MN $329,300745th of 842 in MN
Diversity index15.4
8th
U.S. 61.4 · MN 41.1534th of 854 in MN
Government workers7.5%
5th
U.S. 14.5% · MN 12.9%788th of 852 in MN
Unemployment rate1.7%
4th
StrengthU.S. 5.2% · MN 4.1%684th of 853 in MN
Median gross rent$660
2nd
U.S. $1,413 · MN $1,280672nd of 757 in MN
Population811
1st
U.S. 334,922,499 · MN 5,739,445610th of 854 in MN
Population density12/sq mi
1st
U.S. 95/sq mi · MN 72/sq mi625th of 854 in MN
Foreign-born residents0.1%
1st
U.S. 14.1% · MN 8.7%792nd of 854 in MN

Measure	56297	Yellow Medicine	MN	U.S.	National percentile	Rank in MN
Self-employed workers	20.2%	15.9%	9.3%	10%	98th	95th of 852
Homeownership rateStrength	88.5%	84%	72.2%	65.2%	94th	261st of 851
Median age	45.9	42.1	38.8	38.9	88th	242nd of 854
Veterans	9.4%	7.6%	5.9%	6.2%	87th	155th of 854
Residents 65 and older	19.6%	21.5%	17.3%	17.2%	71st	455th of 854
Median household income	$82,250	$74,000	$89,062	$80,734	53rd	357th of 846
Uninsured rate	7%	3.9%	4.7%	8.4%	52nd	157th of 853
Housing vacancy	6.9%	9.3%	9.3%	10.1%	52nd	556th of 851
Per capita income	$40,404	$40,068	$48,237	$44,673	51st	409th of 853
Median earnings per worker	$47,105	$45,944	$54,389	$49,666	47th	520th of 851
Rent-burdened renters	48.3%	29.7%	48.1%	51.1%	40th	291st of 828
Average commute	23.3 min	21.1 min	22.7 min	26.4 min	32nd	472nd of 849
Healthcare workers	8.3%	12.5%	10.9%	9.7%	32nd	612th of 852
Residents under 18	19.6%	22.8%	22.9%	22%	28th	630th of 854
Work from home	8.7%	9%	17.6%	15.1%	26th	612th of 852
Income inequality (Gini)	0.403	0.424	0.453	0.483	22nd	494th of 848
Poverty rateStrength	6%	8.6%	9.3%	12.5%	19th	617th of 852
Tech workers	1.3%	1.8%	4%	3.8%	18th	470th of 852
Bachelor's degree or higherWeakness	16.1%	19.7%	39.4%	35.7%	12th	719th of 854
Broadband accessWeakness	83.5%	85.6%	91.6%	91%	9th	730th of 851
Median home value	$142,200	$154,700	$329,300	$332,700	8th	745th of 842
Diversity index	15.4	23.8	41.1	61.4	8th	534th of 854
Government workers	7.5%	10.6%	12.9%	14.5%	5th	788th of 852
Unemployment rateStrength	1.7%	3.5%	4.1%	5.2%	4th	684th of 853
Median gross rent	$660	$678	$1,280	$1,413	2nd	672nd of 757
Population	811	9,451	5,739,445	334,922,499	1st	610th of 854
Population density	12/sq mi	13/sq mi	72/sq mi	95/sq mi	1st	625th of 854
Foreign-born residents	0.1%	2.5%	8.7%	14.1%	1st	792nd of 854

The percentile is the share of Americans who live in a zip code with a lower value, so the 50th percentile is typical. Rank 1 is the highest value in the state. Both include zip codes with at least 100 residents. Strengths and weaknesses mark measures in the best or worst fifth nationally, where higher or lower is clearly better (income, poverty, education, commute, broadband, insurance and similar). Measures like age or density are left unmarked.

People

Age

Under 5

16%

5–17

11%

18–24

25–34

10%

35–44

16%

45–54

16%

55–64

14%

65–74

75+

Median age

45.9

Under 18

19.6%

65 and over

19.6%

Race and ethnicity

White92%
Black0.7%
Hispanic1%
Asian0%
Native American1%
Pacific Islander0%
Other0.7%
Multiracial4%

Diversity index

15.4

U.S. 61.4

Foreign-born

0.1%

U.S. 14.1%

Born in state

85.7%

Language spoken at home (households)

English only

96%

Spanish

Other Indo-European

Asian / Pacific

Other

Households

Households: 339
Average household size: 2.4
Family households: 72%
Married couples: 68.1%
Living alone: 22.1%
Veterans (of adults): 9.4%
Male / female: 50% / 50%

Income and poverty

Household income distribution

<$25k

17%

$25–50k

10%

$50–75k

17%

$75–100k

19%

$100–150k

17%

$150–200k

$200k+

12%

Median household income

56297

$82,250

Yellow Medicine Co.

$74,000

Minnesota

$89,062

United States

$80,734

Per capita income

$40,404

U.S. $44,673

Poverty rate

U.S. 12.5%

Households earning $150K+

20.1%

U.S. 23%

Income inequality (Gini)

0.403

U.S. 0.483

Housing

Median home value

56297

$142,200

Yellow Medicine Co.

$154,700

Minnesota

$329,300

United States

$332,700

Median gross rent

56297

$660

Yellow Medicine Co.

$678

Minnesota

$1,280

United States

$1,413

Types of housing

Single-family

97%

2–4 units

5–19 units

20+ units

0.5%

Mobile home

Boat, RV, van

Housing units: 364
Owner-occupied: 88.5%
Vacant: 6.9%
Median year built: 1946
Median rooms: 7.5
Renters paying 30%+ of income: 48.3%
Renters paying 50%+ of income: 6.9%
Home value to income: 1.7× (U.S. 4.1×)

Work and commute

How people get to work

Drove alone

80%

Carpooled

Transit

Walked

Bicycle

Worked from home

Other

Commute time (one way)

<10 min

17%

10–19

37%

20–29

20%

30–44

18%

45–59

60+

Average commute

23.3 min

U.S. 26.4 min

Unemployment

1.7%

U.S. 5.2%

In labor force

69.2%

U.S. 63.5%

Jobs and careers

What employed residents do, wherever they work

Occupations

Management

16%

Office and admin

14%

Construction and repair

13%

Transportation and moving

10%

Healthcare

Production

Business and finance

Cleaning and personal care

Sales

Education

Farming, fishing and forestry

Legal and social services

Food service

Computer and math

Police and fire

Engineering and science

0.4%

Arts, media and sports

0.4%

Industries

Agriculture and mining

17%

Other services

15%

Health care and social assistance

11%

Retail

10%

Manufacturing

Finance, insurance and real estate

Construction

Transportation, warehousing and utilities

Professional and technical services

Public administration

Education

Restaurants and hotels

Arts and recreation

Wholesale

Admin, support and management

0.7%

Information

Median earnings per worker

$47,105

U.S. $49,666

Self-employed

20.2%

U.S. 10%

Government workers

7.5%

U.S. 14.5%

Nonprofit workers

9.2%

U.S. 8.8%

Median earnings by type of work

Type of work	56297	U.S.
Management, business, science and arts	$56,667	$74,888
Service	$21,250	$26,804
Sales and office	$45,972	$40,476
Construction and maintenance	$49,375	$49,199
Production and transportation	$40,500	$39,989

Education, internet and health coverage

Highest education (adults 25+)

No diploma

High school

36%

Some college

26%

Associate's

17%

Bachelor's

13%

Graduate

High school graduate or higher: 95%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 16.1%
Graduate or professional degree: 3.2%
Households with broadband: 83.5%
Cable, fiber or DSL: 67.6%
No internet access: 11.5%
Without health insurance: 7%
Limited-English households: 0.3%

Geography

City (USPS): Wood Lake
State: Minnesota
County: Yellow Medicine County
Center point: 44.6368° N, 95.5536° W
Land area: 68 sq mi
Water area: 1.5 sq mi
Time zone: Central Time (UTC-6, UTC-5 in summer)
Zip type: Residential delivery area

56297 spans 2 counties

Yellow Medicine County94% of land
Redwood County6% of land

Cities and towns within this zip

Wood Lake1% of zip

Census places overlapping the zip's area. Mail may use a different city name than the municipality.

Zip codes near 56297

Search by radius

Zip	City	Distance	Population	IncomeMedian income	Home value
56237	Echo, MN	6.1 mi	553	$89,000	$171,400
56245	Hanley Falls, MN	6.9 mi	441	$84,583	$148,200
56229	Cottonwood, MN	8.5 mi	1,672	$104,375	$205,600
56292	Vesta, MN	11 mi	577	$68,523	$127,500
56241	Granite Falls, MN	11 mi	3,933	$66,875	$155,600
56214	Belview, MN	11 mi	648	$90,694	$130,400
56285	Sacred Heart, MN	15 mi	983	$83,984	$143,500
56263	Milroy, MN	15 mi	446	$73,636	$169,200
56223	Clarkfield, MN	16 mi	1,351	$71,667	$110,000
56287	Seaforth, MN	16 mi	98	$73,750	$70,000
56258	Marshall, MN	17 mi	15,888	$72,731	$219,600
56255	Lucan, MN	18 mi	389	$66,667	$170,800

Questions about 56297

What city is zip code 56297?

56297 is assigned to Wood Lake, Minnesota. The city name is the one the Postal Service prefers for mail addressed to this zip code.

What county is 56297 in?

56297 is mostly in Yellow Medicine County, but it extends into 1 other county.

What is the population of 56297?

About 811 people live in 56297, according to the Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

What time zone is 56297 in?

56297 is in Central Time.

What is the median household income in 56297?

The median household income in 56297 is $82,250.

What zip codes are near 56297?

The closest zip codes to 56297 are 56237, 56245, 56229, 56292, 56241.

Demographic figures are 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 56297, from the U.S. Census Bureau. Small areas have wide margins of error. How we build these numbers.