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Nelson city, MN

ZIP Code 56355 — Nelson city, MN Demographics & Data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2019–2023 5-Year Estimates. Page data updated 2026-08-02.

Middle ClassLow Snow Area

Map, Quick Facts & Location

Quick Facts

Local time
Population
643
Median Income
$97,500
+30% vs US avg
Home Value
$307,000
-12% vs US avg
Median Rent
$530
-54% vs US avg
Median Age
38.5 yrs
-1% vs US avg
Area Code
Congress
Top Ancestry
GermanNorwegianEuropean
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Location
Coordinates
45.9414, -95.2457
Elevation
1,416 ft
Land Area
25.9 sq mi
Water Area
0.2 sq mi (1% water)

At a glance

Population
643
Density
N/A
Median income
$97,500
+30% vs US avg
Home value
$307,000
-12% vs US avg
Median rent
$530
-54% vs US avg
Timezone

Overview of ZIP Code 56355

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What to know about ZIP 56355

ZIP code 56355 covers Nelson, MN in Douglas County with a population of about 643.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 38.5 (near the U.S. median).

It sits in telephone area code 320; U.S. House district MN-7; the MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL media market.

Income and economy in Nelson, MN

Median household income in ZIP 56355 is about $97,500 — about 30% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 7.0%; unemployment rate near 0.0%; 20.3% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 13.4 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Manufacturing, Healthcare, and Education; about 6.1% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 9.1 points below the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Housing and affordability in ZIP 56355

Median home value is about $307,000 — about 12% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $530 (about 54% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 76.0% (about 10.6 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 56355 in Nelson, MN, a household would need roughly $85,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $1,972. That sits below the local median household income ($97,500), suggesting the typical household income is closer to a workable buy-in level under these assumptions. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

Climate risk and migration signals

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Nelson city, MN as Relatively Low (composite score 44.3), which is near the middle of the national distribution. The strongest component scores on US5 are wildfire (50.3) and flood (48.2). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Nelson city, MN show little to no average snow and around 24.1 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 46 for ZIP 56355 (Nelson city, MN) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.

Nearby (from this ZIP)

Airport AXN (8.8 miles (14.2 km)) · Alexandria Technical & Community College (7.7 miles (12.4 km)) · Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (124.9 miles (201.0 km)) · VA: Alexandria Community Based Outpatient Clinic (8.0 miles (12.9 km))

Full lists and map pins are in the Infrastructure section below.