56626 ZIP Code — Bena, MN

Cass County, Minnesota

ZIP code 56626 is located in Bena, Minnesota, within Cass County. It covers approximately 90.05 square miles and serves a population of 314 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 218.

About ZIP code 56626

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $173,100. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 65%.

Median household income is $37,431. Poverty affects 58% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 38% of households reflects economic stress in the area.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with manufacturing as the leading industry. The average commute of 15 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 9% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (17%), smoking (32%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 56626 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

314

population

90.05

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

56626 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 56626

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 56626. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Bena	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

56636 Deer River (10.5 mi) 56663 Pennington (16.7 mi) 56633 Cass Lake (17 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	314
Population density	3 / sq mi
State FIPS	27
County FIPS	021

Geography
Land area	90.05 sq mi
Water area	58.75 sq mi
Latitude	47.3253
Longitude	-94.2019
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	218

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	71.3%	47.9%	33.6%
$50k – $100k	17.8%	30.8%	31.5%
$100k – $200k	10.9%	18.6%	26.5%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.7%	8.5%

Demographics & statistics

314

Population

People per sq mi

33.0

Median age

$37,431

Median household income

$16,883

Per capita income

$173,100

Median home value

$768

Median monthly rent

65.2%

Home ownership

57.6%

Poverty rate

7.5%

Unemployment

238

Housing units

9.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	134	42.7%
18 and over	180	57.3%
65 and over	22	7.0%
Median age	33.0 years

Race & ethnicity

American Indian / Alaska Native 39.2%

Two or more races 31.2%

White 29%

Asian 0.6%

Group	Count	%
American Indian / Alaska Native	123	39.2%
Two or more races	98	31.2%
White	91	29%
Asian	2	0.6%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	71.3%	47.9%	33.6%
$50k – $100k	17.8%	30.8%	31.5%
$100k – $200k	10.9%	18.6%	26.5%
Over $200k	0.0%	2.7%	8.5%

Under $10k 13.5%

$10k–$15k 6.7%

$15k–$25k 7.9%

$25k–$35k 2.2%

$35k–$50k 24.7%

$50k–$75k 24.7%

$75k–$100k 5.6%

$150k–$200k 14.6%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	13.5%
$10k–$15k	6.7%
$15k–$25k	7.9%
$25k–$35k	2.2%
$35k–$50k	24.7%
$50k–$75k	24.7%
$75k–$100k	5.6%
$150k–$200k	14.6%
Median income	$37,431

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 6.9%

$50k–$100k 13.8%

$100k–$150k 8.6%

$150k–$200k 43.1%

$300k–$500k 22.4%

$500k–$1M 5.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$173,100
Median rent / month	$768
Owner occupied	65.2%
Renter occupied	34.8%
Vacant	66.9%
Single-family detached	73.6%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	19.0%
Median rooms	4.9
Avg household size (owned)	2.10

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	8.9%
2000–2009	8.6%
1990–1999	10.0%
1980–1989	14.1%
1970–1979	22.7%
1960–1969	12.6%
1950–1959	6.7%
1940–1949	8.9%
1939 or earlier	7.4%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	16.4%
2 bedrooms	34.2%
3 bedrooms	43.1%
4 bedrooms	3.3%
5+ bedrooms	3.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	2.2%
1 vehicle	52.8%
2 vehicles	29.2%
3 or more	15.7%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	14.6%
Propane / LP gas	65.2%
Fuel oil	7.9%
Wood	12.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	32	36.0%
Cohabiting couple	30	33.7%
Male householder, no spouse	6	6.7%
Female householder, no spouse	21	23.6%
Households with children under 18	35	39.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	22	24.7%
Average household size	3.53

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	54.0%	49.5%
Married	41.4%	30.8%
Separated	0.0%	0.0%
Widowed	0.0%	6.5%
Divorced	4.6%	13.1%

Education

Less than 9th grade 3.7%

Some HS, no diploma 19.8%

HS graduate 24.1%

Some college, no degree 37.7%

Associate's degree 5.6%

Bachelor's degree 8.0%

Graduate / professional 1.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	76.5%
Bachelor's or higher	9.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	20	15.2%
Elementary school	94	71.2%
High school	18	13.6%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 18.9%

Public administration 18.0%

Retail trade 15.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 12.6%

Professional & management 11.7%

Information 9.9%

Transportation & utilities 5.4%

Education & healthcare 5.4%

Other services 2.7%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	28.8%
Service	18.9%
Sales & office	32.4%
Natural resources & construction	6.3%
Production & transportation	13.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	63.1%
Government	19.8%
Self-employed	17.1%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	74.8%
Carpool	3.6%
Public transit	5.4%
Walk	11.7%
Work from home	4.5%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	15.0

Poverty

All people 57.6%

Under 18 years 88.8%

18 and over 34.4%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 66.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	27.0%
Retirement income	20.2%
Supplemental Security	18.0%
Cash public assistance	25.8%
Food stamps / SNAP	38.2%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	40.1%
High blood pressure	38.3%
High cholesterol	31.1%
Diabetes	16.7%
Heart disease	9.8%
Stroke	5.6%
Asthma	11.9%
Arthritis	29.3%
Kidney disease	4.5%
Pulmonary disease	10.5%
Cancer	6.9%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	32.0%
Binge drinking	17.7%
No physical activity	31.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.6%
Depression	25.4%
Fair or poor health	24.9%
Poor mental health	18.4%
Poor physical health	16.7%
No health insurance	15.1%
Visited doctor (checkup)	72.2%
Visited dentist	49.0%
Cholesterol screening	86.0%
Teeth loss	23.2%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	4	2.2%

Disability	%
Any disability	12.4%
Under 18	2.2%
18–64 years	15.8%
65 and over	50.0%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	15.3%
Public insurance	83.4%
No insurance	3.5%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	311	99.0%
Spanish	15	4.8%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	312	99.4%
Born in same state	312	99.4%
Born in different state	298	94.9%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	2	0.6%
Not a US citizen	2	100.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	20	6.4%
Polish	15	4.8%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	2	0.6%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	28.3%
Internet access	82.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 56626

What city is ZIP code 56626 in?

ZIP code 56626 is primarily assigned to Bena, Minnesota.

What county is ZIP code 56626 in?

ZIP code 56626 falls within Cass County, Minnesota.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56626?

58% of residents in ZIP code 56626 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Is ZIP code 56626 family-oriented?

43% of residents in ZIP code 56626 are under 18, reflecting a younger, family-oriented community.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 56626?

9% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

What are the health statistics for ZIP code 56626?

Health data for ZIP code 56626 shows elevated rates of diabetes (17%) and smoking (32%) compared to national benchmarks.

What timezone is ZIP code 56626 in?

ZIP code 56626 observes the CST timezone.