56531 ZIP Code — Elbow Lake, MN

Grant County, Minnesota

ZIP code 56531 is located in Elbow Lake, Minnesota, within Grant County. It covers approximately 151.40 square miles and serves a population of 1,915 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 218.

About ZIP code 56531

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the pre-1940, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $160,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 77%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($68,056) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. 37% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 22 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 21% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 56531 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

1,915

population

151.40

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

56531 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 56531

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 56531. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Elbow Lake	Acceptable
Elbow Lake	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

56590 Wendell (6.7 mi) 56274 Norcross (10.5 mi) 56311 Barrett (11.1 mi) 56324 Dalton (12.1 mi) 56309 Ashby (12.2 mi) 56248 Herman (15.2 mi) 56326 Evansville (16.9 mi) 56339 Hoffman (17 mi) 56537 Fergus Falls (17.5 mi) 56522 Campbell (18.2 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,915
Population density	13 / sq mi
State FIPS	27
County FIPS	051

Geography
Land area	151.40 sq mi
Water area	6.67 sq mi
Latitude	46.0210
Longitude	-96.0179
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	41.6%	41.9%	33.6%
$50k – $100k	35.2%	37.1%	31.5%
$100k – $200k	17.9%	17.0%	26.5%
Over $200k	5.3%	4.0%	8.5%

Demographics & statistics

1,915

Population

People per sq mi

41.8

Median age

$68,056

Median household income

$41,888

Per capita income

$160,000

Median home value

$735

Median monthly rent

77.0%

Home ownership

12.0%

Poverty rate

3.9%

Unemployment

760

Housing units

21.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

124

25–34

118

132

35–44

125

45–54

55–59

60–64

129

65–74

122

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	466	24.3%
18 and over	1,449	75.7%
65 and over	409	21.4%
Median age	41.8 years

Race & ethnicity

White 92.6%

Two or more races 4.2%

Hispanic or Latino 1%

Other race 1%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%

Asian 0.2%

Black or African American 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	1,791	92.6%
Two or more races	81	4.2%
Hispanic or Latino	20	1%
Other race	19	1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	17	0.9%
Asian	4	0.2%
Black or African American	3	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	41.6%	41.9%	33.6%
$50k – $100k	35.2%	37.1%	31.5%
$100k – $200k	17.9%	17.0%	26.5%
Over $200k	5.3%	4.0%	8.5%

Under $10k 2.8%

$10k–$15k 6.4%

$15k–$25k 9.3%

$25k–$35k 7.9%

$35k–$50k 14.0%

$50k–$75k 15.4%

$75k–$100k 13.1%

$100k–$150k 17.7%

$150k–$200k 7.0%

$200k+ 6.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	2.8%
$10k–$15k	6.4%
$15k–$25k	9.3%
$25k–$35k	7.9%
$35k–$50k	14.0%
$50k–$75k	15.4%
$75k–$100k	13.1%
$100k–$150k	17.7%
$150k–$200k	7.0%
$200k+	6.3%
Median income	$68,056

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 7.1%

$50k–$100k 18.5%

$100k–$150k 21.4%

$150k–$200k 16.7%

$200k–$300k 15.6%

$300k–$500k 12.1%

$500k–$1M 7.5%

$1M+ 1.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$160,000
Median rent / month	$735
Owner occupied	77.0%
Renter occupied	23.0%
Vacant	16.6%
Single-family detached	81.6%
Large apartment buildings	1.3%
Mobile homes	4.1%
Median rooms	6.2
Avg household size (owned)	2.45

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	4.4%
2000–2009	11.1%
1990–1999	11.3%
1980–1989	5.9%
1970–1979	14.0%
1960–1969	9.4%
1950–1959	11.6%
1940–1949	7.6%
1939 or earlier	24.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	6.9%
2 bedrooms	34.8%
3 bedrooms	31.7%
4 bedrooms	20.9%
5+ bedrooms	5.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	3.4%
1 vehicle	25.9%
2 vehicles	38.5%
3 or more	32.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	2.7%
Electricity	32.1%
Propane / LP gas	44.0%
Fuel oil	15.2%
Wood	2.8%
No fuel used	1.3%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	413	52.7%
Cohabiting couple	70	8.9%
Male householder, no spouse	148	18.9%
Female householder, no spouse	153	19.5%
Households with children under 18	239	30.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	275	35.1%
Average household size	2.41

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	30.0%	19.6%
Married	55.3%	57.0%
Separated	3.2%	0.4%
Widowed	4.8%	9.2%
Divorced	6.7%	13.8%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.0%

Some HS, no diploma 5.6%

HS graduate 29.2%

Some college, no degree 24.2%

Associate's degree 17.8%

Bachelor's degree 15.6%

Graduate / professional 5.5%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	92.3%
Bachelor's or higher	21.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	38	9.2%
Kindergarten	35	8.5%
Elementary school	195	47.4%
High school	102	24.8%
College / grad school	41	10.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 21.9%

Retail trade 13.6%

Construction 11.0%

Manufacturing 10.5%

Arts, food & hospitality 8.9%

Professional & management 7.6%

Finance & real estate 7.0%

Agriculture & mining 6.7%

Other services 3.9%

Transportation & utilities 3.4%

Wholesale trade 3.0%

Public administration 1.4%

Information 1.1%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	31.0%
Service	18.5%
Sales & office	24.4%
Natural resources & construction	11.6%
Production & transportation	14.5%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	77.9%
Government	14.6%
Self-employed	7.5%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	79.2%
Carpool	4.8%
Public transit	0.3%
Walk	6.3%
Work from home	7.8%
Other means	1.6%
Avg commute (minutes)	22.0

Poverty

All people 12.0%

Under 18 years 21.1%

18 and over 9.2%

Married-couple families 2.9%

Female-led households 26.6%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	36.5%
Retirement income	18.6%
Supplemental Security	3.6%
Cash public assistance	6.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	9.8%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.6%
High blood pressure	33.5%
High cholesterol	32.6%
Diabetes	10.6%
Heart disease	7.7%
Stroke	3.6%
Asthma	9.2%
Arthritis	27.9%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	7.0%
Cancer	7.9%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	19.3%
Binge drinking	17.8%
No physical activity	23.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.2%
Depression	22.6%
Fair or poor health	14.0%
Poor mental health	13.5%
Poor physical health	10.7%
No health insurance	11.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	72.2%
Visited dentist	66.4%
Cholesterol screening	90.2%
Teeth loss	12.5%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	107	7.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	16.6%
Under 18	5.6%
18–64 years	16.7%
65 and over	28.6%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	60.0%
Public insurance	54.2%
No insurance	6.2%
Uninsured under 19	7.4%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,809	94.5%
Spanish	4	0.2%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	4	0.2%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,906	99.5%
Born in same state	1,904	99.4%
Born in different state	1,577	82.3%
Foreign born	2	0.1%
Naturalized citizen	9	0.5%
Not a US citizen	3	33.3%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	738	38.5%
Italian	93	4.9%
French	89	4.6%
Arab	66	3.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
English	38	2%
Dutch	26	1.4%
German	13	0.7%
Irish	10	0.5%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	40.9%
Internet access	94.3%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 56531

What city is ZIP code 56531 in?

ZIP code 56531 is primarily assigned to Elbow Lake, Minnesota.

What county is ZIP code 56531 in?

ZIP code 56531 falls within Grant County, Minnesota.

Does ZIP code 56531 have a large retiree population?

37% of households in ZIP code 56531 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 56531?

The median home value in ZIP code 56531 is $160,000.

What is the population of ZIP code 56531?

ZIP code 56531 has an estimated population of 1,915 residents, with a density of 13 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 56531?

The median household income in ZIP code 56531 is $68,056, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 56531 in?

ZIP code 56531 observes the CST timezone.