56081 ZIP Code — Saint James, MN

Watonwan County, Minnesota

ZIP code 56081 is located in Saint James, Minnesota, within Watonwan County. It covers approximately 177.45 square miles and serves a population of 6,082 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 507.

About ZIP code 56081

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 $117,000. Owner-occupancy is high at 78%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $62,863. Poverty affects 18% of residents, above the national average. 34% 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 19 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 17% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 56081 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

6,082

population

177.45

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Central (CT)

timezone

56081 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 56081

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 56081. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Saint James	Acceptable
Saint James	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

56120 Butterfield (9.3 mi) 56162 Ormsby (10.1 mi) 56060 Lewisville (10.4 mi) 56160 Odin (11.7 mi) 56062 Madelia (12.5 mi) 56041 Hanska (12.5 mi) 56176 Trimont (15.3 mi) 56088 Truman (15.3 mi) 56159 Mountain Lake (17.1 mi) 56090 Vernon Center (18.1 mi) 56019 Comfrey (19.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	6,082
Population density	34 / sq mi
State FIPS	27
County FIPS	165

Geography
Land area	177.45 sq mi
Water area	1.79 sq mi
Latitude	43.9931
Longitude	-94.6126
Timezone	Central (CT)
Area code	507

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	48.5%	46.6%	33.6%
$50k – $100k	29.4%	29.8%	31.5%
$100k – $200k	20.1%	21.4%	26.5%
Over $200k	2.0%	2.2%	8.5%

Demographics & statistics

6,082

Population

People per sq mi

41.1

Median age

$62,863

Median household income

$34,012

Per capita income

$117,000

Median home value

$744

Median monthly rent

78.3%

Home ownership

17.8%

Poverty rate

8.4%

Unemployment

2,211

Housing units

17.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

192

Under 5

173

226

5–9

204

243

10–14

220

233

15–19

211

157

20–24

141

329

25–34

297

330

35–44

298

333

45–54

301

203

55–59

184

309

60–64

278

314

65–74

283

180

75–84

162

148

85+

133

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	1,492	24.5%
18 and over	4,590	75.5%
65 and over	1,220	20.1%
Median age	41.1 years

Race & ethnicity

White 69.8%

Hispanic or Latino 14.8%

Two or more races 8.3%

Other race 6.9%

American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%

Asian 0.1%

Black or African American 0.1%

Group	Count	%
White	4,982	69.8%
Hispanic or Latino	1,055	14.8%
Two or more races	590	8.3%
Other race	494	6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	7	0.1%
Asian	5	0.1%
Black or African American	4	0.1%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	48.5%	46.6%	33.6%
$50k – $100k	29.4%	29.8%	31.5%
$100k – $200k	20.1%	21.4%	26.5%
Over $200k	2.0%	2.2%	8.5%

Under $10k 3.6%

$10k–$15k 6.9%

$15k–$25k 11.3%

$25k–$35k 8.1%

$35k–$50k 14.0%

$50k–$75k 14.6%

$75k–$100k 13.2%

$100k–$150k 15.9%

$150k–$200k 6.0%

$200k+ 6.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	3.6%
$10k–$15k	6.9%
$15k–$25k	11.3%
$25k–$35k	8.1%
$35k–$50k	14.0%
$50k–$75k	14.6%
$75k–$100k	13.2%
$100k–$150k	15.9%
$150k–$200k	6.0%
$200k+	6.5%
Median income	$62,863

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 16.7%

$50k–$100k 24.8%

$100k–$150k 17.1%

$150k–$200k 14.5%

$200k–$300k 15.8%

$300k–$500k 8.9%

$500k–$1M 2.1%

$1M+ 0.1%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$117,000
Median rent / month	$744
Owner occupied	78.3%
Renter occupied	21.7%
Vacant	11.6%
Single-family detached	77.8%
Large apartment buildings	6.3%
Mobile homes	3.1%
Median rooms	6.1
Avg household size (owned)	2.56

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	2.0%
2000–2009	9.3%
1990–1999	8.7%
1980–1989	12.5%
1970–1979	11.0%
1960–1969	9.3%
1950–1959	11.7%
1940–1949	7.6%
1939 or earlier	27.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	2.3%
1 bedroom	9.4%
2 bedrooms	31.6%
3 bedrooms	32.1%
4 bedrooms	20.3%
5+ bedrooms	4.3%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	7.5%
1 vehicle	25.2%
2 vehicles	36.3%
3 or more	30.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	53.2%
Electricity	22.8%
Propane / LP gas	18.0%
Fuel oil	2.2%
Wood	0.7%
No fuel used	1.1%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	1,267	52.4%
Cohabiting couple	123	5.1%
Male householder, no spouse	363	15.0%
Female householder, no spouse	664	27.5%
Households with children under 18	610	25.2%
Households with seniors (65+)	842	34.8%
Average household size	2.49

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	35.1%	15.8%
Married	57.0%	57.6%
Separated	0.8%	2.9%
Widowed	2.8%	12.8%
Divorced	4.4%	11.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 7.3%

Some HS, no diploma 5.0%

HS graduate 33.9%

Some college, no degree 26.6%

Associate's degree 10.2%

Bachelor's degree 12.8%

Graduate / professional 4.2%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	87.7%
Bachelor's or higher	17.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	109	7.7%
Kindergarten	123	8.7%
Elementary school	695	49.2%
High school	374	26.4%
College / grad school	113	8.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 23.4%

Manufacturing 15.4%

Retail trade 10.8%

Construction 10.0%

Transportation & utilities 8.8%

Agriculture & mining 8.5%

Public administration 5.8%

Professional & management 5.3%

Other services 4.1%

Finance & real estate 3.7%

Arts, food & hospitality 2.6%

Wholesale trade 1.2%

Information 0.5%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	35.7%
Service	12.5%
Sales & office	19.0%
Natural resources & construction	17.8%
Production & transportation	15.0%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	70.4%
Government	21.5%
Self-employed	6.8%
Unpaid family workers	1.3%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	74.3%
Carpool	10.3%
Public transit	2.1%
Walk	8.6%
Work from home	4.2%
Other means	0.5%
Avg commute (minutes)	18.6

Poverty

All people 17.8%

Under 18 years 30.3%

18 and over 13.6%

Married-couple families 2.6%

Female-led households 46.9%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	34.1%
Retirement income	27.5%
Supplemental Security	8.6%
Cash public assistance	2.7%
Food stamps / SNAP	10.4%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	37.8%
High blood pressure	34.2%
High cholesterol	32.1%
Diabetes	11.6%
Heart disease	8.3%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	9.2%
Arthritis	26.5%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	7.6%
Cancer	7.7%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	20.6%
Binge drinking	17.6%
No physical activity	28.6%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	27.5%
Depression	21.2%
Fair or poor health	17.1%
Poor mental health	13.8%
Poor physical health	11.9%
No health insurance	17.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	70.1%
Visited dentist	55.9%
Cholesterol screening	88.5%
Teeth loss	16.8%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	296	6.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	12.9%
Under 18	6.8%
18–64 years	9.5%
65 and over	30.4%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	67.3%
Public insurance	39.7%
No insurance	11.1%
Uninsured under 19	14.3%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	5,717	94.0%
Spanish	887	15.5%
Other Indo-European	887	15.5%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	5,115	84.1%
Born in same state	5,036	82.8%
Born in different state	4,080	67.1%
Foreign born	79	1.3%
Naturalized citizen	967	15.9%
Not a US citizen	252	26.1%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Polish	1,079	17.7%
Arab	362	6%
Italian	223	3.7%
French	100	1.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Dutch	65	1.1%
English	35	0.6%
German	19	0.3%
Norwegian	15	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	39.7%
Internet access	92.3%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 56081

What city is ZIP code 56081 in?

ZIP code 56081 is primarily assigned to Saint James, Minnesota.

What county is ZIP code 56081 in?

ZIP code 56081 falls within Watonwan County, Minnesota.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56081?

18% of residents in ZIP code 56081 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 56081?

The median home value in ZIP code 56081 is $117,000.

What is the population of ZIP code 56081?

ZIP code 56081 has an estimated population of 6,082 residents, with a density of 34 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 56081?

The median household income in ZIP code 56081 is $62,863, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What timezone is ZIP code 56081 in?

ZIP code 56081 observes the CST timezone.