56097 ZIP Code — Wells, MN

Faribault County, Minnesota

ZIP code 56097 is located in Wells, Minnesota, within Faribault County. It covers approximately 175.55 square miles and serves a population of 3,614 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Central (CT) timezone, served by area code 507.

About ZIP code 56097

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 $116,300. Owner-occupancy is high at 82%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $59,080. 39% 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 17 minutes is near the national average.

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

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 11% of civilians, above the national average of 7%.

Overall, ZIP code 56097 reflects a community defined by a strong veteran community, high homeownership, and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

3,614
population
175.55
sq mi land
Standard
ZIP type
Central (CT)
timezone
56097 ZIP code map
Cities in ZIP code 56097

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 56097. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City Status
Wells Acceptable
Wells Preferred
Nearby ZIP codes
56025 Easton (7.7 mi) 56014 Bricelyn (8.8 mi) 56068 Minnesota Lake (10.4 mi) 56009 Alden (11 mi) 56051 Kiester (12 mi) 56023 Delavan (12.9 mi) 56033 Frost (13.8 mi) 56091 Waldorf (14.1 mi) 56078 Pemberton (15.4 mi) 56042 Hartland (16.2 mi) 50473 Scarville (17.8 mi) 56013 Blue Earth (18.2 mi)
Demographics updated 05/2026
Population
Total population 3,614
Population density 21 / sq mi
State FIPS 27
County FIPS 043
Geography
Land area 175.55 sq mi
Water area 2.47 sq mi
Latitude 43.7137
Longitude -93.7578
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 46.5% 44.8% 33.6%
$50k – $100k 36.9% 35.2% 31.5%
$100k – $200k 14.8% 17.6% 26.5%
Over $200k 1.8% 2.3% 8.5%

Demographics & statistics

3,614
Population
21
People per sq mi
46.6
Median age
$59,080
Median household income
$33,251
Per capita income
$116,300
Median home value
$660
Median monthly rent
81.9%
Home ownership
10.9%
Poverty rate
3.4%
Unemployment
1,493
Housing units
21.2%
Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female
114
Under 5
107
146
5–9
136
112
10–14
104
89
15–19
83
107
20–24
100
171
25–34
160
164
35–44
153
203
45–54
189
115
55–59
107
208
60–64
194
274
65–74
256
111
75–84
104
55
85+
52
← Male
Female →

Age summary

GroupCount%
Under 1883723.2%
18 and over2,77776.8%
65 and over85223.6%
Median age46.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 90.6%
Two or more races 4.9%
Hispanic or Latino 2%
Asian 1.1%
Black or African American 0.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Other race 0.3%
GroupCount%
White3,34290.6%
Two or more races1804.9%
Hispanic or Latino742%
Asian401.1%
Black or African American230.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native190.5%
Other race100.3%

Household income

Income range This ZIP County avg State avg
Under $50k 46.5% 44.8% 33.6%
$50k – $100k 36.9% 35.2% 31.5%
$100k – $200k 14.8% 17.6% 26.5%
Over $200k 1.8% 2.3% 8.5%
Under $10k 5.3%
$10k–$15k 2.7%
$15k–$25k 8.0%
$25k–$35k 9.1%
$35k–$50k 16.0%
$50k–$75k 19.5%
$75k–$100k 14.9%
$100k–$150k 17.0%
$150k–$200k 3.3%
$200k+ 4.1%
Range% of households
Under $10k5.3%
$10k–$15k2.7%
$15k–$25k8.0%
$25k–$35k9.1%
$35k–$50k16.0%
$50k–$75k19.5%
$75k–$100k14.9%
$100k–$150k17.0%
$150k–$200k3.3%
$200k+4.1%
Median income$59,080

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 10.6%
$50k–$100k 31.6%
$100k–$150k 20.1%
$150k–$200k 11.0%
$200k–$300k 14.1%
$300k–$500k 9.1%
$500k–$1M 2.3%
$1M+ 1.1%

Housing overview

MetricValue
Median home value$116,300
Median rent / month$660
Owner occupied81.9%
Renter occupied18.1%
Vacant11.4%
Single-family detached90.3%
Large apartment buildings2.4%
Mobile homes0.8%
Median rooms6.4
Avg household size (owned)2.32

Year built

Era%
2020 or later0.2%
2010–20192.4%
2000–20093.3%
1990–19994.7%
1980–19894.2%
1970–197912.2%
1960–196912.0%
1950–195915.5%
1940–19498.8%
1939 or earlier36.6%

Bedrooms

Size% of units
No bedroom (studio)0.0%
1 bedroom7.2%
2 bedrooms22.9%
3 bedrooms39.8%
4 bedrooms22.4%
5+ bedrooms7.7%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles% of households
No vehicle5.3%
1 vehicle23.0%
2 vehicles44.1%
3 or more27.5%

Heating fuel

Fuel type%
Utility gas58.3%
Electricity6.7%
Propane / LP gas31.2%
Fuel oil0.9%
Wood2.1%
No fuel used0.8%

Households & families

Household typeCount%
Married-couple family82252.2%
Cohabiting couple1368.6%
Male householder, no spouse31620.1%
Female householder, no spouse30119.1%
Households with children under 1839825.3%
Households with seniors (65+)56936.1%
Average household size2.26

Marital status

StatusMaleFemale
Never married26.9%21.6%
Married58.9%55.8%
Separated0.5%0.5%
Widowed5.2%14.4%
Divorced8.5%7.6%

Education

Less than 9th grade 1.1%
Some HS, no diploma 5.3%
HS graduate 35.0%
Some college, no degree 23.7%
Associate's degree 13.6%
Bachelor's degree 15.9%
Graduate / professional 5.3%
Metric%
HS diploma or higher93.6%
Bachelor's or higher21.2%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

TypeCount%
Nursery / preschool577.9%
Kindergarten699.5%
Elementary school36049.7%
High school14419.9%
College / grad school9513.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 23.5%
Manufacturing 15.9%
Agriculture & mining 11.3%
Construction 9.9%
Other services 7.5%
Retail trade 6.8%
Transportation & utilities 5.5%
Arts, food & hospitality 5.0%
Professional & management 4.3%
Public administration 3.9%
Finance & real estate 3.4%
Wholesale trade 1.8%
Information 1.3%

Occupation

Category%
Management, business & arts35.2%
Service12.1%
Sales & office19.8%
Natural resources & construction14.5%
Production & transportation18.3%

Employment type

Type%
Private sector74.3%
Government12.2%
Self-employed12.8%
Unpaid family workers0.8%

Commute

Method%
Drive alone82.9%
Carpool2.6%
Public transit0.0%
Walk4.3%
Work from home9.8%
Other means0.4%
Avg commute (minutes)17.0

Poverty

All people 10.9%
Under 18 years 9.3%
18 and over 11.3%
Married-couple families 2.9%
Female-led households 18.4%

Income support

Source% of households
Social Security39.4%
Retirement income27.4%
Supplemental Security6.0%
Cash public assistance2.4%
Food stamps / SNAP7.7%

Health indicators

Condition%
Obesity34.7%
High blood pressure34.2%
High cholesterol33.6%
Diabetes11.0%
Heart disease8.1%
Stroke3.7%
Asthma9.1%
Arthritis28.3%
Kidney disease3.4%
Pulmonary disease7.0%
Cancer8.5%
Behavior / access%
Smoking19.0%
Binge drinking18.2%
No physical activity24.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep29.4%
Depression22.2%
Fair or poor health14.3%
Poor mental health13.2%
Poor physical health11.0%
No health insurance12.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)70.8%
Visited dentist65.1%
Cholesterol screening90.5%
Teeth loss12.8%

Veterans & disability

VeteransCount%
Civilian veterans31211.3%
Disability%
Any disability15.2%
Under 181.2%
18–64 years14.4%
65 and over31.6%

Health insurance coverage

Type%
Private insurance74.7%
Public insurance43.8%
No insurance2.2%
Uninsured under 190.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

LanguageCount%
English only3,39393.9%
Spanish240.7%
Other Indo-European150.4%
Asian & Pacific Islander30.1%
Other languages60.2%

Place of birth & citizenship

OriginCount%
Native born (US)3,56698.7%
Born in same state3,56198.5%
Born in different state2,94081.4%
Foreign born50.1%
Naturalized citizen481.3%
Not a US citizen1939.6%

Ancestry

AncestryCount%
Polish42811.8%
Italian3289.1%
French1905.3%
Arab1363.8%
AncestryCount%
Dutch872.4%
English481.3%
German90.2%

Technology access

Metric% of households
Computer access43.6%
Internet access90.5%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 56097

What city is ZIP code 56097 in?

ZIP code 56097 is primarily assigned to Wells, Minnesota.

What county is ZIP code 56097 in?

ZIP code 56097 falls within Faribault County, Minnesota.

Is ZIP code 56097 mostly owner-occupied?

82% of occupied units in ZIP code 56097 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 56097 have a large retiree population?

39% of households in ZIP code 56097 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 56097 have a large veteran population?

11% of civilians in ZIP code 56097 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 56097?

The median home value in ZIP code 56097 is $116,300.

What timezone is ZIP code 56097 in?

ZIP code 56097 observes the CST timezone.

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