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Williams city, MN

ZIP Code 56686 — Williams 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
962
Median Income
$70,781
-6% vs US avg
Home Value
$175,300
-50% vs US avg
Median Rent
N/A
Median Age
46.8 yrs
+20% vs US avg
Area Code
Congress
Top Ancestry
GermanNorwegianSwedish
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Location
Coordinates
48.7840, -94.9117
Elevation
1,082 ft
Land Area
176.3 sq mi
Water Area
3.4 sq mi (2% water)

At a glance

Population
962
Density
N/A
Median income
$70,781
-6% vs US avg
Home value
$175,300
-50% vs US avg
Median rent
N/A
Timezone

Overview of ZIP Code 56686

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What to know about ZIP 56686

ZIP code 56686 covers Williams, MN in Lake of the Woods County with a population of about 962.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 46.8 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 218; U.S. House district MN-8; the FARGO - VALLEY CITY media market.

Income and economy in Williams, MN

Median household income in ZIP 56686 is about $70,781 — about 6% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 5.6%; unemployment rate near 2.6%; 8.9% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 24.8 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Manufacturing, Other services, and Transportation; about 12.9% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 2.3 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 56686

Median home value is about $175,300 — about 50% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show owner-occupancy near 89.5% (about 24.1 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 56686 in Williams, MN, a household would need roughly $48,000 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 $1,126. That sits below the local median household income ($70,781), 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 Williams city, MN as Very Low (composite score 3.5), which is relatively lower than many U.S. communities. The strongest component scores on US5 are wildfire (55.4) and flood (17.7). 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 Williams city, MN show little to no average snow and around 23.2 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 68 for ZIP 56686 (Williams 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 BDE (14.2 miles (22.8 km)) · Red Lake Nation College (62.6 miles (100.8 km)) · Voyageurs National Park (96.9 miles (156.0 km)) · VA: Bemidji VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic (90.6 miles (145.8 km))

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