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Mountain Lake, MN

City in Cottonwood County, Minnesota. ZIP codes: 56159.

Population

2,070

Land area

1.6sq mi

People per sq mi

1,269

ZIP codes

1

Mountain Lake and its ZIP codes

Full map

Mountain Lake at a glance

  • Mountain Lake is about 18 times as dense as Minnesota as a whole.
  • The median household income is $66,490, 25% below the Minnesota median of $89,062.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $143,100 (57% below Minnesota) and median rent is $929 a month.

Local data for Mountain Lake, MN

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Mountain Lake, MN, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$66,490

Poverty rate

14.3%

Median home value

$143,100

Median rent

$929/mo

Homeownership

72.1%

Bachelor's or higher

21.3%

Median age

31.5

Average commute

13.7 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (746), Norwegian Americans (217), Mexican Americans (208).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Cottonwood County. PPP loans are for Mountain Lake.

Details

Unemployment rate

7.2%

Sep 2026, +3.9 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$50,647

4,821 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$60,231

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$107M

FY 2026, $9,263 per person

PPP loans

$7.3M

229 loans, 819 jobs reported

Cottonwood County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Mountain Lake, MN, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone76.8%
  • Carpooled9.2%
  • Public transit0.6%
  • Walked2.3%
  • Bicycle1.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.3%
  • Worked from home8.8%

Average one-way commute: 13.7 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Mountain Lake, MN, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Very Low

Top: winter weather

Storm events since 1996

657

Countywide, mostly hail

Flood insurance policies

59

0.8% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

84° / 8°F

31.7 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone1 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Mountain Lake, MN, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

37.4%

U.S. 33.3% +4.1 pts

Diabetes

13.0%

U.S. 12.1% +0.9 pts

Smoking

15.8%

U.S. 12.8% +3.0 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

11.1%

U.S. 11.1% about the same

ZIP codes in Mountain Lake

1 in or overlapping Mountain Lake. Population shown

·

Cities near Mountain Lake

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
Bingham LakeCity6.3 mi0.8
ButterfieldCity6.7 mi0.4
DarfurCity9.1 mi0.2
Fish LakeCensus-designated place9.3 mi0.9
OdinCity10 mi0.4
WindomCity11 mi4.1
ComfreyCity12 mi0.4
OrmsbyCity13 mi0.4
St. JamesCity15 mi2.4
JeffersCity16 mi0.4
WilderCity16 mi0.8
TrimontCity16 mi0.8
La SalleCity20 mi0.1
SpringfieldCity21 mi1.9
StordenCity21 mi0.2
SanbornCity21 mi2.1

Frequently asked questions

What county is Mountain Lake, MN in?
Mountain Lake is in Cottonwood County, Minnesota.
What ZIP codes are in Mountain Lake, MN?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Mountain Lake include 56159.
What is the population of Mountain Lake, MN?
About 2,070 people live in Mountain Lake, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Mountain Lake?
Nearby places include Bingham Lake (6.3 mi), Butterfield (6.7 mi), Darfur (9.1 mi), Fish Lake (9.3 mi), Odin (10 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023

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