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St. James, MN
City in Watonwan County, Minnesota. ZIP codes: 56081.
Population
4,767
Land area
2.4sq mi
People per sq mi
1,950
ZIP codes
1
St. James and its ZIP codes
St. James at a glance
- St. James is about 27 times as dense as Minnesota as a whole.
- It is the 159th most populous of 914 cities and towns in Minnesota.
- Households here earn a median of $60,242 a year, 32% less than the Minnesota figure of $89,062.
- A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $122,100 (63% below Minnesota) and median rent is $839 a month.
Local data for St. James, MN
Counts from official public data
Housing and community stats
St. James, MN, American Community Survey 2020-2024
Median household income
$60,242
Poverty rate
18.0%
Median home value
$122,100
Median rent
$839/mo
Homeownership
66.4%
Bachelor's or higher
15.5%
Median age
37.6
Average commute
21.5 min
Largest reported origins and ancestries: Mexican Americans (1,680), German Americans (1,258), Norwegian Americans (608).
Economy and federal money
Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Watonwan County. PPP loans are for St. James.
Unemployment rate
4.5%
Aug 2026, +0.4 pts in a year
Average annual pay
$49,731
4,490 jobs, 2025
Income per person
$56,598
BEA, 2024
Federal spending
$73M
FY 2026, $6,487 per person
PPP loans
$12.7M
365 loans, 1,351 jobs reported
How people get to work
St. James, MN, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates
- Drove alone71.6%
- Carpooled16.1%
- Public transit3.0%
- Walked2.4%
- Bicycle2.2%
- Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.0%
- Worked from home4.8%
Average one-way commute: 21.5 minutes for people who do not work from home.
Environment and hazard risk
St. James, MN, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA
Natural hazard risk
Very Low
Top: winter weather
Storm events since 1996
353
Countywide, mostly hail
Flood insurance policies
3
0.0% of homes, county
July high / Jan low
83° / 5°F
33.1 inches of rain a year
Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone2 historic places
Health statistics
Share of adults in St. James, MN, CDC PLACES estimates
Obesity
38.3%
U.S. 33.3% +5.0 pts
Diabetes
13.0%
U.S. 12.1% +0.9 pts
Smoking
15.6%
U.S. 12.8% +2.8 pts
Uninsured (18-64)
16.7%
U.S. 11.1% +5.6 pts
ZIP codes in St. James
1 in or overlapping St. James. Population shown
Cities near St. James
| Name | Distance | Land area (sq mi) |
|---|---|---|
| La SalleCity | 6.7 mi | 0.1 |
| ButterfieldCity | 8.5 mi | 0.4 |
| OrmsbyCity | 9.7 mi | 0.4 |
| OdinCity | 9.8 mi | 0.4 |
| LewisvilleCity | 10 mi | 0.2 |
| MadeliaCity | 11 mi | 1.5 |
| DarfurCity | 12 mi | 0.2 |
| HanskaCity | 13 mi | 0.2 |
| TrumanCity | 14 mi | 1.1 |
| Mountain LakeCity | 15 mi | 1.6 |
| TrimontCity | 16 mi | 0.8 |
| ComfreyCity | 16 mi | 0.4 |
| SearlesCensus-designated place | 19 mi | 0.4 |
| NorthropCity | 19 mi | 0.1 |
| Bingham LakeCity | 21 mi | 0.8 |
| WelcomeCity | 22 mi | 1.5 |
Frequently asked questions
- What county is St. James, MN in?
- St. James is in Watonwan County, Minnesota.
- What ZIP codes are in St. James, MN?
- ZIP codes in or overlapping St. James include 56081.
- What is the population of St. James, MN?
- About 4,767 people live in St. James, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
- What cities are near St. James?
- Nearby places include La Salle (6.7 mi), Butterfield (8.5 mi), Ormsby (9.7 mi), Odin (9.8 mi), Lewisville (10 mi).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023