Population & age
- Total population
- 2,241
- Median age
- 54.5
Crow Wing County · Population 2,241
Merrifield, MN (ZIP 56465) sits in Crow Wing County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: Health Insurance comes in below the national average at 6.3%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $6,249. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $85,763, well above the ~$45K national average per return. Social vulnerability is low in this ZIP at the 20th percentile (CDC SVI), reflecting strong baseline resilience to public-health emergencies and natural disasters. FEMA has issued 13 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1965. Annual average temperature is just 41.4°F per NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals — a notably cold-weather climate. Minnesota levies a graduated state income tax (top rate 9.85%); a household at the local median AGI of $85,763 would pay roughly $5,069/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 493 residents (140 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $69,292, fair market rent of $1,080 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $441,023, up 2.6% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
Studio
$750
/month
1 Bed
$820
/month
2 Bed
$1,080
/month
3 Bed
$1,310
/month
4 Bed
$1,540
/month
HUD Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of standard-quality rental housing in this area. FY2026 data.
$441,023
Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) · as of March 2026
+2.6%
vs. March 2025
+41.5%
vs. March 2021
Brainerd, MN
Metropolitan statistical area
Source: Zillow Research, ZHVI All Homes (SFR, Condo/Co-op) Time Series (zillow.com/research/data). Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) is copyrighted by Zillow, Inc.
New housing units permitted
431
Across 420 permitted buildings. Total construction value: $139.8M.
Single-family
419
97% of total units
Multifamily (2+ unit)
12
3% of total units
Single-family value
$138.6M
construction value
Multifamily value
$1.2M
construction value
Based on county-level data (2024).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (census.gov/construction/bps). Public domain. BPS reports annual residential building permits from local permit-issuing jurisdictions, aggregated to county. A permit reflects intent to build, not a completed unit — actual construction lags by 6-24 months for multifamily projects.
Tax returns filed
1,200
Average AGI
$85,763
Avg property tax
$392
EITC participation
7.5%
Income distribution
Avg mortgage interest
$728
Avg charitable contribution
$393
Avg capital gains
$4,082
Avg total income tax
—
Source: IRS Statistics of Income — Individual Income Tax Statistics by ZIP Code (irs.gov). Public domain. Dollar columns reported in thousands by the IRS; figures here display real dollars. Total ZCTA AGI for the area was $102.9M across all reported brackets.
Business establishments
50
Total employment
773
Annual payroll
$35.2M
Average annual pay
$45,571
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Business Patterns (census.gov). Public domain. ZBP covers establishments with paid employees; Census suppresses employment and payroll values when fewer employers operate in a ZIP than would protect their confidentiality.
Average annual pay
$53,044
Average weekly wage
$1,020
Total employment
31,053
Total establishments
2,376
That is roughly 19% below the US national average of $65,470 per worker.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (bls.gov/cew). Public domain. QCEW is derived from state unemployment-insurance filings and covers ~95% of US jobs. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches; small-employer cells are suppressed by BLS to protect employer confidentiality.
Unemployment rate
3.7%
That is 0.3 percentage points below the US national unemployment rate of about 4.0%.
Labor force
34,022
Employed
32,776
Unemployed
1,246
Based on Crow Wing County, MN data (2024).
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (bls.gov/lau). Public domain. LAUS publishes monthly and annual labor-force estimates for every US county. Figures are county-level totals assigned to ZIPs whose primary county matches.
Federally Declared Disasters
13
Date Range
1965–2022
Most Recent Declaration
SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Severe Storm — declared August 9, 2022 (DR-4666)
Incident period: May 29, 2022 – May 30, 2022
Top Incident Types
Individual Assistance
5
Direct help to disaster survivors
Households Program
1
Housing & temporary lodging support
Public Assistance
13
Repair of public facilities & roads
Hazard Mitigation
3
Funding to reduce future disaster risk
FEMA declares disasters at the county level; counts here include every federally declared disaster touching any county that overlaps this ZIP. Statewide declarations and pre-1964 records without county granularity are excluded. Program flags reflect which FEMA assistance categories were activated (Individual Assistance, Households, Public Assistance, Hazard Mitigation). Source: fema.gov/openfema. Public domain.
30-year averages (1991-2020) from the nearest GHCN-D weather station. Temperature and precipitation values reflect typical annual conditions, not any single year.
Avg. temperature
41.4°F
31.4° – 51.4°
Annual precipitation
28.8"
Annual snowfall
39.2"
Heating · cooling days
8,953.9 · 406.2
Annual base 65°F
Nearest station: PINE RVR DAM, MN US, 9.1 miles from the centroid of Merrifield, MN (ZIP 56465)
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 1991–2020 U.S. Climate Normals (ncei.noaa.gov). Public domain.
Median daily AQI
38
GoodPeak AQI (2024)
137
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Primary pollutant
PM2.5
186 days as main pollutant
Days measured
366
Based on Crow Wing County data (2024).
Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Air Quality System (epa.gov). Public domain. Only counties with EPA AQS monitoring stations appear here (~30% of US counties); rural ZIPs whose primary county has no monitor will not show this section.
Years of potential life lost (per 100K)
7,321
That is roughly 879 years per 100,000 below the national county median (~8,200).
Premature death is the headline composite outcome CHR reports — age-adjusted, all-cause, before age 75.
Fair or poor health
14%
of adults self-report
Poor physical health days
3.7
avg per adult per month
Poor mental health days
5.0
avg per adult per month
Uninsured
6.1%
of residents under 65
Primary care MDs
101
per 100,000 residents
Preventable hospital stays
1,767
per 100K Medicare enrollees
Food environment (0-10)
8.7
10 = best access & security
Exercise access
81%
residents near a facility
Flu vaccinated
53%
of Medicare enrollees
Low birth weight (under 2,500 g) accounts for 6.2% of live births in this county — an early-life health input that downstream outcomes track against.
Based on Crow Wing data (2025 CHR release).
Source: County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute (countyhealthrankings.org). Annual release. Underlying source datasets vary by measure (CDC BRFSS, NCHS Vital Statistics, AHA, USDA Food Environment Atlas, and others). Figures are county-level and assigned to every ZIP whose primary county matches.
Food access status
Moderate food access challenges
13.4% of Crow Wing County, MN residents live more than 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural) from the nearest supermarket.
Grocery stores
0.24
per 1,000 residents
Supercenters & clubs
0.05
per 1,000 residents
SNAP-authorized stores
0.83
accepting food benefits
Fast-food restaurants
0.64
per 1,000 residents
Among low-income residents, 3.7% are low-access — those without a supermarket within 1 mile (urban) or 10 miles (rural).
Per-1,000 figures show how many of each store type exist in Crow Wing County, MN for every 1,000 residents. Higher grocery and supercenter density usually means easier access to fresh food; higher convenience-store-only density (with low grocery rate) often signals a food swamp.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service, Food Environment Atlas (ers.usda.gov). County-level metrics fanned to ZIP via the primary county in the Census ZCTA-county relationship file. Variable years differ per family (stores ~2020, low-access ~2019).
FBI publishes crime data at the county level. Numbers below cover the primary county that contains this ZIP. Rates are per 100,000 residents in the area covered by reporting agencies.
Violent crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 33 reports
Property crime rate
—
per 100K residents · 100 reports
Homicide
0
Robbery
1
Burglary
20
Vehicle theft
9
County-level data for Crow Wing (2024)
Source: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation, Uniform Crime Reporting Program (cde.ucr.cjis.gov). Public domain. Coverage varies by reporting agency; areas with partial agency coverage may understate true crime totals.
Net migration (2022-2023)
▲+493 people
+140 households • +$45.4M net AGI flow
Moved in
2,338households
4,013 people • $190.6M AGI
Moved out
2,198households
3,520 people • $145.2M AGI
Where new residents came from
Where departing residents went
Incoming households reported an average AGI of $81,531 versus departing households' $66,048.
Source: U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income, Migration Data (irs.gov). Public domain. Migration is measured by year-over-year changes in the address on individual tax returns; figures are county-level totals attributed to ZIPs whose primary county matches. Foreign migration contributes to inflow/outflow totals but does not appear in the top-county lists. Small flows are suppressed by IRS to protect taxpayer confidentiality.
State-level rules that apply to every resident of ZIP 56465. Numbers reflect the most recent published year per source.
Income tax
9.85%
graduated · 3 brackets
Sales tax (combined)
8.14%
State 6.88% · avg local 1.26%
Property tax (effective)
1.04%
Median $1,545/year
Tax burden rank
47 of 50
12.30% of personal income
For ZIP 56465: At this ZIP's median AGI of $85,763, the estimated state income tax (before deductions) runs about $5,069 per year. Applied to this ZIP's typical home value of $441,023, that works out to roughly $4,598/year in property tax.
Program
Minnesota Paid Leave
Mandatory (state-run insurance)
Max weeks/year
20
Parental
12wk
Max weekly benefit
$1,423
Replacement: 90% to 0.5x SAWW + 66% to 1.0x SAWW + 55% above · job protection
SNAP eligibility
165% FPL
Broad-Based Categorical Eligibility (raises gross income limit above federal 130% floor). No asset test.
Sources: Tax Foundation (state tax rates & brackets), Bipartisan Policy Center (paid family leave), USDA FNS (SNAP categorical eligibility).
Nearby ZIPs by distance
56441 (Trommald, 6.9 mi) · 56455 (Riverton, 8.6 mi) · 56442 (Crosslake, 9.8 mi) · 56468 (Lake Shore, 9.8 mi) · 56472 (Pequot Lakes, 11.2 mi) · 56444 (Cuyuna, 12.8 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
All data on this page is sourced from federal government datasets · Not AI-generated · Methodology
Crude prevalence estimates from CDC PLACES, derived from BRFSS small-area modeling. Population-level figures only.
36.9%
3.9pp above the 33.0% national rate.
38.1%
6.1pp above the 32.0% national rate.
21.7%
Tracks close to the 22.0% national rate.
77.9%
Tracks close to the 76.0% national rate.
6.3%
6.7pp below the 13.0% national rate.
12.3%
Tracks close to the 11.0% national rate.
Colleges in this area
3
Median in-state tuition
$6,249
Median earnings (10 yr)
$42,162
Brainerd, MN · 56401
Staples, MN · 56479
Wadena, MN · 56482
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Public domain data. Earnings figures reflect median earnings 10 years after entry for federally-aided students.
Merrifield, MN (ZIP 56465) sits in Crow Wing County. The page draws on 1 federal data feed retrieved Apr 24. Top health signal: Health Insurance comes in below the national average at 6.3%. No NCES schools are mapped to this ZIP in the current dataset. 3 colleges and universities serve the area, with median in-state tuition of $6,249. IRS data shows average household income (AGI) of $85,763, well above the ~$45K national average per return. Social vulnerability is low in this ZIP at the 20th percentile (CDC SVI), reflecting strong baseline resilience to public-health emergencies and natural disasters. FEMA has issued 13 federal disaster declarations affecting this ZIP since 1965. Annual average temperature is just 41.4°F per NOAA's 1991–2020 Climate Normals — a notably cold-weather climate. Minnesota levies a graduated state income tax (top rate 9.85%); a household at the local median AGI of $85,763 would pay roughly $5,069/year before deductions. IRS migration data (2022-2023) shows a net gain of 493 residents (140 households) — the ZIP's primary county is growing. Healthcare access is the area's quieter strength; school options sit on the lighter side, so families may find themselves looking at districts a few ZIPs over. Notable: median household income $69,292, fair market rent of $1,080 for a two-bedroom, and a typical home value of $441,023, up 2.6% over the past year. Every figure on this page links to its underlying federal dataset with a retrieval date so you can audit the freshness yourself.
The two domains pull in different directions. Healthcare access reads strong, but the on-paper school count is on the lighter side — that’s less a quality signal and more a density one. Households here often look at districts a few ZIPs over for school choice while keeping their providers local.
One concrete reading worth keeping: Depression prevalence sits near the national rate at 21.7%. Each figure on this page links to the original federal dataset with its retrieval date — this synthesis is a reading, not a substitute for the underlying records.
36.9%, which is 3.9 percentage points above the national average of 33.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
21.7%, which is 0.3 percentage points below the national average of 22.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
38.1%, which is 6.1 percentage points above the national average of 32.0% (CDC PLACES, retrieved Apr 24, 2026).
2,241 people live in ZIP 56465, with a median age of 54.5 (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
$69,292 per year (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 56465, 93.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 6.6% are renter-occupied (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
In ZIP 56465, 12.6% of workers work from home. Public transit is used by 0.0% of commuters (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
4.2% of the population in ZIP 56465 lives below the federal poverty line (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
92.3% of households in ZIP 56465 have broadband internet access (Census ACS 5-Year 2022, retrieved Apr 30, 2026).
The typical home value in ZIP 56465 is $441,023, up 2.6% from a year ago (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
Home values are up 2.6% over the past year and up 41.5% over the past five years (Zillow Home Value Index, retrieved May 1, 2026).
The average Adjusted Gross Income reported on tax returns from ZIP 56465 (Merrifield, MN) is $85,763 per return (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Tax returns from ZIP 56465 report an average of $392 per return in real-estate tax deductions (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
6.7% of tax returns from ZIP 56465 (Merrifield, MN) report Adjusted Gross Income of $200,000 or more (IRS SOI Tax Year 2022, retrieved May 2, 2026).
As of 2022, 50 business establishments operated in ZIP 56465 employing 773 workers (Census ZIP Business Patterns, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The average annual pay across all local establishments in ZIP 56465 is $45,571, based on Census ZIP Business Patterns 2022 data (retrieved May 3, 2026).
According to the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (2022), ZIP 56465 ranks in the 20th percentile nationally for social vulnerability — a low vulnerability profile (retrieved May 3, 2026).
Socioeconomic Status is the highest-scoring CDC SVI theme for ZIP 56465, ranking in the 39th percentile nationally (CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022, retrieved May 3, 2026).
FEMA has recorded 13 federal disaster declarations affecting ZIP 56465 between 1965–2022 (FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations, retrieved May 3, 2026).
Flood is the most common federally declared disaster type affecting ZIP 56465, accounting for 5 of 13 declarations (38%, FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
The most recent FEMA disaster declaration affecting ZIP 56465 was "SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING" — a severe storm declared in 2022 (DR-4666) (FEMA OpenFEMA, retrieved May 3, 2026).
3 colleges and universities are listed near ZIP 56465 by the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, including Central Lakes College-Brainerd, Central Lakes College-Staples Campus, and M State - Wadena Campus (retrieved May 2, 2026).
Median in-state tuition across 3 nearby institutions is $6,249 (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
Graduates of nearby colleges earn a median of $42,162 ten years after entry (College Scorecard, retrieved May 2, 2026).
ZIP 56465 has an average annual temperature of 41.4°F and 28.8" of annual precipitation based on the PINE RVR DAM, MN US weather station 9.1 miles from the ZIP centroid (NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals, retrieved May 8, 2026).
Minnesota has a graduated income tax with a top rate of 9.85%. Households at the local median AGI of $85,763 would pay roughly $5,069 in state income tax annually (estimated, before deductions). Combined sales tax: 8.14% (Tax Foundation 2025).
Minnesota runs an active paid family leave program (Minnesota Paid Leave) offering up to 20 weeks of paid leave per year, with a maximum weekly benefit of $1,423 (Bipartisan Policy Center 2026).
This page covers health outcomes from CDC PLACES (40 metrics), demographics from the Census ACS 5-Year (2022), home values from the Zillow Home Value Index, colleges from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (3 institutions), income & tax statistics from the IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022), local business & employment from Census ZIP Business Patterns (2022), social vulnerability scores from the CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022), federal disaster declarations from FEMA OpenFEMA (13 on record), climate normals from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020), county-level crime data from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024), and state-level tax rates from the Tax Foundation. Data is refreshed on Mubboo's standard schedule.
Health data retrieved Apr 24, 2026 from CDC PLACES. Demographics retrieved Apr 30, 2026 from Census ACS 5-Year (2022). Home values retrieved May 1, 2026 from Zillow Research. College data retrieved May 2, 2026 from U.S. Dept of Education College Scorecard. Income & tax statistics retrieved May 2, 2026 from IRS SOI (Tax Year 2022). Business & employment retrieved May 3, 2026 from Census ZBP (2022). Social vulnerability scores retrieved May 3, 2026 from CDC/ATSDR SVI (2022). Federal disaster declarations retrieved May 3, 2026 from FEMA OpenFEMA (13 on record). Climate normals retrieved May 8, 2026 from NOAA NCEI (1991-2020). County-level crime data retrieved May 4, 2026 from the FBI Crime Data Explorer (2024). State-level tax rates retrieved 2026-05-05 15:58:22.284+00 from the Tax Foundation.
Nearby ZIPs by distance
56441 (Trommald, 6.9 mi) · 56455 (Riverton, 8.6 mi) · 56442 (Crosslake, 9.8 mi) · 56468 (Lake Shore, 9.8 mi) · 56472 (Pequot Lakes, 11.2 mi) · 56444 (Cuyuna, 12.8 mi)
Compare ZIP-level stats — population, schools, housing, climate — across nearby areas. Source: U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA basemap.
Have a specific question about ZIP 56465?
Ask Mubboo — launching Q4 2026.
Data refreshed via Mubboo's ETL pipeline; oldest source on this page retrieved Apr 24, 2026.
Social Vulnerability Index
Overall SVI
20th percentile
Low Vulnerability
Based on 4 census tracts, population 2,213
Vulnerability Themes
Households Without Vehicle
8
Persons with Disability
295
Without HS Diploma
107
Without Health Insurance
125
Adults Age 65+
598
The Social Vulnerability Index uses U.S. Census data to identify communities most at risk during public health emergencies and natural disasters. Higher percentiles indicate greater vulnerability. Tract-level scores are aggregated to this ZCTA via Census 2020 ZCTA→Tract crosswalk, weighted by land-area share. Source: atsdr.cdc.gov. Public domain.