The story of this market
The typical home in ZIP 56085 sells for about $215,000, or $128 per square foot.
Prices are up +3.2% from a year ago, so sellers still have some momentum. Homes take about 48 days to sell. HUD's fair market rent for a two-bedroom is $784 a month.
ZIP 56085 — Sleepy Eye
The housing market in 56085 remains stable with low inventory and consistent demand for affordable single-family homes. Prices have seen modest year-over-year growth, driven by limited supply and the area's appeal as a stable, low-cost-of-living community.
This ZIP is best suited for families and individuals seeking a quiet, affordable rural lifestyle with strong community ties and a lower cost of living compared to larger metro areas.
Median prices moved up 3.2% year over year.
Homes spend a median of 48 days on market with 3.5 months of supply — a fast-moving market.
12% of listings have cut prices · homes sell at 97.5% of asking — demand is running ahead of supply.
no recorded foreclosure-ledger notices (0.0 per 10,000 residents) · unemployment 2.2% · poverty 6.0% — a stable, low-distress profile.
Researched annual trajectory for this ZIP, from published historical series
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 5.3%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
Median annual property tax paid on this ZIP's residential parcels
Solid: researched ten-year history · dotted: 1 / 3 / 5-year projection extended from the historical 4.6%/yr trend — a deterministic estimate, not a published forecast or guarantee.
versus the prior ACS vintage
ZCTA 56085, Brown County MN
ACS 2024 5-year estimates. Aggregate published statistics for this ZIP — never individual records, and never an attribute of any individual property or resident.
Crime rates in the Sleepy Eye area are generally low and consistent with rural southwestern Minnesota trends, remaining well below national averages.
The area is served by the Sleepy Eye Public School District, which provides a standard rural K-12 education experience with small class sizes and community-focused programming.
The region faces moderate risks from severe thunderstorms and occasional winter weather events; flood risk is primarily localized to low-lying areas near the Minnesota River.
Economic momentum is driven by regional agriculture, food processing, and local manufacturing, with steady but modest infrastructure investment in the Sleepy Eye corridor.
Property taxes are assessed at the county level in Brown County, with rates determined by local school district levies and municipal requirements; agricultural exemptions apply to qualifying rural parcels.
Commuting is primarily car-dependent, with Highway 14 serving as the main artery for travel toward regional employment hubs like New Ulm and Mankato.
The area features local parks, the Sleepy Eye Lake for fishing and boating, and proximity to regional trail systems and community golf facilities.
The rental market is characterized by low inventory and stable demand, primarily serving local workers and families with limited short-term rental activity.
The local economy is anchored by agricultural production, food processing, and small-scale manufacturing, with employment stability provided by local public services and retail.
Transportation is almost exclusively private vehicle-based, with Highway 14 providing the primary east-west connection to regional centers.
Development is focused on small-scale residential infill and maintenance of existing municipal infrastructure.
Parcels are subject to Sleepy Eye Public School District levies and Brown County administrative taxes.
Property insurance premiums are generally stable, though coverage for wind and hail damage remains a standard consideration for homeowners in this region.
Data retrieved from Census Bureau ZCTA-level tables.
Public schools whose reported address is in this area (NCES). Not attendance boundaries — schools that serve residents may sit outside it. Check the district's address locator for assignment.
A central recreational hub for fishing, boating, and local park activities.
A local community golf facility serving the immediate area.
Key-figure check: no independent anchor retained yet — first-researched cycles establish the anchor baseline this pass.