Alton is a township in Waseca County, Minnesota, home to about 446 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56048.
Homes sold for a median of $159 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Janesville City; part is in Alton
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Alton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Alton’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)58 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN62 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL343 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Alton; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Alton had 412 residents in the 2020 census, down 36% since 2000.
It’s the 1165th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Waseca County grew from 14,760 residents in 1900 to 18,968 in 2020.
Waseca County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 81°F in summer, and winter lows average 5°F. About 38 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 52 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Waseca S Rsch & Outreach Ctr, MN weather station (10 miles away).
4,108 jobs at 426 businesses in Waseca County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
6 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Alton.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 2 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (6 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton ElemJanesville | Pre-K–6 | 317 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton SecJanesville | 7–12 | 312 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity Lutheran SchoolJanesville | Pre-K–8 | 109 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 0.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Janesville City, Janesville Township, Iosco, McPherson, Freedom and Le Ray.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.