Ansel is a township in Cass County, Minnesota, home to about 75 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56477 and 56479.
Homes sold for a median of $146 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Sebeka; part is in Ansel
Mostly Staples City (Todd County); part is in Ansel
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Ansel. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Ansel’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)140 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)39 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN134 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL483 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Ansel; 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.
Ansel had 76 residents in the 2020 census, down 25% since 2000.
It’s the 2461st largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Cass County grew from 7,777 residents in 1900 to 30,066 in 2020.
Cass County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 78°F in summer, and winter lows average -1°F. About 29.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 51 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Wadena 3 S, MN weather station (13 miles away).
7,493 jobs at 891 businesses in Cass County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
117 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Ansel’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 28 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 12 |
| Dentists | 3 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 39 |
| Mental health providers | 16 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 11 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 6 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
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.
Public schools here are run by Sebeka Public School District, Staples-Motley School District, Freshwater Education District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sebeka ElementarySebeka | Pre-K–6 | 218 | Public | 10.9 mi |
| Staples-Motley ElementaryStaples | Pre-K–4 | 308 | Public | 12.3 mi |
| Staples-Motley Middle SchoolStaples | 5–8 | 284 | Public | 12.6 mi |
| Sebeka SecondarySebeka | 7–12 | 233 | Public | 10.9 mi |
| FED Staples-Motley Credit RecoveryStaples | 9–12 | — | Alternative Education | 12.6 mi |
| Staples-Motley Senior HighStaples | 9–12 | 309 | Public | 12.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart Area SchoolStaples | Pre-K–6 | 89 | Roman Catholic | 12.7 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 Staples City (Todd County), Staples Township, Sebeka, Thomastown, Staples City (Wadena County), Villard Township, Red Eye, Paddock, Rockwood Township (Wadena County), Orton, North Germany, Bullard, Meadow, Moran, Blowers, Lyons Township (Wadena County), Nimrod, Byron Township (Cass County), Wing River, Poplar, McKinley Township and Huntersville.
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.