Town guide

Belle River, Minnesota

Belle River is a township in Douglas County, Minnesota, home to about 406 people across 36 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56319 and 56355.

Homes sold for a median of $192 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.

Population40611 per sq mi
Median home value$258,300Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$192Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking8%Median of 2 ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Belle River

2 ZIP codes, 2 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Belle River. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around Belle River

Distances

Nearest major airportMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)124 miles away
Closer regional airportBrainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)63 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Minneapolis, MN119 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL473 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Belle River; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Belle River

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

Belle River had 341 residents in the 2020 census, down 3% since 2000.

It’s the 1232nd largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.

Douglas County grew from 17,964 residents in 1900 to 39,006 in 2020.

Belle River population by census2000: 350, 2010: 345, 2020: 341350200034520103412020

Douglas County, 1900–2020

Douglas County population, 1900 to 20201900: 17,964, 1910: 17,669, 1920: 19,039, 1930: 18,813, 1940: 20,369, 1950: 21,304, 1960: 21,313, 1970: 22,892, 1980: 27,839, 1990: 28,674, 2000: 32,821, 2010: 36,009, 2020: 39,00618K’00’1019K’20’3020K’40’5021K’60’7028K’80’9033K’00’1039K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average 2°F. About 24.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near Belle RiverJan: high 19°F, low 2°F, 0.4 in; Feb: high 24°F, low 6°F, 0.4 in; Mar: high 37°F, low 19°F, 1 in; Apr: high 52°F, low 33°F, 2 in; May: high 66°F, low 46°F, 3.1 in; Jun: high 76°F, low 56°F, 3.7 in; Jul: high 80°F, low 61°F, 4 in; Aug: high 78°F, low 59°F, 3.5 in; Sep: high 70°F, low 50°F, 2.6 in; Oct: high 55°F, low 37°F, 2.2 in; Nov: high 38°F, low 23°F, 0.8 in; Dec: high 24°F, low 10°F, 0.4 in19°2°Jan0.424°6°Feb0.437°19°Mar1.052°33°Apr2.066°46°May3.176°56°Jun3.780°61°Jul4.078°59°Aug3.570°50°Sep2.655°37°Oct2.238°23°Nov0.824°10°Dec0.4Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Alexandria Muni Ap, MN weather station (8 miles away).

Jobs in Douglas County

18,208 jobs at 1,394 businesses in Douglas County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Douglas CountyManufacturing: 3,937 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 3,549 jobs; Retail trade: 3,059 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,973 jobs; Wholesale trade: 1,258 jobs; Construction: 1,203 jobs; Other services: 802 jobs; Professional services: 479 jobsManufacturing 22% Health care and social assistance 20% Retail trade 17% Hotels and restaurants 11% Wholesale trade 7% Construction 7% Other services 4% Professional services 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

Nearest hospitals

  • Alomere HealthGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Alexandria7.4 miles
  • Centracare - Long Prairie HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Long Prairie20.8 miles
  • Centracare Health System - Sauk CentreCritical access hospital · emergency room · Sauk Centre21.3 miles

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.

Places in and around Belle River

Parks (3 nearby)

  • Lake Carlos State Park · 1,215 acres3.9 mi
  • LeHomme Dieu Beach Park · 5 acres3.9 mi

Grocery stores

  • Elden's Fresh Foods6.3 mi
  • Cub Foods7.9 mi

Pharmacies

  • Walgreens7.0 mi

Libraries

  • Douglas County Public Library7.0 mi

Museums

  • Runestone Museum6.6 mi
  • Legacy of the Lakes Museum6.6 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • Alexandria Area Arts Association6.8 mi
  • Andria Theatre6.8 mi

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.

Schools in Belle River

Public schools here are run by Alexandria Public School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (1)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Carlos ElementaryCarlosPre-K–5108Public1.5 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where Belle River is

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Towns near Belle River

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Shares ZIP codes with Carlos Township, Alexandria Township, Carlos City, Nelson City, Osakis Township, Miltona Township, Leslie, Spruce Hill and Burleene.

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.