Birch Lake is a township in Cass County, Minnesota, home to about 529 people across 29 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56452.
Homes sold for a median of $300 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Population52918 per sq mi
Median home value$276,700Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$300Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Mostly Woodrow Township (Cass County); part is in Birch Lake
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Birch Lake. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Birch Lake guide is on the way
We’re writing up Birch Lake’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
History
What it’s like to live there
Getting around
Things to do
Are you a local agent who knows Birch Lake well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
Around Birch Lake
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)158 miles away
Closer regional airport
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)44 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN152 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL490 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Birch Lake; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Who represents Birch Lake
U.S. Representative · Minnesota’s 8th DistrictPete Stauber (R)
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
Birch Lake had 576 residents in the 2020 census, up 1% since 2000.
It’s the 1014th 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).
Weather by month
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average 1°F. About 28.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Walker, MN weather station (8 miles away).
Jobs in Cass County
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).
Health care
9 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Birch Lake.
Nearest hospitals
St. Josephs Area Health ServicesCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Park Rapids26.8 miles
Cass Lake Indian Health Services HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Cass Lake27.8 miles
Essentia Health Deer RiverCritical access hospital · emergency room · Deer River41.4 miles
Providers with an office here
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
2
Mental health providers
6
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.
Places in and around Birch Lake
Grocery stores
Mark's Market3.9 mi
Libraries
Lending Library4.1 mi
Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.
Buying or selling around Birch Lake? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Shares ZIP codes with Woodrow Township (Cass County), Hiram, Hackensack, Shingobee, Powers, Pine Lake Township (Cass County) and Turtle Lake Township (Cass County).
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.