Bluffton Township is a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, home to about 677 people across 33 square miles. Its ZIP code is 56518, and parts of 56482 are in Bluffton Township too.
Homes sold for a median of $170 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Population67721 per sq mi
Median home value$216,700Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$170Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Mostly Wadena City (Wadena County); part is in Bluffton Township
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bluffton Township. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Bluffton Township guide is on the way
We’re writing up Bluffton Township’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 Bluffton Township well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
Around Bluffton Township
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)144 miles away
Closer regional airport
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)50 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN139 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL490 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Bluffton Township; 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.
Population over time
Bluffton Township had 460 residents in the 2020 census, down 3% since 2000.
It’s the 840th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Otter Tail County grew from 45,375 residents in 1900 to 60,081 in 2020.
Otter Tail 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 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 (5 miles away).
Jobs in Otter Tail County
18,813 jobs at 1,730 businesses in Otter Tail County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
Nearest hospitals
Astera HealthCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Wadena1.3 miles
Lakewood Health SystemCritical access hospital · emergency room · Staples21.7 miles
Perham HealthCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Perham21.7 miles
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Places in and around Bluffton Township
Parks (6 nearby)
Black's Grove · 185 acres1.7 mi
Sunnybrook Park · 66 acres3.0 mi
Tapley Park · 5 acres2.7 mi
Northwest Park · 3 acres2.2 mi
Burlington Northern Park · 2 acres2.3 mi
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Walmart Supercenter2.4 mi
Libraries (1 nearby)
Wadena City Library2.4 mi
Museums (1 nearby)
Wadena County Historical Society2.3 mi
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
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Shares ZIP codes with Wadena City (Wadena County), Wadena Township, Leaf River, Compton, Bluffton City, Wadena City (Otter Tail County), Blowers, Rockwood Township (Wadena County) and Deer Creek Township.
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.