Bowstring is a township in Itasca County, Minnesota, home to about 177 people across 27 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56636 and 56637.
Homes sold for a median of $223 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Mostly Deer Lake UT; part is in Bowstring
Mostly Lake Jessie; part is in Bowstring
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Bowstring. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Bowstring’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)176 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Range Regional Airport (HIB)47 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN170 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL489 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Bowstring; 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.
Bowstring had 212 residents in the 2020 census, down 12% since 2000.
It’s the 1956th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Itasca County grew from 4,573 residents in 1900 to 45,014 in 2020.
Itasca 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 -3°F. About 27.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Pokegama Dam, MN weather station (16 miles away).
13,380 jobs at 1,175 businesses in Itasca County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
43 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Bowstring’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 9 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Dentists | 2 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 15 |
| Mental health providers | 5 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 8 |
| Chiropractors | 2 |
| Pharmacies | 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.
Grocery stores
Counts are within about 3.5 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 Deer River Public School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King ElementaryDeer River | Pre-K–5 | 390 | Public | 5.4 mi |
| Deer River Schools SPEDDeer River | K–5 | 5 | Special Education | 5.0 mi |
| Deer River SecondaryDeer River | 6–12 | 425 | Public | 4.9 mi |
| Deer River High School ALPDeer River | 10–12 | 13 | Alternative Education | 4.9 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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Shares ZIP codes with Deer Lake UT, Deer River City, Morse Township (Itasca County), Deer River Township, Bowstring Lake UT, Oteneagen, Torrey, Wahnena UT, Lake Jessie, Sand Lake, Salem Township, Zemple and North Cass UT.
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.