Columbia is a township in Polk County, Minnesota, home to about 482 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56542 and 56651.
Homes sold for a median of $190 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Population48214 per sq mi
Median home value$262,500Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$190Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Mostly Island Lake Township (Mahnomen County); part is in Columbia
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Columbia. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Columbia guide is on the way
We’re writing up Columbia’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 Columbia well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
Around Columbia
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)219 miles away
Closer regional airport
Thief River Falls Regional Airport (TVF)42 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN213 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL557 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Columbia; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Who represents Columbia
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
Columbia had 438 residents in the 2020 census, up 2% since 2000.
It’s the 1100th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Polk County grew from 35,429 residents in 1900 to 31,192 in 2020.
Polk 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 -5°F. About 26.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Fosston 1 E, MN weather station (about a mile away).
Jobs in Polk County
8,944 jobs at 733 businesses in Polk County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
34 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Columbia’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Essentia Health FosstonCritical access hospital · emergency room · Fosston2.3 miles
Sanford Bagley Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · Bagley14.0 miles
Red Lake HospitalGeneral hospital · no emergency room · Redlake36.5 miles
Providers with an office here
Primary care doctors
5
Specialist doctors
1
Dentists
6
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
11
Mental health providers
2
Physical and occupational therapists
6
Chiropractors
3
Pharmacies
4
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 Columbia
Parks (3 nearby)
Melland Baseball Park · 14 acres2.3 mi
Larson Park · 7 acres3.0 mi
Melland Memorial Park · 5 acres2.4 mi
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Hugo's Family Marketplace3.1 mi
Libraries (1 nearby)
Fosston Public Library2.8 mi
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Public schools here are run by Fosston Public School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
Public schools(2)
School
Grades
Students
Type
Distance
Magelssen ElementaryFosston
Pre-K–6
340
Public
2.5 mi
Fosston SecondaryFosston
7–12
256
Public
2.8 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 Fosston, Island Lake Township (Mahnomen County), Rosebud, Brandsvold, Heier, Queen, Sletten, Clover Township (Mahnomen County), Hill River and Lengby.
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.