Compton is a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, home to about 804 people across 36 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56482, 56518 and 56527.
Homes sold for a median of $133 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 3 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Wadena City (Wadena County); part is in Compton
Mostly Bluffton Township; part is in Compton
Mostly Deer Creek Township; part is in Compton
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Compton. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Compton’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)142 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)49 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN136 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL488 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Compton; 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.
Compton had 798 residents in the 2020 census, up 0% since 2000.
It’s the 723rd 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).
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 (3 miles away).
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).
115 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Compton’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 14 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 5 |
| Dentists | 10 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 24 |
| Mental health providers | 39 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 15 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 3 |
| Pharmacies | 9 |
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.
Parks (6 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
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.
Public schools here are run by Freshwater Education District, Wadena-Deer Creek School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Special EducationWadena | Pre-K | 64 | Special Education | 1.5 mi |
| Wadena-Deer Creek ElementaryWadena | Pre-K–4 | 450 | Public | 0.8 mi |
| Leaf River AcademyWadena | K–12 | 15 | Special Education | 1.5 mi |
| Elm Tree AcademyWadena | 2–12 | 9 | Special Education | 1.5 mi |
| Wadena-Deer Creek 5th and 6th GradeWadena | 5–6 | 159 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| White Pine AcademyWadena | 5–12 | 11 | Special Education | 1.5 mi |
| Freshwater Education District ALCWadena | 6–12 | 101 | Alternative Education | 1.5 mi |
| Wadena-Deer Creek Senior HighWadena | 7–12 | 470 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green Meadow SchoolWadena | 1–8 | 14 | Amish | 3.9 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Wadena City (Wadena County), Wadena Township, Leaf River, Deer Creek Township, Deer Creek City, Bluffton Township, Bluffton City, Wadena City (Otter Tail County), Inman, Blowers, Rockwood Township (Wadena County) and Oak Valley.
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.