Dead Lake is a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, home to about 624 people across 25 square miles. Its ZIP code is 56576, and parts of 56528 are in Dead Lake too.
Homes sold for a median of $315 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Dead Lake; also Amor and Rush Lake
Mostly Star Lake; part is in Dead Lake
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Dead Lake. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Dead Lake’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Dead Lake well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)166 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Hector International Airport (FAR)58 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN160 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL513 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Dead Lake; 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.
Dead Lake had 535 residents in the 2020 census, up 18% since 2000.
It’s the 890th 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 79°F in summer, and winter lows average -2°F. About 28.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Ottertail, MN weather station (12 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).
Nearest hospitals
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Buying or selling around Dead 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.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Star Lake, Edna, Amor, Dora, Rush Lake, Dent, Maine and Richville.
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.