East Chain is a township in Martin County, Minnesota, home to about 289 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56013, 56027 and 56039.
Homes sold for a median of $103 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Mostly Blue Earth; part is in East Chain
Mostly Elmore City; part is in East Chain
Mostly Granada; part is in East Chain
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside East Chain. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up East Chain’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)98 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Mason City Municipal Airport (MCW)56 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN102 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL354 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of East Chain; 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.
East Chain had 276 residents in the 2020 census, down 20% since 2000.
It’s the 1500th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Martin County grew from 16,936 residents in 1900 to 20,025 in 2020.
Martin County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 6°F. About 34 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 47 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Winnebago, MN weather station (8 miles away).
7,402 jobs at 597 businesses in Martin County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
33 doctors and other health care providers list an office in East Chain’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 9 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Dentists | 2 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 10 |
| Mental health providers | 4 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
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
Libraries
Museums
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 Blue Earth Area School District, Granada Huntley East Chain. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Earth Area Early Childhood SpeBlue Earth | Pre-K | 8 | Special Education | 5.6 mi |
| Blue Earth Area ElementaryBlue Earth | Pre-K–5 | 515 | Public | 5.5 mi |
| Granada Huntley East Chain Elem SchGranada | Pre-K–5 | 138 | Public | 7.6 mi |
| Blue Earth Area MiddleBlue Earth | 6–7 | 163 | Public | 5.6 mi |
| Granada Huntley East Chain Middle SGranada | 6–8 | 81 | Public | 7.6 mi |
| Blue Earth Area SecondaryBlue Earth | 8–12 | 378 | Public | 5.9 mi |
| Granada Huntley East Chain High SchGranada | 9–12 | 98 | Public | 7.6 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 Blue Earth, Blue Earth City, Elmore City, Jo Daviess, Granada, Pleasant Prairie, Center Creek, Emerald, Elmore Township, Pilot Grove, Prescott, Rutland and Rome.
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.