Town guide

Eastern, Minnesota

Eastern is a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, home to about 148 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56361 and 56446.

Homes sold for a median of $158 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.

Population1484 per sq mi
Median home value$242,200Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$158Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking23%Median of 2 ZIP codes

ZIP codes in Eastern

2 ZIP codes, 2 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Eastern. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up Eastern’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

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Around Eastern

Distances

Nearest major airportMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)131 miles away
Closer regional airportBrainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)56 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Minneapolis, MN126 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL479 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of Eastern; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents Eastern

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

Eastern had 254 residents in the 2020 census, down 1% since 2000.

It’s the 2091st largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.

Otter Tail County grew from 45,375 residents in 1900 to 60,081 in 2020.

Eastern population by census2000: 256, 2010: 230, 2020: 254256200023020102542020

Otter Tail County, 1900–2020

Otter Tail County population, 1900 to 20201900: 45,375, 1910: 46,036, 1920: 50,818, 1930: 51,006, 1940: 53,192, 1950: 51,320, 1960: 48,960, 1970: 46,097, 1980: 51,937, 1990: 50,714, 2000: 57,159, 2010: 57,303, 2020: 60,08145K’00’1051K’20’3053K’40’5049K’60’7052K’80’9057K’00’1060K’20

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 -1°F. About 29.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 51 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near EasternJan: high 18°F, low -1°F, 0.9 in; Feb: high 23°F, low 2°F, 0.8 in; Mar: high 36°F, low 15°F, 1.4 in; Apr: high 52°F, low 29°F, 2.6 in; May: high 65°F, low 42°F, 3.5 in; Jun: high 74°F, low 54°F, 4.4 in; Jul: high 78°F, low 58°F, 4.3 in; Aug: high 77°F, low 55°F, 3.6 in; Sep: high 69°F, low 47°F, 2.9 in; Oct: high 54°F, low 34°F, 2.8 in; Nov: high 37°F, low 20°F, 1.3 in; Dec: high 24°F, low 7°F, 0.9 in18°-1°Jan0.923°2°Feb0.836°15°Mar1.452°29°Apr2.665°42°May3.574°54°Jun4.478°58°Jul4.377°55°Aug3.669°47°Sep2.954°34°Oct2.837°20°Nov1.324°7°Dec0.9Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Wadena 3 S, MN weather station (18 miles away).

Jobs in Otter Tail County

18,813 jobs at 1,730 businesses in Otter Tail County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Otter Tail CountyManufacturing: 4,135 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 3,883 jobs; Retail trade: 2,798 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,713 jobs; Construction: 1,048 jobs; Other services: 999 jobs; Administrative and support: 773 jobs; Wholesale trade: 535 jobsManufacturing 22% Health care and social assistance 21% Retail trade 15% Hotels and restaurants 9% Construction 6% Other services 5% Administrative and support 4% Wholesale trade 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

9 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Eastern’s ZIP codes.

Nearest hospitals

  • Alomere HealthGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Alexandria19.5 miles
  • Astera HealthCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Wadena21.9 miles
  • Centracare - Long Prairie HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Long Prairie22.7 miles

Providers with an office here

Nurse practitioners and physician assistants5
Mental health providers2
Physical and occupational therapists1
Chiropractors1
Pharmacies2

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 Eastern

Parks (1 nearby)

  • City Park · 7 acres3.9 mi

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.

Schools in Eastern

Public schools here are run by Parkers Prairie Public School Dist.. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (2)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
Parkers Prairie ElementaryParkers PrairiePre-K–6251Public3.9 mi
Parkers Prairie SecondaryParkers Prairie7–12280Public3.8 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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Where Eastern is

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Towns near Eastern

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Shares ZIP codes with Parkers Prairie City, Eagle Bend, Parkers Prairie Township, Miltona Township, Wykeham, Burleene, Leaf Valley, Elmo, Effington, Woodside Township (Otter Tail County), Eagle Valley, Spruce Hill and Urbank.

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.