Effington is a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, home to about 205 people across 33 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56361 and 56588.
Homes sold for a median of $136 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Population2056 per sq mi
Median home value$312,500Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$136Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Effington. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Effington guide is on the way
We’re writing up Effington’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 Effington
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)135 miles away
Closer regional airport
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)60 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN130 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL484 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Effington; 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.
Population over time
Effington had 237 residents in the 2020 census, down 20% since 2000.
It’s the 1837th 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).
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.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Wadena 3 S, MN weather station (19 miles away).
Jobs in Otter Tail County
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).
Health care
7 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Effington’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Alomere HealthGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Alexandria19.8 miles
Astera HealthCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Wadena22.1 miles
Centracare - Long Prairie HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Long Prairie27.3 miles
Providers with an office here
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
3
Mental health providers
2
Physical and occupational therapists
1
Chiropractors
1
Pharmacies
2
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 Effington
Parks (2 nearby)
City Park · 7 acres0.9 mi
Lake Adley Park · 6 acres1.9 mi
Counts are within about 4 miles of the center of town.
Public schools here are run by Parkers Prairie Public School Dist.. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
Public schools(2)
School
Grades
Students
Type
Distance
Parkers Prairie ElementaryParkers Prairie
Pre-K–6
251
Public
1.0 mi
Parkers Prairie SecondaryParkers Prairie
7–12
280
Public
1.1 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 Parkers Prairie City, Parkers Prairie Township, Miltona Township, Leaf Valley, Elmo, Folden, Woodside Township (Otter Tail County), Nidaros, Eastern, Vining, Leaf Mountain, Urbank and Henning Township.
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.