Esther is a township in Polk County, Minnesota, home to about 150 people across 19 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56721 and 56744.
Homes sold for a median of $203 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly East Grand Forks; part is in Esther
Mostly Oslo; part is in Esther
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Esther. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Esther’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)280 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Grand Forks International Airport (GFK)7 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN274 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL623 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Esther; 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.
Esther had 148 residents in the 2020 census, down 6% since 2000.
It’s the 2081st largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Polk County grew from 35,429 residents in 1900 to 31,192 in 2020.
Polk County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average -1°F. About 22.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 49 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Grand Forks Univ (Nws), ND weather station (4 miles away).
8,944 jobs at 733 businesses in Polk County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
80 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Esther’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 14 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 18 |
| Mental health providers | 12 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 23 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 1 |
| 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.
Parks (22 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (2 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 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 East Grand Forks Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Heights ElementaryEast Grand Forks | Pre-K–2 | 499 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| South Point ElementaryEast Grand Forks | 3–5 | 435 | Public | 4.3 mi |
| Central MiddleEast Grand Forks | 6–8 | 463 | Public | 4.6 mi |
| East Grand Forks Senior HighEast Grand Forks | 9–12 | 608 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Christian SchoolEast Grand Forks | Pre-K–12 | 209 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.2 mi |
| Sacred Heart SchoolEast Grand Forks | Pre-K–12 | 473 | Roman Catholic | 2.3 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 East Grand Forks, Huntsville, Oslo, Grand Forks, Sullivan, Rhinehart, Northland Township (Polk County), Bygland, Nesbit, Higdem, Oak Park, Keystone, Big Woods and Fork.
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.