Forest is a township in Rice County, Minnesota, home to about 1,377 people across 32 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 55019, 55021 and 55046.
Homes sold for a median of $176 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Mostly Dundas; part is in Forest
Mostly Faribault; part is in Forest
Mostly Lonsdale; part is in Forest
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Forest. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Forest’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)35 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN41 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL335 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Forest; 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.
Forest had 1,330 residents in the 2020 census, up 17% since 2000.
It’s the 463rd largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Rice County grew from 26,080 residents in 1900 to 67,097 in 2020.
Rice 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 5°F. About 35.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 43 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Faribault, MN weather station (6 miles away).
25,126 jobs at 1,600 businesses in Rice County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
269 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Forest’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 33 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 23 |
| Dentists | 23 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 42 |
| Mental health providers | 75 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 45 |
| Optometrists | 10 |
| Chiropractors | 18 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
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 (3 nearby)
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries
Museums (1 nearby)
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 Faribault Public School District, Tri-City United School District, Minnesota State Academies and others. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Early Childhood Special EducationFaribault | Pre-K | 78 | Special Education | 7.9 mi |
| Jefferson ElementaryFaribault | Pre-K–5 | 389 | Public | 7.1 mi |
| Lonsdale Pre K-6Lonsdale | Pre-K–6 | 331 | Public | 8.5 mi |
| McKinley PreKFaribault | Pre-K | 36 | Public | 6.1 mi |
| Minnesota State Academy for BlindFaribault | Pre-K–12 | 46 | Special Education | 7.4 mi |
| Minnesota State Academy for DeafFaribault | Pre-K–12 | 88 | Special Education | 6.7 mi |
| Roosevelt ElementaryFaribault | Pre-K–5 | 473 | Public | 6.8 mi |
| Alexander Learning AcademyFaribault | K–12 | 32 | Special Education | 6.0 mi |
| Cannon River Stem SchoolFaribault | K–8 | 224 | Charter | 5.8 mi |
| Laura Baker SUN ProgramFaribault | K–12 | 18 | Special Education | 6.0 mi |
| Lincoln ElementaryFaribault | K–5 | 391 | Public | 6.1 mi |
| Surad AcademyFaribault | K–6 | 77 | Charter | 6.5 mi |
| Falcons Online Academy-MiddleFaribault | 5–8 | 9 | Public | 7.9 mi |
| Discovery Public School - FaribaultFaribault | 6–12 | 45 | Charter | 7.2 mi |
| Faribault Allina PHPFaribault | 6–12 | — | Alternative Education | 7.3 mi |
| Faribault Day School AlcFaribault | 6–8 | — | Alternative Education | 5.2 mi |
| Faribault MiddleFaribault | 6–8 | 594 | Public | 7.9 mi |
| MSAD Online AcademyFaribault | 7–12 | — | Public | 6.7 mi |
| Cvsec StepFaribault | 9–12 | 47 | Special Education | 6.0 mi |
| Falcons Online Academy-HSFaribault | 9–12 | 62 | Public | 7.9 mi |
| Faribault Area Learning CenterFaribault | 9–12 | 118 | Alternative Education | 5.2 mi |
| Faribault Senior HighFaribault | 9–12 | 956 | Public | 6.7 mi |
| Mn Correctional Facility-FaribaultFaribault | 9–12 | — | Alternative Education | 7.6 mi |
| Secondary Area Learning Cntr SummerFaribault | 9–12 | — | Alternative Education | 5.2 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Divine Mercy Catholic SchoolFaribault | Pre-K–5 | 211 | Roman Catholic | 6.8 mi |
| Faribault Lutheran SchoolFaribault | K–8 | 136 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 6.4 mi |
| Shattuck-St. Marys SchoolFaribault | 6–12 | 390 | Episcopal | 6.5 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 Faribault, Lonsdale, Dundas, Wells Township, Walcott, Cannon City, Warsaw Township (Rice County), Bridgewater, Wheatland, Shieldsville, Erin, Richland, Webster and Wheeling.
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.