Town guide

Hayward City, Minnesota

Hayward City is a city in Freeborn County, Minnesota, home to about 231 people across 0.6 square miles. Its ZIP code is 56043.

Homes sold for a median of $101 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.

Population231379 per sq mi
Median home value$114,000Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$101Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking50%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in Hayward City

1 ZIP code

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

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  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
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  • Things to do

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Around Hayward City

Distances

Nearest major airportMinneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)86 miles away
Closer regional airportMason City Municipal Airport (MCW)33 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+St. Paul, MN91 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Chicago, IL308 miles away

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

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

Who represents Hayward City

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

Hayward City had 252 residents in the 2020 census, up 1% since 2000.

It’s the 1726th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.

Freeborn County grew from 21,838 residents in 1900 to 30,895 in 2020.

Hayward City population by census2000: 249, 2010: 250, 2020: 252249200025020102522020

Freeborn County, 1900–2020

Freeborn County population, 1900 to 20201900: 21,838, 1910: 22,282, 1920: 24,692, 1930: 28,741, 1940: 31,780, 1950: 34,517, 1960: 37,891, 1970: 38,064, 1980: 36,329, 1990: 33,060, 2000: 32,584, 2010: 31,255, 2020: 30,89522K’00’1025K’20’3032K’40’5038K’60’7036K’80’9033K’00’1031K’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 82°F in summer, and winter lows average 6°F. About 35.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 40 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near Hayward CityJan: high 23°F, low 6°F, 0.9 in; Feb: high 27°F, low 10°F, 0.9 in; Mar: high 40°F, low 23°F, 1.9 in; Apr: high 55°F, low 36°F, 3.7 in; May: high 68°F, low 48°F, 4.9 in; Jun: high 78°F, low 59°F, 5.4 in; Jul: high 82°F, low 63°F, 4.8 in; Aug: high 79°F, low 60°F, 4.3 in; Sep: high 73°F, low 51°F, 3.7 in; Oct: high 59°F, low 38°F, 2.6 in; Nov: high 42°F, low 25°F, 1.5 in; Dec: high 28°F, low 13°F, 1.1 in23°6°Jan0.927°10°Feb0.940°23°Mar1.955°36°Apr3.768°48°May4.978°59°Jun5.482°63°Jul4.879°60°Aug4.373°51°Sep3.759°38°Oct2.642°25°Nov1.528°13°Dec1.1Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Albert Lea 3se, MN weather station (4 miles away).

Jobs in Freeborn County

10,861 jobs at 755 businesses in Freeborn County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Freeborn CountyManufacturing: 2,470 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 1,957 jobs; Retail trade: 1,919 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,119 jobs; Wholesale trade: 701 jobs; Other services: 580 jobs; Construction: 416 jobs; Transportation and warehousing: 362 jobsManufacturing 23% Health care and social assistance 18% Retail trade 18% Hotels and restaurants 10% Wholesale trade 7% Other services 5% Construction 4% Transportation and warehousing 3%

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

Health care

Nearest hospitals

  • Mayo Clinic Health System - Albert Lea and AustinGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Albert Lea6.8 miles
  • Owatonna HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 5 of 5 · Owatonna30.5 miles
  • Mitchell County Regional HealthCritical access hospital · no emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Osage32.3 miles

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.

Places in and around Hayward City

Grocery stores

  • Walmart Supercenter4.7 mi
  • Aldi4.7 mi

Pharmacies

  • Walmart Pharmacy4.8 mi

Counts are within about 1 mile 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.

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Where Hayward City is

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Towns near Hayward City

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Shares ZIP codes with Hayward Township and Riceland.

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.