Ideal is a township in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, home to about 1,266 people across 21 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56472 and 56474.
Homes sold for a median of $246 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Breezy Point; part is in Ideal
Part is in Ideal, part in Pine River City and Wilson Township (Cass County)
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Ideal. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Ideal’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Ideal well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)132 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)19 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN126 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL466 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Ideal; 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.
Ideal had 1,210 residents in the 2020 census, up 27% since 2000.
It’s the 490th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Crow Wing County grew from 14,250 residents in 1900 to 66,123 in 2020.
Crow Wing 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 28.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 39 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Pine Rvr Dam, MN weather station (10 miles away).
28,209 jobs at 2,283 businesses in Crow Wing County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
36 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Ideal’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 4 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 6 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 5 |
| Mental health providers | 8 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 4 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 7 |
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 (1 nearby)
Museums (1 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 Pequot Lakes Public Schools, Pine River-Backus School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eagle View ElementaryBreezy Point | Pre-K–4 | 557 | Public | 3.6 mi |
| Pine River-Backus ElementaryPine River | Pre-K–6 | 478 | Public | 7.4 mi |
| Pequot Lakes MiddlePequot Lakes | 5–8 | 581 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Pine River-Backus High SchoolPine River | 7–12 | 371 | Public | 7.5 mi |
| Pequot Lakes Senior HighPequot Lakes | 9–12 | 599 | Public | 2.9 mi |
| Pine River-Backus ALPPine River | 9–12 | 57 | Alternative Education | 7.6 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.
Buying or selling around Ideal? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Breezy Point, Pequot Lakes, Pine River City, Loon Lake, Wilson Township (Cass County), Pelican Township (Crow Wing County), Maple, Jenkins Township, Walden Township (Cass County), Barclay, Home Brook, Jenkins City, Fairview Township (Cass County), Chickamaw Beach, Ponto Lake, Timothy, Pine River Township, Gail Lake, Bungo, Moose Lake Township (Cass County), Bull Moose and Blind Lake.
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.