Little Elbow is a township in Mahnomen County, Minnesota, home to about 236 people across 31 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56566 and 56589.
Homes sold for a median of $168 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Population2368 per sq mi
Median home value$205,000Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$168Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking29%Latest 3 months
ZIP codes in Little Elbow
2 ZIP codes, 2 shared with neighboring towns
Naytahwaush, MN56566Not enough recent sales for market figures yet.
Mostly Twin Lakes Township (Mahnomen County); part is in Little Elbow
Part is in Little Elbow, part in Waubun and White Earth
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Little Elbow. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Little Elbow guide is on the way
We’re writing up Little Elbow’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 Little Elbow
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)204 miles away
Closer regional airport
Hector International Airport (FAR)49 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN198 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL547 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Little Elbow; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Who represents Little Elbow
U.S. Representative · Minnesota’s 8th DistrictPete Stauber (R)
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
Little Elbow had 318 residents in the 2020 census, up 41% since 2000.
It’s the 1700th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Mahnomen County grew from 3,249 residents in 1910 to 5,411 in 2020.
Mahnomen County, 1910–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Weather by month
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average -2°F. About 26.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Mahnomen, MN weather station (10 miles away).
Jobs in Mahnomen County
1,458 jobs at 98 businesses in Mahnomen County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
3 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Little Elbow’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Essentia Health FosstonCritical access hospital · emergency room · Fosston26.3 miles
Essentia Health St. Marys - Detroit LakesGeneral hospital · no emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Detroit Lakes26.6 miles
Sanford Bagley Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · Bagley31.0 miles
Providers with an office here
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
1
Mental health providers
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.
Schools in Little Elbow
Public schools here are run by Naytahwaush Community School, Waubun-Ogema-White Earth Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
Public schools(4)
School
Grades
Students
Type
Distance
Naytahwaush Community SchoolNaytahwaush
K–6
134
Charter
11.6 mi
Waubun ElementaryWaubun
4–6
162
Public
4.1 mi
Waubun ALCWaubun
7–12
31
Alternative Education
4.1 mi
Waubun SecondaryWaubun
7–12
283
Public
4.1 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 Waubun, White Earth, Oakland Township (Mahnomen County), Twin Lakes Township (Mahnomen County), Lake Grove, Popple Grove, La Prairie Township, Maple Grove Township (Becker County), Round Lake Township (Becker County), La Garde, Eagle View and Rosedale.
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.