North Branch is a city in Chisago County, Minnesota, home to about 11,565 people across 36 square miles. Its ZIP code is 55056, and parts of 55032 are in North Branch too.
Homes sold for a median of $208 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly North Branch; also North Branch Township and Lent
Mostly Fish Lake; part is in North Branch
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside North Branch. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up North Branch’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)46 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Paul, MN40 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL367 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of North Branch; 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.
North Branch had 10,787 residents in the 2020 census, up 34% since 2000.
It’s the 97th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Chisago County grew from 13,248 residents in 1900 to 56,621 in 2020.
Chisago 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 0°F. About 32.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Wild Rvr Sp, MN weather station (12 miles away).
15,081 jobs at 1,358 businesses in Chisago County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
73 doctors and other health care providers list an office in North Branch.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 9 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
| Dentists | 6 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 11 |
| Mental health providers | 32 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 5 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 8 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
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 (7 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (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 North Branch Area Public Schools, Phoenix Academy Charter School, St. Croix River Education District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Branch Area Education CenterNorth Branch | Pre-K–K | 239 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Distance Learning Acadmy ElementaryNorth Branch | K–5 | 6 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Phoenix Academy Charter SchoolNorth Branch | K–8 | 156 | Charter | 1.6 mi |
| Sunrise River Elementary SchoolNorth Branch | 1–5 | 960 | Public | 2.2 mi |
| Distance Learning Academy SecondaryNorth Branch | 6–12 | 52 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| North Branch Area Middle SchoolNorth Branch | 6–8 | 615 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Norse Area Learning CenterNorth Branch | 7–12 | 41 | Alternative Education | 1.4 mi |
| Chisago County Schools' Life Work CNorth Branch | 9–12 | 29 | Special Education | 1.5 mi |
| North Branch Area High SchoolNorth Branch | 9–12 | 791 | Public | 1.8 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 Fish Lake, North Branch Township, Lent, Sunrise, Harris City and Amador.
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.