Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Pelican Rapids. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Pelican Rapids guide is on the way
We’re writing up Pelican Rapids’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 Pelican Rapids
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)181 miles away
Closer regional airport
Hector International Airport (FAR)42 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN176 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL529 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Pelican Rapids; 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.
Population over time
Pelican Rapids had 2,577 residents in the 2020 census, up 9% since 2000.
It’s the 272nd largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Otter Tail County grew from 45,375 residents in 1900 to 60,081 in 2020.
Otter Tail County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Weather by month
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average -1°F. About 24.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 50 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Rothsay, MN weather station (13 miles away).
Jobs in Otter Tail County
18,813 jobs at 1,730 businesses in Otter Tail County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
29 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Pelican Rapids.
Nearest hospitals
Essentia Health St. Marys - Detroit LakesGeneral hospital · no emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · Detroit Lakes18.2 miles
Perham HealthCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Perham22.5 miles
St. Francis Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · Breckenridge32.3 miles
Providers with an office here
Primary care doctors
2
Dentists
6
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
8
Mental health providers
3
Physical and occupational therapists
8
Optometrists
1
Chiropractors
1
Pharmacies
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.
Places in and around Pelican Rapids
Libraries
Pelican Rapids Library2.2 mi
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Schools in Pelican Rapids
Public schools here are run by Pelican Rapids Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
Public schools(4)
School
Grades
Students
Type
Distance
Viking Elementary SchoolPelican Rapids
Pre-K–6
468
Public
2.6 mi
Pelican Rapids Alt Center Mid-LevelPelican Rapids
7–8
—
Alternative Education
2.5 mi
Pelican Rapids SecondaryPelican Rapids
7–12
374
Public
2.5 mi
Pelican Rapids Alt Learning CenterPelican Rapids
9–12
—
Alternative Education
2.5 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 Lida, Scambler, Pelican Township (Otter Tail County), Dunn, Norwegian Grove, Cormorant, Erhards Grove, Maplewood Township and Tansem.
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.