Ponto Lake is a township in Cass County, Minnesota, home to about 721 people across 30 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56435, 56474 and 56655.
Homes sold for a median of $273 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 3 were seller’s markets.
Population72124 per sq mi
Median home value$359,500Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$273Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Ponto Lake. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Ponto Lake guide is on the way
We’re writing up Ponto Lake’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 Ponto Lake
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)146 miles away
Closer regional airport
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)32 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN140 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL478 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Ponto Lake; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Who represents Ponto Lake
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
Ponto Lake had 589 residents in the 2020 census, up 11% since 2000.
It’s the 794th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Cass County grew from 7,777 residents in 1900 to 30,066 in 2020.
Cass 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 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 (18 miles away).
Jobs in Cass County
7,493 jobs at 891 businesses in Cass County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
23 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Ponto Lake’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
St. Josephs Area Health ServicesCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Park Rapids32.2 miles
Cuyuna Regional Medical CenterCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Crosby32.3 miles
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Brainerd34.0 miles
Providers with an office here
Primary care doctors
4
Dentists
5
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
3
Mental health providers
5
Physical and occupational therapists
3
Optometrists
1
Chiropractors
2
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.
Places in and around Ponto Lake
Grocery stores
Godfrey's5.3 mi
Counts are within about 3.5 miles of the center of town.
Public schools here are run by Pine River-Backus School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
Public schools(3)
School
Grades
Students
Type
Distance
Pine River-Backus ElementaryPine River
Pre-K–6
478
Public
7.7 mi
Pine River-Backus High SchoolPine River
7–12
371
Public
7.7 mi
Pine River-Backus ALPPine River
9–12
57
Alternative Education
7.6 mi
Private schools(1)
School
Grades
Students
Affiliation
Distance
Foothills Christian AcademyBackus
Pre-K–12
29
Christian (no specific denomination)
6.1 mi
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Pine River Township, Pine River City, Powers, Wilson Township (Cass County), Kego, Wabedo, Jenkins Township, Walden Township (Cass County), Barclay, Backus, Ideal, Jenkins City, Chickamaw Beach, Timothy, Deerfield Township (Cass County), Longville, Gail Lake, Bungo, McKinley Township, Boy Lake, Woodrow Township (Cass County), Bull Moose, Moose Lake Township (Cass County), Pine Lake Township (Cass County), Blind Lake and Inguadona.
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.