Poplar is a township in Cass County, Minnesota, home to about 145 people across 36 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56479 and 56481.
Homes sold for a median of $140 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Staples City (Todd County); part is in Poplar
Mostly Aldrich Township; part is in Poplar
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Poplar. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Poplar’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)131 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)33 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN125 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL474 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Poplar; 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.
Poplar had 179 residents in the 2020 census, up 3% since 2000.
It’s the 2105th 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).
Average highs peak around 78°F in summer, and winter lows average -1°F. About 29.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 51 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Wadena 3 S, MN weather station (15 miles away).
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).
116 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Poplar’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 28 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 12 |
| Dentists | 3 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 38 |
| Mental health providers | 16 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 11 |
| Optometrists | 2 |
| Chiropractors | 6 |
| Pharmacies | 6 |
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)
Libraries (2 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 Staples-Motley School District, Verndale Public School District, Freshwater Education District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Staples-Motley ElementaryStaples | Pre-K–4 | 308 | Public | 3.2 mi |
| Verndale ElementaryVerndale | Pre-K–6 | 253 | Public | 9.0 mi |
| Staples-Motley Middle SchoolStaples | 5–8 | 284 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| Verndale SecondaryVerndale | 7–12 | 231 | Public | 9.0 mi |
| FED Staples-Motley Credit RecoveryStaples | 9–12 | — | Alternative Education | 3.5 mi |
| Staples-Motley Senior HighStaples | 9–12 | 309 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sacred Heart Area SchoolStaples | Pre-K–6 | 89 | Roman Catholic | 3.7 mi |
| Verndale Area Christian AcademyVerndale | K–6 | 53 | Assembly of God | 8.1 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 Staples City (Todd County), Staples Township, Thomastown, Aldrich Township, Staples City (Wadena County), Verndale, Villard Township, Wing River, Bartlett, Wadena Township, Lyons Township (Wadena County), Bullard, Moran, Stowe Prairie, Byron Township (Cass County), North Germany and Ansel.
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.