Rush Lake is a township in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, home to about 940 people across 27 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56571, 56573 and 56576.
Homes sold for a median of $291 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and all of them were seller’s markets.
Mostly Ottertail; part is in Rush Lake
Mostly Perham City; part is in Rush Lake
Mostly Dead Lake; part is in Rush Lake
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Rush Lake. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Rush Lake’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Rush Lake well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)162 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Hector International Airport (FAR)63 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN156 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL509 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Rush Lake; 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.
Rush Lake had 1,035 residents in the 2020 census, up 7% since 2000.
It’s the 622nd 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).
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average -2°F. About 28.2 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Ottertail, MN weather station (8 miles away).
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).
74 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Rush Lake’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 20 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 4 |
| Dentists | 6 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 16 |
| Mental health providers | 13 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 5 |
| Optometrists | 3 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| 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.
Grocery stores
Pharmacies
Libraries
Museums
Counts are within about 3.5 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 Perham-Dent Public School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heart of the Lake ElementaryPerham | Pre-K–4 | 578 | Public | 6.3 mi |
| Prairie Wind MiddlePerham | 5–8 | 526 | Public | 6.1 mi |
| Perham Area Learning CenterPerham | 7–12 | 38 | Alternative Education | 6.1 mi |
| Perham Senior HighPerham | 9–12 | 529 | Public | 6.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Henrys Area SchoolPerham | Pre-K–6 | 108 | Roman Catholic | 6.8 mi |
| St Paul's Lutheran SchoolPerham | Pre-K–8 | 67 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 6.7 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.
Buying or selling around Rush Lake? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Perham City, Perham Township, Corliss, Ottertail, Dead Lake, Pine Lake Township (Otter Tail County), Otter Tail, Gorman, Edna, Leaf Lake, Amor, Otto, Richville and Maine.
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.