Shell Rock is a township in Freeborn County, Minnesota, home to about 282 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56036.
Homes sold for a median of $98 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Glenville; part is in Shell Rock
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Shell Rock. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Shell Rock’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)91 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Mason City Municipal Airport (MCW)28 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | St. Paul, MN96 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL307 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Shell Rock; 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.
Shell Rock had 389 residents in the 2020 census, down 10% since 2000.
It’s the 1520th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Freeborn County grew from 21,838 residents in 1900 to 30,895 in 2020.
Freeborn 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 6°F. About 35.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 40 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Albert Lea 3se, MN weather station (4 miles away).
10,861 jobs at 755 businesses in Freeborn County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Nearest hospitals
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances.
Grocery stores
Museums
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 Glenville-Emmons School District, Southern MN Education Consortium. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenville Emmons ElementaryGlenville | Pre-K–6 | 132 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Success WestGlenville | K–12 | 4 | Special Education | 1.0 mi |
| Glenville-Emmons SecondaryGlenville | 7–12 | 104 | Public | 1.0 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 Glenville, Freeman, London, Hayward Township, Oakland Township (Freeborn County) and Myrtle.
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.