South Bend is a township in Blue Earth County, Minnesota, home to about 1,458 people across 16 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56001 and 56055.
Homes sold for a median of $139 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Mankato; part is in South Bend
Mostly Lake Crystal; part is in South Bend
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside South Bend. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up South Bend’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)64 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN68 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL358 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of South Bend; 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.
South Bend had 1,581 residents in the 2020 census, up 6% since 2000.
It’s the 435th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Blue Earth County grew from 32,263 residents in 1900 to 69,112 in 2020.
Blue Earth 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 33.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 39 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Mankato, MN weather station (about a mile away).
35,883 jobs at 1,992 businesses in Blue Earth County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
1,233 doctors and other health care providers list an office in South Bend’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 126 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 234 |
| Dentists | 67 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 233 |
| Mental health providers | 409 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 109 |
| Optometrists | 17 |
| Chiropractors | 38 |
| Pharmacies | 20 |
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 (37 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (3 nearby)
Libraries (3 nearby)
Museums (6 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (4 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 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 Mankato Public School District, Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial, Kato Public Charter School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franklin ElementaryMankato | Pre-K–5 | 388 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Kennedy ElementaryMankato | Pre-K–5 | 347 | Public | 3.5 mi |
| Lcwm EcseLake Crystal | Pre-K | 28 | Special Education | 10.5 mi |
| Lk Crystal Wellcome Memorial ElLake Crystal | Pre-K–5 | 423 | Public | 9.6 mi |
| Mankato Schools Center for LearningMankato | Pre-K | 165 | Public | 3.0 mi |
| Special EducationMankato | Pre-K–12 | 233 | Special Education | 1.6 mi |
| Jefferson ElementaryMankato | K–5 | 191 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Prairie Care MankatoMankato | K–12 | 18 | Alternative Education | 1.9 mi |
| Roosevelt ElementaryMankato | K–5 | 302 | Public | 0.7 mi |
| Rosa Parks ElementaryMankato | K–5 | 425 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Washington ElementaryMankato | K–5 | 376 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Central Middle School ALCMankato | 6–8 | — | Alternative Education | 1.2 mi |
| Dakota Meadows Middle SchoolNorth Mankato | 6–8 | 852 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Kato Public Charter SchoolMankato | 6–12 | 77 | Charter | 2.0 mi |
| Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial SecLake Crystal | 6–12 | 506 | Public | 10.5 mi |
| Prairie Winds Middle SchoolMankato | 6–8 | 887 | Public | 4.1 mi |
| Central Freedom SchoolMankato | 7–12 | 1 | Alternative Education | 1.2 mi |
| Central High Area Learning CenterMankato | 9–12 | 79 | Alternative Education | 1.2 mi |
| Lcwm AlpLake Crystal | 9–12 | — | Alternative Education | 10.5 mi |
| Mankato Area Night SchoolMankato | 9–12 | — | Alternative Education | 1.2 mi |
| Mankato Area Public Schools OnlineMankato | 9–12 | — | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Mankato Area Summer SchoolMankato | 9–12 | — | Alternative Education | 1.2 mi |
| Mankato East Senior HighMankato | 9–12 | 1,302 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Mankato West Senior HighMankato | 9–12 | 1,232 | Public | 0.9 mi |
| Life Lines Adult ConnectionMankato | 11–12 | — | Alternative Education | 1.2 mi |
| InsiteMankato | 12 | 18 | Special Education | 3.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loyola Catholic SchoolMankato | Pre-K–12 | 513 | Roman Catholic | 3.5 mi |
| Grace Christian SchoolMankato | K–12 | 31 | Baptist | 3.1 mi |
| Immanuel Lutheran SchoolMankato | K–12 | 122 | Other Lutheran | 2.2 mi |
| Mount Olive Lutheran SchoolMankato | K–8 | 216 | Other Lutheran | 2.7 mi |
| Risen Savior Lutheran SchoolMankato | K–8 | 81 | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | 0.6 mi |
| Mankato Christian AcademyMankato | 9–12 | 15 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.4 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 Mankato, Lake Crystal, Mankato Township, Decoria, Lime, Judson, Garden City, Skyline, Rapidan, Butternut Valley, St. Clair, Cambria and Lincoln Township (Blue Earth County).
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.