South Branch is a township in Watonwan County, Minnesota, home to about 249 people across 39 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56060, 56081 and 56088.
Homes sold for a median of $84 per square foot across 3 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 1 of 3 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Lewisville; part is in South Branch
Mostly St. James; part is in South Branch
Mostly Truman; part is in South Branch
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside South Branch. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up South Branch’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)93 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Mason City Municipal Airport (MCW)82 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN95 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL377 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of South Branch; 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 Branch had 249 residents in the 2020 census, down 18% since 2000.
It’s the 1642nd largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Watonwan County grew from 11,496 residents in 1900 to 11,253 in 2020.
Watonwan County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 83°F in summer, and winter lows average 5°F. About 33.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 50 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, St James Wwtp, MN weather station (4 miles away).
3,793 jobs at 280 businesses in Watonwan County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
43 doctors and other health care providers list an office in South Branch’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 6 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 2 |
| Dentists | 5 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 10 |
| Mental health providers | 5 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 6 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 5 |
| Pharmacies | 3 |
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 (2 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries
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 St. James Public School District, Truman Public School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armstrong SchoolSaint James | Pre-K | 65 | Public | 4.3 mi |
| St. James Early ChildhoodSaint James | Pre-K | 10 | Special Education | 4.3 mi |
| Truman ElementaryTruman | Pre-K–6 | 136 | Public | 10.1 mi |
| St. James Northside ElementarySaint James | K–5 | 502 | Public | 4.7 mi |
| St. James Middle/High SchoolSaint James | 6–12 | 566 | Public | 4.8 mi |
| Truman SecondaryTruman | 7–12 | 93 | Public | 10.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St Paul Lutheran SchoolTruman | Pre-K–8 | 50 | Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 9.7 mi |
| St Pauls Lutheran SchoolSaint James | Pre-K–8 | 47 | Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod | 4.2 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 St. James, Truman, Westford, Rosendale, Lewisville, Nelson Township, St. James Township, Long Lake Township (Watonwan County), Riverdale, Antrim, Waverly Township, Fieldon, Nashville, Albin and Pleasant Mound.
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.