Staples City (Wadena County) is a city in Wadena County, Minnesota, home to about 528 people across 2.5 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56479.
Homes sold for a median of $140 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Population528209 per sq mi
Median home value$225,300Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$140Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Mostly Staples City (Todd County); part is in Staples City (Wadena County)
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Staples City (Wadena County). Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Staples City (Wadena County) guide is on the way
We’re writing up Staples City (Wadena County)’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
History
What it’s like to live there
Getting around
Things to do
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Around Staples City (Wadena County)
Distances
Nearest major airport
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)126 miles away
Closer regional airport
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)30 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Minneapolis, MN120 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Chicago, IL470 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Staples City (Wadena County); 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.
Population over time
Staples City (Wadena County) had 868 residents in the 2020 census, up 35% since 2000.
It’s the 1016th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Wadena County grew from 7,921 residents in 1900 to 14,065 in 2020.
Wadena County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Weather by month
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 (19 miles away).
Jobs in Wadena County
3,946 jobs at 399 businesses in Wadena County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
115 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Staples City (Wadena County).
Nearest hospitals
Lakewood Health SystemCritical access hospital · emergency room · StaplesUnder a mile
Astera HealthCritical access hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Wadena19.9 miles
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Brainerd26.6 miles
Providers with an office here
Primary care doctors
28
Specialist doctors
12
Dentists
3
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
38
Mental health providers
15
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.
Places in and around Staples City (Wadena County)
Libraries
Staples Public Library1.4 mi
Staples Library1.4 mi
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Public schools here are run by Staples-Motley School District, Freshwater Education District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
Public schools(4)
School
Grades
Students
Type
Distance
Staples-Motley ElementaryStaples
Pre-K–4
308
Public
1.7 mi
Staples-Motley Middle SchoolStaples
5–8
284
Public
1.6 mi
FED Staples-Motley Credit RecoveryStaples
9–12
—
Alternative Education
1.6 mi
Staples-Motley Senior HighStaples
9–12
309
Public
1.6 mi
Private schools(1)
School
Grades
Students
Affiliation
Distance
Sacred Heart Area SchoolStaples
Pre-K–6
89
Roman Catholic
1.5 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, Villard Township, Bullard, Moran, Byron Township (Cass County), Poplar 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.