Summit Lake is a township in Nobles County, Minnesota, home to about 293 people across 36 square miles. Its ZIP code is 56165, and parts of 56168 and 56185 are in Summit Lake too.
Homes sold for a median of $128 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026.
Mostly Summit Lake; also Elk and Bloom
Mostly Rushmore; part is in Summit Lake
Mostly Wilmont City; part is in Summit Lake
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Summit Lake. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Summit Lake’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)150 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD)50 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN151 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL429 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Summit 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.
Summit Lake had 290 residents in the 2020 census, down 21% since 2000.
It’s the 1487th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Nobles County grew from 14,932 residents in 1900 to 22,290 in 2020.
Nobles 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 5°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 45 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Worthington 2 Nne, MN weather station (10 miles away).
8,853 jobs at 574 businesses in Nobles 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.
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Shares ZIP codes with Rushmore, Wilmont City, Wilmont Township, Ransom, Dewald, Elk, Little Rock, Larkin, Olney and Bloom.
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.