Watkins is a city in Meeker County, Minnesota, home to about 765 people across 0.7 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 55389.
Homes sold for a median of $251 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a buyer’s market.
Mostly Forest Prairie; part is in Watkins
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Watkins. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Watkins’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Watkins well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)66 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Saint Cloud Regional Airport (STC)24 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN61 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL414 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Watkins; 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.
Watkins had 991 residents in the 2020 census, up 13% since 2000.
It’s the 765th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Meeker County grew from 17,753 residents in 1900 to 23,400 in 2020.
Meeker County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 79°F in summer, and winter lows average 3°F. About 30.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Kimball 3n, MN weather station (7 miles away).
6,775 jobs at 606 businesses in Meeker County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
2 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Watkins.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Specialist doctors | 1 |
|---|---|
| Chiropractors | 1 |
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.
Public schools here are run by Eden Valley-Watkins School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watkins ElementaryWatkins | Pre-K–K | 60 | Public | 0.8 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.
Buying or selling around Watkins? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Forest Prairie, Luxemburg, Forest City and Maine Prairie.
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.