Willmar is a city in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, home to about 21,378 people across 14 square miles. Its ZIP code is 56201, and parts of 56279 are in Willmar too.
Homes sold for a median of $132 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Willmar; also Dovre and Willmar Township
Mostly Pennock; part is in Willmar
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Willmar. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Willmar’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)91 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Saint Cloud Regional Airport (STC)56 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN88 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL434 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Willmar; 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.
Willmar had 21,015 residents in the 2020 census, up 15% since 2000.
It’s the 56th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Kandiyohi County grew from 18,416 residents in 1900 to 43,732 in 2020.
Kandiyohi 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 3°F. About 28.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 46 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Willmar Wwtp, MN weather station (2 miles away).
18,568 jobs at 1,416 businesses in Kandiyohi County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
532 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Willmar.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 57 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 56 |
| Dentists | 32 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 74 |
| Mental health providers | 250 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 30 |
| Optometrists | 13 |
| Chiropractors | 20 |
| Pharmacies | 10 |
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 (20 nearby)
Grocery stores (2 nearby)
Pharmacies
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2.5 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.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Willmar Public School District, Technical Academies of Minnesota. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Early Learning CenterWillmar | Pre-K | 26 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Jefferson Learning CenterWillmar | Pre-K | 89 | Special Education | 1.7 mi |
| Kennedy ElementaryWillmar | Pre-K–5 | 672 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Lakeland Elementary SchoolWillmar | Pre-K–5 | 623 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Roosevelt ElementaryWillmar | Pre-K–5 | 580 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Lakeview SchoolWillmar | K–12 | 11 | Alternative Education | 1.5 mi |
| Greater Minnesota Education CenterWillmar | 3–12 | — | Alternative Education | 1.4 mi |
| Lake Park SchoolWillmar | 4–12 | 33 | Alternative Education | 1.9 mi |
| Prairie Lakes Education CenterWillmar | 4–12 | 19 | Alternative Education | 1.9 mi |
| Middle School ALCWillmar | 6–8 | 27 | Alternative Education | 2.0 mi |
| Willmar Middle SchoolWillmar | 6–8 | 842 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| DREAM Technical AcademyWillmar | 7–12 | 72 | Charter | 1.7 mi |
| Willmar Area Learning CenterWillmar | 9–12 | 91 | Alternative Education | 1.5 mi |
| Willmar Senior HighWillmar | 9–12 | 1,205 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Christian SchoolWillmar | Pre-K–12 | 225 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.4 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 Dovre, Pennock, Willmar Township, Whitefield, Kandiyohi Township, Mamre, Arctander, Fahlun and St. Johns.
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.