Zion is a township in Stearns County, Minnesota, home to about 218 people across 35 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 56362.
Homes sold for a median of $188 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Paynesville City; part is in Zion
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Zion. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Zion’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)81 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Saint Cloud Regional Airport (STC)33 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN77 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL429 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Zion; 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.
Zion had 303 residents in the 2020 census, down 22% since 2000.
It’s the 1781st largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Stearns County grew from 44,464 residents in 1900 to 158,292 in 2020.
Stearns 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 1°F. About 31.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 50 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, New London, MN weather station (13 miles away).
84,123 jobs at 4,474 businesses in Stearns County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
38 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Zion.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 11 |
|---|---|
| Dentists | 5 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 8 |
| Mental health providers | 7 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 3 |
| 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 (11 nearby)
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
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 Paynesville Area Schools, West Central Education District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paynesville Area ElementaryPaynesville | Pre-K–5 | 429 | Public | 1.4 mi |
| Paynesville Area Secondary SchoolPaynesville | 6–12 | 465 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| WCED 18-22 ProgramPaynesville | 12 | 10 | Special Education | 1.7 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.
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Shares ZIP codes with Paynesville City, Paynesville Township, Eden Lake, Union Grove, Irving, Roseville Township (Kandiyohi County), St. Martin Township, Lake Henry Township, Lake Henry City, Spring Hill Township and Roscoe City.
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.