Real Estate Investing in Willmar, Minnesota (56201)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Kandiyohi County • Population: 24,860 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 56201 (Willmar, MN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (71/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
CLEAN

No major risk flags on the data we track.

What’s happening in Willmar, MN (56201)?

Click any question — our AI will research it live from the web and show you sources.

✨ Live AI + Web Search
Want to ask your own questions? Upgrade to Pro for unlimited custom queries.
3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $247,379
Avg Monthly Rent $976
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $64,573
% Renters 35.9%

Market Analysis: 56201 Willmar

ZIP 56201 in Willmar, MN carries a impressive set of headwinds. Home values near $247K and rents of $976/mo sit inside a market where underwriting has to be tight.

Rent of $976/mo on a $247K basis reads well until vacancy, delinquency, and capex enter the model. The honest cap rate in 56201 sits below the stated 0.0% once reality is priced in.

Statewide comparisons place 56201 among MN's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

Employment concentration in 56201 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

Experienced landlords with local relationships tend to find 56201 workable. Turnkey investors from out of state usually find the numbers do not hold up in practice.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Willmar:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 71/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 3.8× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+5.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $976/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Willmar, MN Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
10.0%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Willmar, MN metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 56201

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
3BR
4.3% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
3BR
+7.6% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$69,932/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $190,297 $970 3.7% +6.9% $95,148
3BR $224,870 $1,350 4.3% +7.6% $74,957
4BR $287,177 $1,640 4.1% +7.2% $71,794
5BR $349,658 +6.7% $69,932

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$258K$229K$200K$171K$142K$113KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,085$1,061$1,038$1,015$992$968Apr 2026Jun 2026Jul 2026

📊 How Does 56201 Compare?

Metric 56201 Willmar Willmar, MN Minnesota
Home Value $247,379 $247,379 N/A $340,597
5-Year CAGR 6.0% 6.0% N/A 4.9%
Avg Rent $976 $976 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.1% 3.1% - -
💡 Why Invest in 56201? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 36% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
Open the Market Finder →
Free to search · investor plans from $19/mo

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 56201 (Willmar, MN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

Do you own or manage rentals in ZIP 56201 (Willmar, MN)?

~25 seconds · no account needed · your report is anonymous

Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.1%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.0%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Willmar, MN metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
61%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $247,379
Monthly Rent $976
Price-to-Rent 21.1:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.7%
Cap Rate 3.1%
5-Year IRR 9.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +5.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.6% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.0% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year N/A
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.1%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.1%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
7.3%
Low risk
Landlord Climate
3.0/5
Balanced
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.0%
Stable
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Moderate

Demographics in 56201

Population: 24,860

💰 Median Household Income
$64,573
This area
$64,573
State
$77,168
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
35.9%
This area
35.9%
State
18.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.2%
This area
3.2%
State
-3.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
23.1%
This area
23.1%
State
20.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
37.4 years
This area
37.4 years
State
37.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
7.3%
This area
7.3%
State
17.0%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 75.1%
Other/Mixed 12.9%
Hispanic/Latino 10.7%
Black/African American 10.4%
Asian 1.7%
👶 Under 18
25.4%
This area
25.4%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
18.8%
This area
18.8%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
13.5%
This area
13.5%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 56201

B Avg School Grade
14 Schools
10.7:1 Avg Class Size
$16,785 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

KENNEDY ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
702 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
A Very Good

Lakeland Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
578 Students
👨‍🏫
13.6:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
A Very Good

ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
629 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
B+ Above Average

WILLMAR MIDDLE SCHOOL

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
842 Students
👨‍🏫
14.0:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
B Good

JEFFERSON LEARNING CENTER

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
82 Students
👨‍🏫
6.5:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
B Good

WILLMAR SENIOR HIGH

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,218 Students
👨‍🏫
16.7:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
B Good

WILLMAR AREA LEARNING CENTER

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
92 Students
👨‍🏫
8.4:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
B Good

LAKEVIEW SCHOOL

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
6 Students
👨‍🏫
6.0:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
B Good

Prairie Lakes Education Center

📚 04 – 12 High School
👥
26 Students
👨‍🏫
3.3:1 Class Size
💰
$16,678 Per Student
C+ Average

DREAM Technical Academy

📚 07 – 12 High School Charter
👥
74 Students
👨‍🏫
18.6:1 Class Size
💰
$18,073 Per Student
C+ Average

SWWC ELC - Willmar

📚 K – 12 K-12
👥
24 Students
👨‍🏫
3.2:1 Class Size
C Below Average

Greater Minnesota Education Center

📚 03 – 12 High School Limited Data
💰
$16,678 Per Student
C Below Average

Lake Park School

📚 04 – 12 High School
👥
17 Students
💰
$16,678 Per Student
C Below Average

Middle School ALC

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
28 Students
💰
$16,678 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

1 Nearby 1,690 Off-Campus Students
C
Ridgewater College
2,855 students · 2.9 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,690 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly do rentals get leased in Willmar, MN?

Rental vacancy in Willmar, MN is elevated. Investors should budget normal turnover but not chronic empty units.

How strong is the working-renter base in Willmar, MN?

Expect a solid tenant pool in Willmar, MN. The rental market absorbs $976/mo rents without meaningful friction.

What price range are homes in Willmar, MN?

Willmar, MN median home values land near $247K. That is reasonable territory for investors looking at $976/mo-per-month rentals.

How do landlord-tenant laws work in Willmar, MN?

Willmar, MN falls under MN landlord-tenant law, which is balanced. That backdrop makes day-to-day property management reasonable.

What are rental rates like in Willmar, MN?

Investors in Willmar, MN typically see rents near $976/mo per month against $247K home values - a solid setup for rental cash flow.

You know 56201 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

This page stays free — all of it. What one page can’t tell you is how 56201 compares to every other market. Investor ($19/mo) screens every U.S. ZIP by cap rate, the 1% rule, vacancy and landlord climate, and exports your shortlist.

Compare Plans

How 56201 ranks in Willmar, MN

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
🤖

AI Market Advisor

Ask questions about investing in 56201 (Willmar)

Loading...

Community Ratings

What people who’ve spent time here actually say. Not paid reviews.

Be the first to rate 56201 (Willmar, MN).

It takes 30 seconds. No signup. Your rating helps everyone who comes here after you.