Real Estate Investing in Bemidji, Minnesota (56601)

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

Beltrami County • Population: 34,700 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 56601 (Bemidji, MN)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
MIXED
Grade C (66/100)

Mixed signals — some positives, some negatives. Worth considering but not a slam-dunk.

📈 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
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 12.0% of homes vacant — above national norms.

What’s happening in Bemidji, MN (56601)?

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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 $292,668
Avg Monthly Rent $1,357
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $65,939
% Renters 34.5%

Market Analysis: 56601 Bemidji

From an investor standpoint, ZIP 56601 has challenges — vacancy pressure, softer price growth, and tenant stability concerns sit alongside the $293K median. It rewards specialists, not generalists.

The investment case in 56601 is robust only for operators who understand what they are buying. A $293K median suggests accessibility, but management intensity, vacancy drift, and capex surprises are real.

ZIP 56601's metrics run below Beltrami County's averages on price growth and tenant stability. Investors who ignore that regional gap tend to relearn it the hard way.

Employment concentration in 56601 leans toward sectors with higher volatility. The demographic consequence is income fluctuation that investors need to factor into their pro forma.

Strategically, 56601 can be a high-return sleeve of a diversified portfolio — but it should not be the whole portfolio, and it should not be someone's first deal.

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 Bemidji:

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 4.4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+7.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,357/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
Bemidji, MN Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
8.3%
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 Bemidji, MN metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 56601

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
4BR
3.8% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+7.9% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$71,103/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
1BR $237,822 $890 2.7% +7.6% $237,822
2BR $245,593 $1,150 3.4% +7.9% $122,797
3BR $283,806 $1,390 3.5% +7.8% $94,602
4BR $333,894 $1,750 3.8% +7.8% $83,473
5BR $355,517 +7.4% $71,103

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$306K$270K$233K$197K$160K$124KJul 2006Jul 2016Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,455$1,377$1,298$1,219$1,140$1,061Jan 2025Oct 2025Jul 2026

📊 How Does 56601 Compare?

Metric 56601 Bemidji Bemidji, MN Minnesota
Home Value $292,668 $292,668 N/A $340,597
5-Year CAGR 6.3% 6.3% N/A 4.9%
Avg Rent $1,357 $1,357 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.6% 3.6% - -
💡 Why Invest in 56601? Click to expand

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

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 56601 (Bemidji, MN). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.6%
Low
5yr Growth
+6.3%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Bemidji, MN metro

2/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
71%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $292,668
Monthly Rent $1,357
Price-to-Rent 18.0:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 5.6%
Cap Rate 3.6%
5-Year IRR 9.9%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +7.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.3% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.3% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +23.7% ▲
3-Year CAGR N/A
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.6%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.6%). 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
12.0%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
3.0/5
Balanced
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.3%
Growing
Eviction process: Slow Rent control: Moderate

Demographics in 56601

Population: 34,700

💰 Median Household Income
$65,939
This area
$65,939
State
$77,168
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
34.5%
This area
34.5%
State
18.9%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
2.4%
This area
2.4%
State
-3.2%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
37.6%
This area
37.6%
State
20.0%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
35.7 years
This area
35.7 years
State
37.2 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
12.0%
This area
12.0%
State
17.0%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 81.0%
Other/Mixed 16.6%
Hispanic/Latino 1.8%
Black/African American 1.6%
Asian 0.8%
👶 Under 18
22.7%
This area
22.7%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.2%
This area
17.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
7.8%
This area
7.8%
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 56601

B Avg School Grade
22 Schools
14.2:1 Avg Class Size
$16,442 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

A Very Good

HORACE MAY ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 03 Elementary
👥
307 Students
👨‍🏫
11.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
A Very Good

J.W. SMITH ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 03 Elementary
👥
258 Students
👨‍🏫
11.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
A Very Good

LINCOLN ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 03 Elementary
👥
320 Students
👨‍🏫
12.9:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
B+ Above Average

NORTHERN ELEMENTARY

📚 Pre-K – 03 Elementary
👥
285 Students
👨‍🏫
13.4:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Voyageurs Expeditionary School

📚 09 – 12 High School Charter
👥
71 Students
👨‍🏫
6.9:1 Class Size
💰
$19,480 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Aurora Waasakone Community of Learn

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
141 Students
👨‍🏫
11.0:1 Class Size
💰
$16,558 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Gene Dillon Elementary School

📚 04 – 05 Elementary
👥
679 Students
👨‍🏫
15.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
B+ Above Average

PAUL BUNYAN CENTER

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
90 Students
👨‍🏫
5.1:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Schoolcraft Learning Community

📚 K – 08 School Charter
👥
196 Students
👨‍🏫
11.2:1 Class Size
💰
$16,841 Per Student
B Good

BEMIDJI MIDDLE

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
1,035 Students
👨‍🏫
16.6:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
B Good

Lakeside Learning Center

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
7 Students
👨‍🏫
5.0:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
B Good

BEMIDJI MIDDLE ALP

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
1 Students
👨‍🏫
0.5:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
B Good

FIRST CITY SCHOOL

📚 03 – 12 High School
👥
42 Students
👨‍🏫
4.2:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
C+ Average

BEMIDJI SENIOR HIGH

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,516 Students
👨‍🏫
19.7:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
C+ Average

Trek North Middle School

📚 06 – 08 Middle Charter
👥
108 Students
👨‍🏫
19.3:1 Class Size
💰
$16,813 Per Student
C+ Average

TREKNORTH HIGH SCHOOL

📚 09 – 12 High School Charter
👥
145 Students
👨‍🏫
18.1:1 Class Size
💰
$16,813 Per Student
C+ Average

BEMIDJI REGIONAL INTERDIST. COUNCIL

📚 Grade PK Elementary
👥
24 Students
👨‍🏫
3.1:1 Class Size
C+ Average

OSHKI MANIDOO CENTER

📚 07 – 12 High School
👥
5 Students
👨‍🏫
15.2:1 Class Size
💰
$15,918 Per Student
C Below Average

NORTH COUNTRY VOC. COOP. CTR.

📚 K – 12 K-12 Limited Data
C Below Average

Voyageurs Expeditionary MS

📚 06 – 08 Middle Charter
👥
42 Students
👨‍🏫
41.2:1 Class Size
💰
$19,480 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

4 Nearby 1,101 Off-Campus Students
C+
Bemidji State University
3,926 students · 2.2 mi
C
Northwest Technical College
901 students · 4.0 mi
C
Oak Hills Christian College
117 students · 6.3 mi
D
Leech Lake Tribal College
243 students · 12.1 mi

Investor Insight: With 1,101 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much rent can I charge in Bemidji, MN?

Rents in Bemidji, MN run near $1,357/mo. Compared with median home prices of $293K that produces solid gross yields for typical rentals.

What is the typical renter like in Bemidji, MN?

Bemidji, MN offers a even-keeled renter base at the $1,357/mo rent level. Tenant turnover is reasonable for well-managed properties.

How high is vacancy risk in Bemidji, MN?

Vacancy risk in Bemidji, MN is elevated. That supports reliable cash flow for typical rental holds.

What approach is best for Bemidji, MN real estate?

The best-fit strategy in Bemidji, MN is careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management. That approach the rent and price profile of the market.

What is the investability score for Bemidji, MN?

Yes - Bemidji, MN a 3.0/5 investability score. With $293K home prices against $1,357/mo monthly rent, the market delivers a reasonable entry point for new investors.

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