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The Williams handbook

Living in Williams, MN: what to set up and who to call

Power in Williams comes from North Star Electric Coop, a cooperative utility rather than a private company. The nearest emergency room is Lakewood Health Center, 20 miles away.

Which school will my kid attend?How do I register to vote?ZIP codes

I’m new in town

What to set up in Williams, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.

PowerNorth Star Electric Coopcooperative utilityMore →Internet2 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsMore →Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Williams’ trash rules yetMore →SchoolLake of the Woods School DistrictWhich school depends on grade and addressMore →Register to voteOnlineRules from vote.govMore →ZIP code56686Where people live, not P.O. boxesMore →
Home services

Power, water and internet

Who to call to start service at a new address in Williams.

Electricity

Power comes from North Star Electric Coop

North Star Electric Coop (North Star Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility, serves all of Williams.

Start or move service: northstarelectric.coop · (218) 634-2603

Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.

Internet

2 home internet providers serve Williams

100% of 116 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.

ProviderTechnologyAddressesFastest (Mbps)
Wikstrom Telephone CompanyFiber100%1,000/500
T-MobileFixed wireless80%100/20

FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.

Trash & recycling

We don’t have Williams’ trash rules yet

Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Williams.

Trash, recycling and bulk pickupNot on fileOpenStreetMap lists no public drop-off in Williams or within 5 miles (as of Oct 9, 2026); map coverage varies by town.
Schools

Where your child goes to school

Public school districts and the school path by grade.

Williams kids go to
PK–5Lake of the Woods Elementaryin Baudette
6–12Lake of the Woods Secondaryin Baudette

Williams is in Lake of the Woods School District.

Test scores and every school: see Schools →

U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.

Government & voting

Town hall and registering to vote

Who to call, and how to register.

Town HallBudget, officials, electionsWilliams’ government in one page
Who runs elections hereLake of the Woods County CourthouseElections here are run by Lake of the Woods County (county election office). 206 8th Ave SE, Ste 260, Baudette, MN 56623-0808 · (218) 634-2836 · [email protected]FVAP, Jun 2025
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govCheck your registration and polling placemnvotes.sos.state.mn.usThe state’s voter lookup

Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Jun 2025; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

ZIP codes & area codes

Williams is in ZIP code 56686

ZIP codes where Williams residents live, with the share of the town in each.

ZIPPost office nameShare of WilliamsZIP’s residents in Williams
56686Williams, MN100%18%
Area code218Wikidata

Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.

Everyday places

Getting around, the ER and the library

One line each; the subject pages have the rest.

Nearest emergency roomLakewood Health Center20 miles awayGet a library cardBaudette Public Library110 1st Avenue SW · (218) 634-2329

ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.

Questions about living in Williams

Who provides electricity in Williams?

North Star Electric Coop (North Star Electric Coop, Inc), a cooperative utility.

What internet providers serve Williams?

Wikstrom Telephone Company, T-Mobile (FCC, as of December 2025).

What ZIP codes are in Williams?

56686. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.

What school district is Williams in?

Lake of the Woods School District.

How do I register to vote in Williams?

In Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before). Elections here are run by the Lake of the Woods County Courthouse. Check your registration at mnvotes.sos.state.mn.us.

Sources & dates

Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.

  • Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
  • Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
  • ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
  • Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
  • Registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
  • Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
  • Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.