Zimmerman MN weclome sign, 2020
Zimmerman’s story
136 years in pictures
Census counts: 175 in 1910, 6,189 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2020 and 3 maps from 1961 on.
- 1890Zimmerman is settled
ZimmermanMN
A town of 6,904, settled in 1890. Public schools that outperform most of Minnesota.
Population
6,904
2025 Census estimate · +11.2% since 2020
Typical home
$335K
+2% in a year
Household income
$86K
median
Median age
32.2
years
Jobs based here
1,615
A commuter town
TownGrade
A−
#119 of 271 in MN
Is Zimmerman a good place to live?
Zimmerman is a solid, middle-of-the-road choice. It grades A− overall, 119th of 271 graded towns in Minnesota, with no subject far below average. Its best mark is schools: its schools rank ahead of 87% of Minnesota towns. It also does better than most on incomes: the median household earns $86K. A typical home there costs about $335K, 3.4 years of the Minneapolis metro’s $100K median household income. Zimmerman’s average trip to work is 35 minutes, above both Minnesota’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). On history, just 26 of Minnesota’s 574 towns do worse. The biggest park or preserve is Freemont Wildlife Management Area, at 164 acres.
StrongestASchools
What makes Zimmerman stand out
Where Zimmerman beats most towns.
A growing town
Zimmerman has grown 32% since 2010
5,228 counted in 2010 and 6,189 in 2020; an estimated 6,904 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 11.2% since 2020, after 18.4% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Zimmerman grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Zimmerman is from typical.
SchoolsAOpen →Jobs & incomeB+Open →HealthHealthier than 68% of U.S. towns; Fairview Northland Regional Hospital 8.1 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7 of 20; 3.5% of households have no car; 1.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitC+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 49% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listBOpen →Cost of livingB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 10% conserved landB+Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life2.7 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC+Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market23 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 32.2; 21% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Zimmerman: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Zimmerman, and how to reach them.
PowerConnexus Energy14.1¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterZimmerman water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Zimmerman’s trash rules yet
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.govWho runs elections hereSherburne County AuditorSherburne County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015
ZIP code5539855398 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Zimmerman.
Zimmerman is healthy by national standards but mid-pack in Minnesota; it also has commutes longer than most of Minnesota and has many renters stretched by housing costs.
SchoolsA
Zimmerman’s grade for schools is an A
Its public schools are run by the Elk River Public School District. Two of its 4 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Zimmerman High School, with 704 students.
87%of MN districts it outscoresASchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westwood ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades 3–5 | Grades 3–5 | 562 | B+ |
| Zimmerman High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 704 | B+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
Zimmerman has 0.5 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The average commute for its 3,471 working residents takes 34.5 minutes, against 22.7 across Minnesota. Jobs based here grew from 1,189 in 2013 to 1,615.
Most working residents leave Zimmerman for work: only 5% work in town. Jobs based in Zimmerman grew to 1,615 in 2023, 426 more than in 2013. 12% of Zimmerman residents live below the poverty line.
5%work in town
| Zimmerman | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 12% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.3% | 9.9% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Zimmerman5%
Elk River13%
Minneapolis8%
Rogers4%
Edina3%
25 mi
median commute distance
1,615
jobs based in Zimmerman
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
C+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 41% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HealthB+
Compared with most of Minnesota and the rest of the country, fewer of Zimmerman’s adults have high blood pressure
Within Minnesota it is less healthy than 60% of the 271 graded towns: Minnesota sets a high bar.
25% of adults have high blood pressure in Zimmerman. No town among the 271 in Minnesota we compare has a higher share of adults who binge drink than Zimmerman. 7.5% of adults have diabetes in Zimmerman.
68%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Zimmerman | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 18% | 16% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 69% | 75% | 79% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 31% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 7.5% | 10% | 12% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
8 better16 too close to call8 worse
| What stands out | Zimmerman | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 4% | 5.9% |
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6% | 8.5% |
| More binge drinkers | 24.1% | 17.8% |
Fairview Northland Regional Hospital
8.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
40th
percentile among MN towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
#159for trails in MN
10.3%
conserved · 251 of 2,427 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lion's Park | 0.6 mi | 42 |
| 2. Freemont Wildlife Management Area | — | 164 |
| 3. Fireman's Park | — | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Climate
Zimmerman has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Zimmerman has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Zimmerman is 81°F.
49″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter8–25°
Spring33–54°
Summer58–79°
Fall37–56°
Sep 28
typical first frost
May 7
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HousingCost of living grade B−
Zimmerman’s grade for cost of living is a B−
65.5% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 48.1% across Minnesota.
The typical Zimmerman home is worth about $335,000, up 2% in a year, close to the Minnesota typical home. Zimmerman’s median rent is $1,398 a month.
$335KZillow home value
| Zimmerman | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 82% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,398 a month | $1,192 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Zimmerman$335K
Minnesota$349K
Market temperature
23
days on market
99.8%
sale-to-list price
+2%
value change, 1 year
11
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B
Inland flooding leads a moderate hazard risk in Zimmerman
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 51% of U.S. communities.
49risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesStrong wind
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Zimmerman
18pages on Zimmerman
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Zimmerman; the nearest are
Anoka Technical CollegeCommunity college · Public · Anoka17.8 mi$6,267 in-state tuitionSaint Cloud State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Saint Cloud28.1 mi$10,245 in-state tuition
About 2 of every 100 Zimmerman residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
A commuter town
95% of working residents leave Zimmerman for work
Where Zimmerman’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,615jobs based in Zimmerman
5%of working residents work in town
25 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
About Zimmerman
City in Minnesota, United States
Zimmerman is a city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 6,189 at the 2020 census. Zimmerman is a predominantly rural community. U.S. Highway 169 serves as a main route in the area. The community is 42 miles north-northwest of Minneapolis and 33 miles east-southeast of St. Cloud. It is in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul Metropolitan Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.6 sq mi
- ZIP code
- 55398
- Area code
- 763
Questions about Zimmerman
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Zimmerman, MN a good place to live?
By most measures, yes. Zimmerman grades A− overall, better than 80% of U.S. towns and #119 of 271 in Minnesota. It grades B+ for health and A for schools.
Is Zimmerman, MN expensive?
Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B−.