Gutters, roofing, siding and windows in ZIP code 56542, Fosston, MN

• Gutters in ZIP code 56542

  Polk County averages 23.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). One inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof is about 623 gallons of water for the gutters to carry.

• Roofing in ZIP code 56542

  2 of the 11 hail events on record within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56542 from 2016 through March 31, 2026 had hail 1.5 inches or larger. The National Weather Service counts hail of 1 inch or larger as severe.

• Siding in ZIP code 56542

  The strongest thunderstorm wind on record within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56542 from 2016 through September 22, 2025 was 100 mph. The National Weather Service counts a thunderstorm wind of 58 mph or more as severe.

• Windows in ZIP code 56542

  64% of homes in ZIP code 56542 were built before 1980. A home built before 1980 was built before the energy codes in force today were written.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025); American Community Survey 2023, 5-year; NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals.

ZIP code 56542 is filed here under Fosston, in Polk County, Minnesota; its center is about 110 miles northwest of our Brainerd office. ZIP code 56542 also extends into Mahnomen County. Our address file holds 1,443 address points in ZIP code 56542. Of the cities and towns on our pages, ZIP code 56542 covers only Fosston.

Source: Census ZIP Code Tabulation Area, county and place boundaries (a ZIP code can also take in land outside any city or town).

ZIP code 56542 has 1,181 housing units, and 80% of them are single-family detached homes (American Community Survey 2023, 5-year). Another 1% are attached homes such as townhomes. Mobile homes make up 8% of the housing units.

The median home in ZIP code 56542 was built in 1971. 64% of homes in ZIP code 56542 were built before 1980, and 15% were built in 2000 or later. The most common building period is 1939 or earlier, with 284 homes.

70% of occupied homes in ZIP code 56542 are owner-occupied. The median owner-occupied home in ZIP code 56542 is valued at $176,800. Among occupied homes in ZIP code 56542, 38% heat with utility gas, 26% with electricity, 21% with bottled or tank gas, 9% with fuel oil and 4% with wood.

Source: American Community Survey 2023, 5-year (tables B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003, B25077, B25040), for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 56542.

The nearest other ZIP codes we serve, measured center to center, are 56556 in McIntosh (10 miles northwest), 56535 in Erskine (17 miles northwest), 56634 in Clearbrook (17 miles northeast), 56557 in Mahnomen (18 miles south), 56644 in Gonvick (18 miles northeast) and 56621 in Bagley (18 miles southeast). The table sets ZIP code 56542 beside the 8 ZIP codes nearest to it, using the same Census figures for each.

Source: American Community Survey 2023, 5-year, by ZIP Code Tabulation Area; distances are straight lines between ZIP code centers.

The NOAA Storm Events Database records 11 hail events, 23 thunderstorm-wind events and 1 tornado within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56542 from 2016 through March 31, 2026 for hail and through September 22, 2025 for thunderstorm wind and tornadoes. The largest hail on record there in that period was 1.5 inches on June 17, 2016, near Ebro. 2 of those hail events had hail 1.5 inches or larger.

The closest event to the center of ZIP code 56542 was 60 mph wind on August 13, 2020, less than 1 mile away near Fosston. The most recent hail event within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56542 was on July 13, 2024: 1 in hail near Winger. The most recent thunderstorm-wind event within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56542 was on June 20, 2025, near Pine Bend. The strongest thunderstorm wind recorded within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56542 in that period was 100 mph. The busiest year was 2019, with 6 events in all.

Apart from those database entries, NOAA weather radar indicated hail of 1 inch or larger over Fosston on 1 day from January 2025 on, most recently September 4, 2026. A radar indication is an estimate, not a report from the ground, and the counts and tables on this page do not include it.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025); NOAA MRMS radar hail estimates (for the city of Fosston).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database (hail events through March 31, 2026; thunderstorm-wind and tornado events through September 22, 2025).

This page is filed under Fosston, which is in Polk County; the ratings below are that county's. Polk County scores 81.6 of 100 for hail in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 19th of 87 Minnesota counties. Polk County scores 65.4 of 100 for strong wind in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 41st of 87 Minnesota counties. Polk County scores 92.1 of 100 for winter weather in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 8th of 87 Minnesota counties. Of the perils listed here, the highest score in Polk County is for winter weather, at 92.1 of 100.

Polk County averages 23.4 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The average annual temperature in Polk County is 39.4°F.

Source: FEMA National Risk Index, 2026 release; rank among the state's counties computed from the scores; NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals.

Our Brainerd office is at 217 S 7th St, Brainerd, MN 56401, about 110 miles from the center of ZIP code 56542. Its hours are Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–7:00 PM. You can reach that office at (218) 833-2997.

• Brainerd office: address, hours and map