Gutters, roofing, siding and windows in ZIP code 56081, St. James, MN

• Gutters in ZIP code 56081

  Watonwan County averages 34.1 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 56081

  3 of the 8 hail events on record within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56081 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 56081

  The strongest thunderstorm wind on record within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56081 from 2016 through September 22, 2025 was 78 mph. The National Weather Service counts a thunderstorm wind of 58 mph or more as severe.

• Windows in ZIP code 56081

  65% of homes in ZIP code 56081 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 56081 is filed here under St. James, in Watonwan County, Minnesota; its center is about 65 miles southeast of our Marshall office. Of the cities and towns on our pages, ZIP code 56081 covers only St. James.

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 56081 has 2,798 housing units, and 75% of them are single-family detached homes (American Community Survey 2023, 5-year). Another 3% are attached homes such as townhomes. Mobile homes make up 3% of the housing units.

The median home in ZIP code 56081 was built in 1968. 65% of homes in ZIP code 56081 were built before 1980, and 13% were built in 2000 or later. The most common building period is 1939 or earlier, with 742 homes.

74% of occupied homes in ZIP code 56081 are owner-occupied. The median owner-occupied home in ZIP code 56081 is valued at $153,400. Among occupied homes in ZIP code 56081, 53% heat with utility gas, 21% with electricity, 19% with bottled or tank gas, 2% with fuel oil and 1% with wood.

Source: American Community Survey 2023, 5-year (tables B25024, B25034, B25035, B25003, B25077, B25040), for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 56081.

The nearest other ZIP codes we serve, measured center to center, are 56120 in Butterfield (8.3 miles west), 56062 in Madelia (11 miles east), 56041 in Hanska (12 miles northeast), 56088 in Truman (15 miles southeast), 56176 in Trimont (15 miles south) and 56019 in Comfrey (15 miles northwest). The table sets ZIP code 56081 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 8 hail events, 17 thunderstorm-wind events and 2 tornadoes within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56081 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 2 inches on June 20, 2019, near La Salle. 3 of those hail events had hail 1.5 inches or larger.

The closest event to the center of ZIP code 56081 was 60 mph wind on July 19, 2017, less than 1 mile away near St. James. The most recent hail event within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56081 was on April 28, 2025: 0.75 in hail near St. James. The most recent thunderstorm-wind event within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56081 was on July 7, 2025, near La Salle. The strongest thunderstorm wind recorded within 10 miles of the center of ZIP code 56081 in that period was 78 mph. The busiest year was 2019, with 8 events in all.

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).

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 St. James, which is in Watonwan County; the ratings below are that county's. Watonwan County scores 54.8 of 100 for hail in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 65th of 87 Minnesota counties. Watonwan County scores 55.9 of 100 for strong wind in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 45th of 87 Minnesota counties. Watonwan County scores 76.1 of 100 for winter weather in FEMA's National Risk Index, which ranks 31st of 87 Minnesota counties. Of the perils listed here, the highest score in Watonwan County is for tornado, at 90.6 of 100.

Watonwan County averages 34.1 inches of precipitation a year (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). The average annual temperature in Watonwan County is 45.9°F.

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

Our Marshall office is at 408 E Main St Ste 3, Marshall, MN 56258, about 65 miles from the center of ZIP code 56081. Its hours are Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–7:00 PM. You can reach that office at (507) 606-2707.

• Marshall office: address, hours and map