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Best Public Schools in Zip Code 56531

At a glance

School

144

Students

Top rankedWest Central Area N. Elementary185^th of 872 Minnesota elementary schools

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Biggest riser

West Central Area N. Elementary up 23 spots statewide this year

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Summary:

The 56531 zip code area is home to a single standout elementary school, West Central Area N. Elementary, which serves grades PK-4 and has an enrollment of 156 students. This school consistently outperforms the district and state averages in both math and reading proficiency, with particularly impressive 3rd and 4th-grade math scores that exceed the state average by over 20 percentage points.

West Central Area N. Elementary is ranked highly in the state, placing in the top 25% of Minnesota elementary schools and maintaining a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's low student-teacher ratio of 9.1 suggests smaller class sizes and more individualized attention for students. Additionally, the school's relatively low free/reduced lunch rate of 46.15% indicates a more affluent student population compared to the surrounding West Central Area district.

Overall, West Central Area N. Elementary stands out as a high-performing and consistently excellent school in the 56531 zip code area, delivering strong academic outcomes for its students across all grade levels. The school's combination of academic excellence, small class sizes, and socioeconomic diversity make it an attractive option for families in the region.

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				MCA-III Math (2025)			MCA-III Reading (2025)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	MCA-III Math 3rd Grade	MCA-III Math 4th Grade	MCA-III Math All Grades	MCA-III Reading 3rd Grade	MCA-III Reading 4th Grade	MCA-III Reading All Grades	Total
West Central Area N. Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	411 1st St SE	Elbow Lake	56531	Grant County	West Central Area	No	No	No	Yes	(218) 685-7500	144	15	9.6	41.0%	124 (86.1%)	4 (2.8%)	7 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (6.3%)	76.5	185^th of 872 public elementary schools	78.8%		74.6	208^th of 881 public elementary schools	76.4%	23	78.1	70.4	74.6	56.3	48.2	52.5	$13,651

Cities Near Zip Code 56531

City	Distance	# of Schools	Statewide Rank
Elbow Lake	0.29 mi	1	64^th
Barrett	6.95 mi	3	212^th
Ashby	9.77 mi	2	151^st
Evansville	13.5 mi	1	67^th
Herman	15.06 mi	2

See the top MN Minnesota cities

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Minnesota Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.