Stearns County, Minnesota
26 ZIP codes · Avg score 58/100 · Grade C · Updated 2026-06-03
Covering 26 ZIP codes, Stearns County falls in the average tier for tap water safety — violations appear in a meaningful share of areas, and the data suggests quality depends heavily on which specific part of the county a household sits in.
How Stearns County Compares
How Stearns County Compares
Stearns County scores 4 points below the Minnesota state average (62/100) and 10 points below the national average (68/100).
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
ZIP Code Risk Map
Water Quality Map: Stearns County, Minnesota
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Key Risk Factors
Health risk index: 12.2 (asthma 10.3%, diabetes 10.2%)
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,032, driven primarily by energy_code_gap
Infrastructure: 0.363% avg pipe failure probability, 25% of ZIPs at high risk
60.1% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)
County Health Indicators vs National Average
Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Infrastructure Overview
Sources: Census ACS (housing age), EPA SDWIS (infrastructure risk model), state bridge inspection data.
Compound Risk Breakdown
Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $1,032
Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).
Housing Age Distribution
66,637 housing units in Stearns County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).
Water Safety Affordability
How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in Stearns County
Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in Stearns County, representing a small fraction of property value.
Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.
Health Outcomes vs National Average
CDC PLACES data for Stearns County residents
Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.
Water Systems with Most Violations
Top 5 systems in Stearns County ranked by EPA violation count.
| # | Water System | Population | Violations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albany | 2,805 | 9 |
| 2 | Avon | 1,667 | 9 |
| 3 | Evergreen Hills Mobile Home Park | 144 | 7 |
| 4 | Clearwater | 2,129 | 4 |
| 5 | South Haven | 183 | 4 |
24 total water systems serve Stearns County.
All ZIP Codes in Stearns County
26 ZIP codes tracked in Stearns County.
| # | ZIP Code | City | Safety Score | Grade | Violations | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55329 | Eden Valley | 70 | B | 0 | $215K |
| 2 | 56340 | Holdingford | 70 | B | 1 | $287K |
| 3 | 56368 | Richmond | 70 | B | 1 | $310K |
| 4 | 56378 | Sauk Centre | 70 | B | 0 | $239K |
| 5 | 56307 | Albany | 69 | C | 2 (1 health) | $269K |
| 6 | 56316 | Brooten | 66 | C | 0 | $209K |
| 7 | 56321 | Collegeville | 66 | C | 0 | — |
| 8 | 56352 | Melrose | 66 | C | 1 | $225K |
| 9 | 56356 | New Munich | 66 | C | 1 | $160K |
| 10 | 56388 | Waite Park | 66 | C | 0 | — |
| 11 | 56320 | Cold Spring | 65 | C | 0 | $312K |
| 12 | 56377 | Sartell | 65 | C | 0 | $283K |
| 13 | 56387 | Waite Park | 65 | C | 0 | $231K |
| 14 | 56362 | Paynesville | 62 | C | 0 | $243K |
| 15 | 56310 | Avon | 61 | C | 7 (1 health) | $287K |
| 16 | 55382 | South Haven | 57 | C | 4 | $347K |
| 17 | 56331 | Freeport | 55 | C | 0 | $270K |
| 18 | 56369 | Rockville | 55 | C | 0 | $223K |
| 19 | 56301 | Saint Cloud | 53 | D | 0 | $263K |
| 20 | 56303 | Saint Cloud | 45 | D | 0 | $198K |
| 21 | 56289 | Sunburg | 40 | D | 0 | $279K |
| 22 | 56325 | Elrosa | 40 | D | 0 | $164K |
| 23 | 56335 | Greenwald | 40 | D | 0 | $138K |
| 24 | 56371 | Roscoe | 40 | D | 0 | $183K |
| 25 | 56374 | Saint Joseph | 40 | D | 0 | $281K |
| 26 | 56376 | Saint Martin | 40 | D | 0 | $213K |
Recommended Buyer Guides for Stearns County
If FEMA records flag flood-top-risk status or EPA samples show PFAS exceedances, the matching logic lifts emergency-water and PFAS-rated filtration into the recommendations — federal data drives the order, not retailer arrangements.
- Best Lead Paint Test Kits — 60.1% of homes built before 1978
- Best Radon Test Kits — EPA Radon Zone 1 (highest risk) dominant in county
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Stearns County, Minnesota
Overview
Stearns County in Minnesota covers 26 ZIP codes with an average Home Safety Score of C (58/100).
7 of 26 ZIP codes have recorded EPA violations. 2 health-based violations have been documented.
← Back to Minnesota water quality report
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS (median estimates by ZCTA)
Updated daily.