Hayward Minnesota Map

About Hayward, Minnesota

Hayward is a locality in Freeborn County, Minnesota, United States. It is a small community with a population of 231. The population density is 138.9 people per km². Hayward is located at 43.6505°N, 93.2441°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. ZIP code: 56043.

Hayward lies in the heart of Freeborn County, a place where the land itself seems to exhale a quiet, patient beauty. It lies 13.5 miles west of Austin, MN (from Austin, MN: bearing 265°T), and is situated 6.2 miles east of Albert Lea. The fields, a patchwork quilt of cultivated greens and golds, stretch towards horizons defined by the subtle swell and dip of the prairie, a landscape softened by the slow sculpting of glacial activity. Here, the sky is a vast, ever-present canvas, its moods shifting from the crisp, bright blue of a summer afternoon to the bruised purples and oranges of a prairie sunset, each one a fleeting masterpiece. The air, especially in the early morning, carries the clean, earthy scent of damp soil and ripening corn, a perfume that clings to the senses. Originally settled by pioneers drawn to the fertile soil, Hayward’s economy has long been rooted in agriculture, the land yielding its bounty in crops like corn and soybeans. This agricultural heritage has shaped the character of Hayward, fostering a spirit of hard work and a deep connection to the seasons. The nearby waterways, often reflecting the immense sky above, offer a quiet respite, their gentle currents a counterpoint to the steady, industrious pulse of the surrounding farms. While not a place of grand monuments, Hayward possesses a distinct charm in its unpretentious simplicity, a quiet testament to lives lived in harmony with the rhythms of the land and the enduring spirit of its people.

About This Hayward Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Hayward, Minnesota — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 43.650514, -93.244094. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Hayward and Freeborn County.

Detailed location data for Hayward includes the ZIP code (56043), telephone area code (320), county seat of Freeborn County (Albert Lea), and school district assignment (Albert Lea Public School District). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Hayward is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.