===============================================================================
                           UNITED STATES
                       Washington, D.C. 20549

                            FORM 10-Q
(Mark One)
    X    QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
               OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended          March 31, 1996                         

                               OR
            TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR
            15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                   to                            

Commission File Number:   0-18587

                  HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
 ...............................................................................
      (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

    MINNESOTA                                                 41-1666660
 ...............................................................................
(State or  other jurisdiction of                          (Federal Employer
 incorporation  or organization)                          Identification No.)

211 South Main Street, Hector, MN                                 55342
 ...............................................................................
(Address of principal executive offices)                        (Zip Code)
                            (320) 848-6611
 ...............................................................................
           Registrant's telephone number, including area code

 ...............................................................................
(Former name, former address, former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

     Indicate  by check mark  whether the  registrant  (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.
YES    X        NO ___

           APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY
              PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PRECEDING FIVE YEARS:
     Indicate by check mark whether the  registrant  has filed all documents and
reports  required  to be filed by  Sections  12, 13, or 15(d) of the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the  distribution of securities  under a plan
confirmed by a court.
YES      _      NO ___

                  APPLICABLE ONLY TO CORPORATE ISSUERS:
     Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuers classes of
common stock, as of the latest practicable date.
       CLASS                                    Outstanding at April 30, 1996
Common Stock, par value                                    1,880,294
    $.01 per share
===+===========================================================================
                 Total Pages (12)     Exhibit at Page 12
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            HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

                                INDEX

                                                              Page No.
Part I.  Financial Information

         Item 1.  Financial Statements

              Consolidated Balance Sheets                         3

              Consolidated Statements of Income                   4

              Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity     5

              Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows               6

              Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements          7

         Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of
              Financial Condition and Results of Operations       9

Part II.  Other Information                                      11

                                       2





                     PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

            HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Item 1.  Financial Statements


                       CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
                              (unaudited)
                                             March 31             December 31
Assets:                                         1996                   1995
                                         ____________             ____________
Current assets:
                                                                     
  Cash and cash equivalents               $11,234,952               $9,040,138
  Marketable securities                                              1,459,266
  Construction fund                            19,198                  108,828
  Accounts receivable, net                    678,180                  723,081
  Materials, supplies and inventories         129,650                  120,641
  Prepaid expenses                             33,289                   35,992
                                         ____________             ____________
    Total current assets                   12,095,269               11,487,946

Property, plant and equipment              24,861,649               24,647,253
  less accumulated depreciation           (10,444,555)             (10,038,377)
                                         ____________             ____________
    Net property, plant and equipment      14,417,094               14,608,876

Other assets:
  Excess of cost over net assets
    acquired, net                             886,969                  906,950
  Marketable securities                     2,021,969
  Acquisition costs - 
    Ollig Utilities Company                 2,829,624                2,790,236
  Cellular telephone investment             1,040,365                1,260,448
  Other investments                           785,188                1,038,545
  Deferred debenture issue costs, net       1,111,035                1,158,313
  Other assets                                644,686                  267,130
                                         ____________             ____________
    Total other assets                      9,319,836                7,421,622
                                         ____________             ____________

Total Assets                              $35,832,199              $33,518,444
                                         ____________             ____________
                                         ____________             ____________

Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity:

Current liabilities:
  Accounts payable                           $479,950                 $530,248
  Accrued expenses                            384,353                  653,681
  Income taxes payable                        169,375                  132,522
  Current portion of long-term debt           492,900                  492,900
                                         ____________             ____________
    Total current liabilities               1,526,578                1,809,351

Long-term debt, less current portion       22,388,101               22,096,419

Deferred investment tax credits               120,486                  128,339

Deferred income taxes                       2,162,988                1,349,988

Stockholders' Equity                        9,634,046                8,134,347
                                        _____________             _____________
Total Liabilities and
  Stockholders' Equity                    $35,832,199              $33,518,444
                                        ______________           ______________
                                        ______________           ______________

                 See notes to consolidated financial statements.



                                       3




              HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                        CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME
                                   (unaudited)

                                                  Three Months Ended March 31
                                                  _____________________________
                                                          1996           1995
                                                  ____________     ____________
Revenues:
                                                                   
  Local network                                       $355,676        $242,780
  Network access                                       885,614         832,973
  Billing and collection                                51,745          55,511
  Nonregulated activities                               78,644          64,867
  Cable television revenues                            294,239         137,758
                                                  ____________     ____________
    Total revenues                                   1,665,918       1,333,889

Costs and expenses:
  Plant operations                                     206,658         204,754
  Depreciation and amortization                        447,931         368,087
  Customer operations                                   69,664          87,056
  General and administrative                           363,672         288,454
  Other operating expenses                             205,549         115,109
                                                  ____________     ____________
    Total costs and expenses                         1,293,474       1,063,460

Operating income                                       372,444         270,429

Other income and (expenses):
  Investment income                                    163,700          94,902
  Interest expense                                    (434,782)       (294,717)
  Marketable securities gains (losses)                 687,947        (217,433)
  Cellular partnership income                           31,500          15,000
                                                  ____________     ____________
    Other income (expense), net                        448,365        (402,248)

Income before income taxes                             820,809        (131,819)

Income taxes (benefit)                                 327,000         (55,000)
                                                  ____________     ____________

Net income (loss)                                     $493,809        ($76,819)
                                                  ____________     ____________
                                                  ____________     ____________

Net income (loss) per common and
  common equivalent share                                $ .22          ($ .03)
                                                 _____________     ____________
                                                 _____________     ____________

Net income (loss) per common share
  - assuming full dilution                               $ .19          ($ .03)
                                                  ____________     ____________
                                                  ____________     ____________

Average common and common equivalent
  shares outstanding                                 2,256,000       2,254,000
                                                  ____________     ____________
                                                  ____________     ____________

                 See notes to consolidated financial statements.



                                       4




                                                  HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                                   CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
                                                                     (unaudited)
                                                                                                              Unrealized
                                                                                                              Marketable           
                                                                             Additional             Unearned  Securities
                                       Preferred Stock       Common Stock      Paid-in   Retained     ESOP     Gains
                                       Shares    Amount     Shares    Amount   Capital   Earnings    Shares   (Losses)     Total
                                     ________  ________  _________  ________  ________  __________  _________  _________ __________
                                                                                              
BALANCE at December 31, 1994          392,287  $392,287  1,877,850   $18,778   $48,001  $7,903,703 ($132,800)           $8,229,969

 Net loss                                                                                  (76,539)                        (76,539)
 Issuance of common stock under
  Employee Stock Purchase Plan                               3,844        39    22,833                                      22,872
 Purchase of common stock                                   (4,200)      (42)     (164)    (30,066)                        (30,272)
 Issuance of common stock in
  exchange for preferred stock         (2,800)   (2,800)     2,800        28     2,772                                           0
 ESOP shares purchased, net of
  shares allocated                                                                 773                (12,456)             (11,683)
                                     ________  ________  _________  ________  ________  __________  _________  _________ __________ 
BALANCE at December 31, 1995          389,487   389,487  1,880,294    18,803    74,215   7,797,098   (145,256)            8,134,347

 Net income                                                                                493,809                          493,809
 Unrealized gain on marketable
  securities, net of deferred 
  taxes                                                                                                       $1,005,890  1,005,890
                                     ________  ________  _________  ________  ________  __________  _________  _________ __________

BALANCE at March 31, 1996             389,487  $389,487  1,880,294   $18,803   $74,215  $8,290,907  ($145,256)$1,005,890 $9,634,046
                                     ________  ________  _________  ________  ________  __________  _________  _________ __________ 
                                     ________  ________  _________  ________  ________  __________  _________  _________ __________

                                                     See notes to consolidated financial statements.


                                       5



                     HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                               CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                                           (unaudited)
                                                                                Three Months Ended March 31
                                                                              _____________________________
                                                                                      1996            1995
                                                                              _____________   _____________
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
                                                                                                
  Net income (loss)                                                                $493,809        ($76,819)
  Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to
    net cash provided by operating activities:
    Depreciation and amortization                                                   495,209         391,726
    Loss (gain) on marketable securities                                           (687,947)        217,433
    Income from cellular partnerships                                               (31,500)        (15,000)
    Changes in assets and liabilities:
      Sales of marketable securities                                              1,499,073
      Decrease in accounts receivable                                                44,901         175,576
      Increase in prepaid income taxes                                                             (120,496)
      Decrease in prepaid expenses                                                    2,703           9,777
      Increase (decrease) in accounts payable                                       (50,298)        168,595
      Increase (decrease) in accrued expenses                                      (269,328)        189,889
      Increase (decrease) in income taxes payable                                    36,853        (692,853)
      Decrease in deferred investment credits                                        (7,853)        (10,494)
      Increase in deferred taxes                                                    813,000
                                                                              _____________   _____________
      Net cash provided by operating activities                                   2,338,622         237,334

Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
  Capital expenditures, net                                                        (213,763)       (199,811)
  Sales of marketable securities                                                    553,645
  Increase in Ollig Utilities acquisition costs                                     (39,388)
  Decrease (increase) in construction fund                                           89,630         (27,171)
  Increase in inventories                                                            (9,009)         (5,574)
  Purchases of other investments                                                     (3,415)
  Sales of other investments                                                        256,772           4,425
  Decrease in deferred charges                                                                       16,777
  Increase in other assets                                                         (399,962)         (8,872)
                                                                              _____________   _____________
      Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities                           234,510        (220,226)

Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
  Repayment of long-term debt                                                      (108,318)     (1,418,338)
  Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt                                          400,000      12,821,000
  Convertible debenture issue costs                                                              (1,323,787)
                                                                              _____________   _____________
    Net cash provided by financing activities                                       291,682      10,078,875
                                                                              _____________   _____________

Net Increase in Cash and Cash Equivalents                                         2,864,814      10,095,983

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period                                  9,040,138       3,654,748
                                                                              _____________   _____________
Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period                                      $11,904,952     $13,750,731
                                                                              _____________   _____________
                                                                              _____________   _____________

Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
  Interest paid during the period                                                  $656,686        $159,945
  Income taxes paid during the period                                               155,106         767,748

                                   See notes to consolidated financial statements.


                                       6


                HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 1 - CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     The balance  sheet and  statement of  stockholders'  equity as of March 31,
1996,  the statements of income for the three month periods ended March 31, 1996
and 1995 and the  statements  of cash flows for the three  month  periods  ended
March 31, 1996 and 1995 have been prepared by the Company  without audit. In the
opinion of management,  all  adjustments  (which  include only normal  recurring
adjustments)  necessary to present  fairly the  financial  position,  results of
operations, and changes in cash flows at March 31, 1996 and 1995 have been made.

     Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial
statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting  principles
have been  condensed  or omitted.  It is  suggested  these  condensed  financial
statements  be read in  conjunction  with the  financial  statements  and  notes
thereto   included  in  the  Company's   December  31,  1995  Annual  Report  to
Shareholders.  The results of operations  for the periods ended March 31 are not
necessarily indicative of the operating results for the entire year.

NOTE 2 - CHANGES IN ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES

     Effective  January 1, 1996,  the Company  adopted  Statement  of  Financial
Accounting  Standards No. 123,  "Accounting for Stock-Based  Compensation" (SFAS
123).  SFAS  123  required  expanded  disclosures  of  stock-based  compensation
arrangements  with employees and encourages (but does not require)  compensation
cost to be measured  based on the fair value of the equity  instrument  awarded.
Companies are permitted, however, to continue to apply APB Opinion No. 25, which
recognizes  compensation  cost  based  on the  intrinsic  value  of  the  equity
instrument awarded. The Company will continue to apply APB Opinion No. 25 to its
stock-based  compensation awards to employees and will disclose the required pro
forma effect on net income and earnings per share.

NOTE 3 - MARKETABLE SECURITIES AND GAINS ON SALES OF INVESTMENTS

     In February,  1996, Rural Cellular Corporation ("RCC") completed an initial
offering of its common stock to the public.  Prior to the offering,  the Company
owned 3.72% of RCC, which was classified as an other investment.  As part of the
offering,  the Company  sold 27% of its  interest  in RCC,  with a book value of
$69,000 and  recorded a gain on sale of $485,000.  The balance of the  Company's
investment in RCC has been  transferred to marketable  securities and classified
as available-for-sale.  The unrealized gain on the available-for-sale marketable
securities at March 31, 1996 was $1,006,000  (net of deferred taxes of $670,000)
which is accounted for as a separate  component of stockholders'  equity.  Rural
Cellular  Corporation  trades on the Nasdaq  National  Market  System  under the
symbol RCCC.

     In February,  1996,  the Company sold its  investment in Telephone and Data
Systems,  Inc.  ("TDS")  common  stock in a series of cash  transactions.  Gross
proceeds from the stock sales were $1,499,000 and the Company  recognized a gain
on sale of $203,000.

NOTE 4 - INCOME TAXES AND INVESTMENT CREDITS

     Income taxes have been  calculated  in  proportion  to the earnings and tax
credits  generated by operations.  Investment tax credits have been deferred and
are included in income over the estimated useful lives of the related assets.

                                       7


              HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                   NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

NOTE 5 - NET INCOME PER SHARE

     Net income per common and common  equivalent share was computed by dividing
net income by the weighted average number of common and common equivalent shares
outstanding  during the periods.  Common  equivalent shares include the dilutive
effect of outstanding stock options,  warrants and convertible  preferred stock,
which are common stock equivalents.  Net income per common share - assuming full
dilution for 1996 was calculated assuming all outstanding convertible debentures
were  converted to common  stock  effective  January 1, 1996.  The effect of the
convertible   debentures   on  per  share   earnings  in  the  1995  period  was
anti-dilutive.  The calculation of the Company's  earnings per share is included
as Exhibit 11 to this Form 10-Q.

NOTE 6 - ISSUANCE OF CONVERTIBLE SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES

     In February  1995 the Company  completed a public  offering of  convertible
subordinated  debentures.  The  debentures  carry an  interest  rate of 8.5% and
mature  February 15, 2002. The debentures are  convertible  into common stock of
the Company at a rate of 112.5 common shares per $1,000 par value debenture. The
debentures are callable under certain  circumstances and include restrictions on
payment of dividends to the Company's shareholders.  The Company may incur up to
$4,000,000 of senior  indebtedness to which the debentures will be subordinated.
Total value of the  offering  was  $12,650,000.  Proceeds  to the Company  after
underwriting,  accounting and legal expenses were approximately $11,300,000. The
offering's underwriters also received warrants to purchase 123,750 shares of the
Company's  common  stock  at a price  of  $8.70  per  share.  The  warrants  are
exercisable beginning February 15, 1996 and expire February 15, 2000.

NOTE 7 - ACQUISITION OF OLLIG UTILITIES COMPANY

     On April 25,  1996,  a newly formed  subsidiary  of the  Company,  Alliance
Telecommunications  Corporation ("Alliance"),  purchased Ollig Utilities Company
("Ollig")  for  $80,000,000  in cash.  The Company owns 68% of Alliance with the
remaining interest owned by Golden West Telecommunications  Cooperative, Inc. of
Wall, SD and Split Rock Telecom  Cooperative,  Inc. of Garretson,  SD.  Alliance
financed  the  acquisition   using  the  combined  equity   investments  of  its
shareholders  and debt  financing  provided  by St.  Paul  Bank.  The  Company's
investment in Alliance is approximately  $16,950,000,  which includes $6,000,000
of  short-term  borrowing  by the Company from St. Paul Bank and  $2,830,000  of
purchase price deposits and acquisition costs incurred prior to March 31, 1996.

     Ollig Utilities Company owns four local exchange telephone  companies which
serve 25,000 access lines in 25 communities in Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa.
Ollig also owns eight cable television systems serving 1,700 customers in twelve
Minnesota  communities and four systems serving 1,500 customers in South Dakota.
Ollig is an investor  in  cellular  telephone  partnerships  serving  five rural
service  areas in Minnesota  and North Dakota and in the  partnership  providing
cellular  service in the Sioux Falls,  SD  metropolitan  area.  Ollig is also an
investor in Rural Cellular Corporation, Minnesota Equal Access Network Services,
Inc., South Dakota Network, Iowa Network Services, Inc., Fibernet Communications
LLC,  Independent  Information  Services and Val-Ed Joint Venture.  Ollig's 1995
revenues were approximately $19,000,000.

                                       8



                HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Item 2.  Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
  Condition and Results of Operations

                 Three Months Ended March 31, 1996 Compared to
                        Three Months Ended March 31, 1995

     Consolidated  revenues  increased  $332,000 or 25%. Revenues from telephone
operations  increased  $176,000,   or  15%.  Local  network  revenues  increased
$113,000,  or 47% due to the local service rate  increase  granted the Company's
Wisconsin telephone  subsidiary in December,  1995. The increase was required to
offset  the impact of  regulatory  changes on this  subsidiary.  Network  access
revenues increased $53,000 or 6% due to higher settlement payments on interstate
access revenues from the National Exchange Carriers Association (NECA). Revenues
from billing and collection  services  provided by the Company to  interexchange
carriers declined $4,000 or 7%. Revenues from nonregulated  activities increased
$14,000,  or 21%.  Cable  television  revenues  increased  $156,000 or 114%. The
increase was due to the August,  1995 acquisition of 22 cable television systems
in south central Minnesota.

     Operating  costs and expenses,  excluding  depreciation  and  amortization,
increased  $150,000,  or  22%.  Telephone  operating  costs  and  administrative
expenses increased $58,000, or 10% due to increased  corporate  expenses.  Cable
television operating costs and administrative expenses increased $92,000, or 92%
due  to  the  acquisition  of  additional   cable  systems.   Depreciation   and
amortization  expenses  increased  $80,000,  or 22%, due to  additional  expense
associated  with  the  cable  system  acquisition.  Operating  income  increased
$102,000, or 38%.

     Interest expense increased $140,000, or 48%, due to interest expense on the
Company's  outstanding   subordinated  debentures  issued  in  February,   1995.
Investment income increased $69,000 due to increased cash balances available for
investment.  Income accrued on investments  in cellular  telephone  partnerships
increased $16,000. The Company recorded gains on sales of marketable  securities
of $688,000 in the 1996 quarter due to sales of  investments  in Rural  Cellular
Corporation  and Telephone and Data Systems,  Inc. The 1995 quarter  included an
unrealized  loss  on  marketable  securities  of  $217,000  due to  declines  in
marketable securities valuations in that period.

     Income  before  income taxes was $821,000 in the 1996 period  compared to a
loss before income taxes of $132,000 in the 1995 period. Net income was $494,000
in 1996 compared to a net loss of $77,000 in 1995.

                      Liquidity and Capital Resources

     On April 25,  1996,  the  Company,  in  association  with two  co-investors
(Golden  West  Telecommunications  Cooperative,  Inc.  and  Split  Rock  Telecom
Cooperative,  Inc.),  acquired Ollig Utilities  Company  ("Ollig"),  a privately
owned  telecommunications  firm  for $80  million  in  cash.  The  purchase  was
accomplished  through a newly  formed  subsidiary,  Alliance  Telecommunications
Corporation ("Alliance"). The Company owns 68% of Alliance.

     Alliance  financed  the  purchase  of  Ollig  using a  combination  of debt
financing  provided by St. Paul Bank and equity  capital  provided by Alliance's
owners. Borrowing by Alliance from St. Paul Bank was $55,250,000 which is in the
form of a term  loan,  with  installment  payments,  maturing  March  31,  2011.
Interest on the loan is at St.  Paul Bank's cost of money plus 1.35%  (currently
6.68%).  Substantially  all the  assets of  Alliance  and Ollig are  pledged  as
collateral under the loan agreement.

                                       9


             HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Liquidity and Capital Resources (continued)
     The Company's equity  investment in Alliance,  including legal and purchase
costs, is approximately  $16,950,000.  The Company financed its investment using
internally  held funds and a  $6,000,000  short-term  bridge  loan from St. Paul
Bank.  The bridge loan  includes  $4,000,000  of debt senior to the  convertible
debentures  issued in 1995 and  $2,000,000 of junior debt. It bears  interest at
St. Paul Bank's  base  lending  rate for  similar  loans  (currently  7.33%) and
matures March 31, 1997.  The loan is secured by a pledge of the Company's  cable
television   assets  and  the  stock  of  one  of  its  local  exchange  carrier
subsidiaries.  The Company is exploring  various  alternatives  to refinance the
bridge loan, including use of public debt or equity markets.

     The Company's  telephone  subsidiaries serve its telephone customers with a
100%-digital  switching network and almost 100% buried outside plant.  Telephone
plant  additions  were  $133,000 in the first quarter of 1996.  Telephone  plant
additions  for the remainder of 1996 are expected to total  $1,500,000  and will
provide customers with additional  advanced switching services as well as expand
the Company's use of high capacity fiber optics in its telephone network.

     The Company has financed its  telephone  asset  additions  from  internally
generated  funds and  drawdowns  of Rural  Utilities  Service  ("RUS") and Rural
Telephone  Bank ("RTB")  loan funds.  The  Company's  average  interest  rate on
outstanding  RUS and RTB  loans  is  4.8%.  Substantially  all of the  Company's
telephone  assets are pledged or are subject to mortgages to secure  obligations
of its  telephone  subsidiaries  to the RUS and RTB. In addition,  the amount of
dividends on common stock that may be paid by the Company's LEC  subsidiaries is
limited by covenants in the mortgages.  The Company is currently applying to the
RUS and RTB for new loans, some of which have received preliminary  approval. At
March  31,  1996,  unadvanced  loan  commitments  from  the RUS and RTB  totaled
$111,000.

     In 1994, the Wisconsin  public service  commission  ("WPSC")  implemented a
rule for interexchange  calls to nearby communities  (Extended Community Calling
or "ECC") which significantly  reduced the Company's  intrastate access revenues
in Wisconsin.  To compensate for the revenue loss,  the Company  applied for and
received a local service rate increase for its Wisconsin  exchanges,  which went
into effect in December, 1995. The Company's local network revenues in the first
quarter  of 1996 were  $100,000  more than in the  comparable  1995  period as a
result of the rate increase.

     In February  1995 the Company  completed a public  offering of  convertible
subordinated  debentures.  Total value of the offering was $12,650,000.  Through
March 31, 1996,  the Company  utilized  the  offering  proceeds to pay down debt
associated with its cable television  operation,  finance cable television plant
additions,   purchase  additional  cable  television  systems  and  for  general
corporate  purposes.  The Company  employed the remaining  offering funds in the
Ollig acquisition.

     In August 1995,  the Company  acquired 22 rural  Minnesota  cable  systems,
serving  approximately  2,000  customers,  from Lake Cable  Partnership for $2.2
million.  Capital  additions to support the  Company's  cable  operations in the
first quarter of 1996 were $71,000.  Cable television  capital additions for the
balance of 1996 are estimated at $250,000.

     The Company's  investment  income has been derived almost  exclusively from
interest earned on its cash and cash equivalents.  Interest income earned by the
Company has fluctuated in relation to changes in interest rates and availability
of  cash  for  investment.  At  December  31,  1995,  the  Company's  marketable
securities  portfolio consisted primarily of 32,802 shares of Telephone and Data
Systems,  Inc.  ("TDS")  common  stock  acquired  in the sale of the  Rochester,
Minnesota  MSA.  The  Company  sold its TDS stock in the first  quarter of 1996.
Gross proceeds from the stock sales were  $1,499,000 and the Company  recorded a
gain on sale of $203,000. In February,  1996, Rural Cellular Corporation ("RCC")
completed an initial offering of its common stock to the

                                       10


                 HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

Liquidity and Capital Resources (continued)
public.  Prior to the offering,  the Company owned 3.72% of RCC. As part of
the offering,  the Company sold 27% of its interest in RCC, with a book value of
$69,000 and recorded a gain on sale of $485,000.

     The Company  produced cash from  operating  activities of $1,669,000 in the
first quarter of 1996. At March 31, 1996, the Company had cash, cash equivalents
and marketable securities of $13,257,000 and working capital of $10,569,000.  By
utilizing  committed  loan funds,  cash flow from  operations  and current  cash
balances,  the Company feels it has adequate resources to meet the liquidity and
capital expenditure  requirements of its existing operations.  Subsequent to the
end of the quarter,  the Company utilized  approximately  $8,100,000 of cash and
cash  equivalents  and  $6,000,000  of  short-term  borrowing  to  complete  the
acquisition of Ollig Utilities  Company.  The Company believes it has sufficient
internal  resources  and  sufficient  access to capital  markets  to  profitably
integrate this acquisition into its operations.
 .


                        PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Items 1 - 6.  Not Applicable


Signatures

     Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereto duly authorized.

                                         Hector Communications Corporation

                                         By  Charles A. Braun         
                                             Charles A. Braun
                                             Chief Financial Officer
Date:  May 13, 1996


                                       11



                          HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES
                                              EXHIBIT 11
                                   CALCULATION OF EARNINGS PER SHARE

                                                                                Three Months Ended March 31
                                                                                ___________________________
Primary:                                                                              1996           1995
_______                                                                         _____________ _____________

                                                                                                 
Net income (loss)                                                                    $493,803      ($76,819)
                                                                                _____________ _____________
                                                                                _____________ _____________

Common and common equivalent shares:

  Weighted average number of common
  shares outstanding                                                                1,880,294     1,877,850

  Dilutive effect of convertible preferred
  shares outstanding                                                                  389,487       392,287

  Dilutive effect of stock options outstanding after
  application of treasury stock method (1)                                              4,775

  Weighted average number of unallocated shares
  held by employee stock ownership plan                                               (18,556)     (16,137)
                                                                                _____________ _____________
                                                                                    2,256,000     2,254,000
                                                                                _____________ _____________
                                                                                _____________ _____________

Net income (loss) per common and common equivalent share                                 $.22         ($.03)
                                                                                _____________  _____________
                                                                                _____________  _____________

Fully Diluted (2):
_____________

Net income (loss)                                                                    $493,803       ($76,819)
Interest on convertible debentures, net of tax                                        189,654
                                                                                _____________   _____________
  Adjusted net income (loss)                                                         $683,457       ($76,819)
                                                                                _____________   _____________
                                                                                _____________   _____________

Common and common equivalent shares:

  Weighted average number of common
  shares outstanding                                                                1,880,294       1,877,850

  Assumed conversion of convertible debentures
  into common stock                                                                 1,423,125

  Dilutive effect of convertible preferred
  shares outstanding                                                                  389,487         392,287

  Dilutive effect of stock options outstanding after
  application of treasury stock method (1)                                              4,775

  Weighted average number of unallocated shares
  held by employee stock ownership plan                                               (18,556)        (16,137)
                                                                                _____________    _____________
                                                                                    3,679,125        2,254,000
                                                                                _____________    _____________
                                                                                _____________    _____________

Net income (loss) per common share - assuming full dilution                              $.19            ($.03)
                                                                                _____________    _____________
                                                                                _____________    _____________

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1)  The effect of outstanding stock options on net income per share is anti-dilutive for the 1995 period.
(2)  The effect of the convertible debentures on net income per share is anti-dilutive for the 1995 period.


                                       12