<ARTICLE>                                                 5
<LEGEND>
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                                            0000863437
<NAME>                                   HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                              1
<CURRENCY>                                                U.S. DOLLARS
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                    DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START>                                       JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END>                                         MAR-31-1997
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                           1
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<ALLOWANCES>                                              0
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<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                   (283,983)
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