<ARTICLE>                                                 5
<CIK>                                            0000863437
<NAME>                                   HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                              1
<CURRENCY>                                                U.S. DOLLARS
       
                                        
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                             9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                    DEC-31-1997
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<PERIOD-END>                                         SEP-30-1997
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