<ARTICLE>                                                 5
<CIK>                                            0000863437
<NAME>                                   HECTOR COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
<MULTIPLIER>                                              1
<CURRENCY>                                     U.S. DOLLARS
                                          
                                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                         9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                               DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                                  JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                                    SEP-30-1998
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                           1
<CASH>                                            7,671,813
<SECURITIES>                                              0
<RECEIVABLES>                                     5,040,856
<ALLOWANCES>                                              0
<INVENTORY>                                       1,415,867
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                 14,380,763
<PP&E>                                           72,522,021
<DEPRECIATION>                                   23,013,251
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                  146,878,177
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                            10,255,749
<BONDS>                                          96,407,909
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                     0
<PREFERRED>                                         342,800
<COMMON>                                             26,611
<OTHER-SE>                                       20,318,876
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                    146,878,177
<SALES>                                          23,299,598
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                 23,299,598
<CGS>                                            14,930,349
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                    14,930,349
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                 (2,424,724)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                          0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                5,388,494
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                   5,405,479
<INCOME-TAX>                                      2,379,000
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                               3,026,479
<DISCONTINUED>                                            0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                           0
<CHANGES>                                                 0
<NET-INCOME>                                      2,086,566
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                          0.90
<EPS-DILUTED>                                          0.71