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Living in
Brainerd.
About
Life in Brainerd
Living in Brainerd means embracing a quieter pace in a genuinely affordable Midwest town where you can actually build a life without the financial strain of bigger cities. Housing runs around $192,500 median home value with rent averaging $827 a month, and with a 4.8% unemployment rate and median household income near $56,111, the job market is stable if not explosive—the economy centers on healthcare, retail, and light industry rather than one dominant employer. The winters are legitimately brutal with severe cold and heavy snow, while summers get warm and humid, so you're signing up for dramatic seasonal shifts that test your commitment, though the payoff is that 460 lakes within 25 miles draw people who stay for genuine outdoor access to fishing, boating, and water recreation year-round.
Brainerd at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.1 yrs
Poverty Rate
15.0%
Foreign-Born
1.0%
Broadband Internet
87.3%
of households
Population Growth
+0.4%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics1.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Brainerd: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Brainerd, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (23.6%), and 1.2% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
22.1%
of residents
65 and Older
17.7%
of residents
Households with Kids
26.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
35.6%
of households
Married Couples
35.4%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.17
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 35% below MN average
Rent, home values, and income in Brainerd
In Brainerd, rent runs 35% below the MN average, and home values are 42% below the MN average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
36.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
14.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$2,082
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
56.5%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
6.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $312,858 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.9 pts above MN average
Unemployment in Brainerd
Unemployment in Crow Wing County, which includes Brainerd, is 0.9 percentage points higher than the MN average.
Unemployment rate
Brainerd: Crow Wing County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Crow Wing County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Brainerd Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.8 min avg
How Brainerd residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Brainerd, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)
Regional airport · few flights17k passengers boarded in 2025
- 112 mi
Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)
Major hub17.5M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 24% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Brainerd runs 24% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
249.9
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,582.5
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Brainerd Police Department
Natural DisastersHeavy Snow most common — 19 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
77.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Crow Wing County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Crow Wing County, which includes Brainerd, the most common type is heavy snow, with 19 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 13 | Drought | $1.5M |
| 2023 | 16 | Drought | None reported |
| 2022 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $155,000 |
| 2021 | 14 | Drought | None reported |
| 2020 | 18 | Heavy Snow | $10,000 |
| 2019 | 13 | Heavy Snow | $200,000 |
| 2018 | 15 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Crow Wing County, county-wide
Air Quality37 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Crow Wing County, which includes Brainerd, is typically good — 284 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
37
Good Days
284
per year
Moderate Days
67
per year
Unhealthy Days
5
per year
Crow Wing County, county-wide
Climate78°F summers, 2°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Brainerd has mild summers (avg high 78°F) and very cold winters (avg low 2°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
53°/29°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
78°/55°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
54°/34°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
23°/2°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
30.6"
Annual Snowfall
48.2"
Hot Days/Year
5
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
185
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
113
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 20°F | -2°F | 0.80" |
| Feb | 25°F | 1°F | 0.78" |
| Mar | 38°F | 15°F | 1.47" |
| Apr | 53°F | 29°F | 2.54" |
| May | 67°F | 43°F | 3.93" |
| Jun | 76°F | 53°F | 4.64" |
| Jul | 80°F | 58°F | 4.37" |
| Aug | 78°F | 55°F | 3.59" |
| Sep | 70°F | 46°F | 3.00" |
| Oct | 55°F | 34°F | 2.98" |
| Nov | 38°F | 21°F | 1.49" |
| Dec | 25°F | 7°F | 1.04" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Brainerd
Brainerd has 1 hospital, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Essentia Health St Joseph's Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Community Behavioral Health Hospital - Baxter
Psychiatric · 2.8 mi away · Baxter
Cuyuna Regional Medical Center
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 14.9 mi away · Crosby
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.9:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Brainerd
Brainerd's student/teacher ratio is 14.9:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 20.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
20.3%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Brainerd
Central Lakes College-Brainerd
Public · 2-year · 1,614 students · in-state tuition $6,476 · 42% graduate · median earnings $46,663 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, 99 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Brainerd
Brainerd has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (99 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
National Scenic Riverway
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Brainerd
Brainerd Public Library
416 S 5th Street, Brainerd
Cities Near Brainerd
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Brainerd?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Brainerd FAQ
Is Brainerd, Minnesota affordable?⌄
Brainerd's median rent is $827/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $56,111/year. Median home value is $192,500.
Is Brainerd, Minnesota safe?⌄
Brainerd's violent crime rate was 250 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1583 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Brainerd, Minnesota?⌄
Crow Wing County, which includes Brainerd, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Brainerd, Minnesota?⌄
The cost of living in Brainerd is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $827/month and median household income is $56,111/year. The median home value is $192,500. About 37% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Brainerd, Minnesota?⌄
The average commute in Brainerd is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from