What it's like to live in Brainerd
Brainerd is a small city in Minnesota with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Brainerd deals with household incomes below the national average, college degree attainment below the national average, brutally cold winters, and snowy winters.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Low college degree attainment
- Brutally cold winters
- Snowy winters — 48" per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Brainerd compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Brainerd
Based on Brainerd's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,654
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,080 a year
- 37% of Brainerd renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,250
- Homes cost 3.4× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 41% below US
$827/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $827 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $192,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $192,500 · 37% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Crow Wing County is 4.8%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Crow Wing County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 24% below US
250 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1583/100k · Brainerd Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 24% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 78°F, and winters are cold and harsh, with lows dropping to 2°F.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 44% below US
20% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 20%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
10 public schools inside the boundary
There are 10 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 15:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway (99 miles away).
Bottom line
Brainerd's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and college degree attainment below the national average. A year of median rent ($827/mo) equals 18% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive and anyone who dislikes long, cold winters.
Other places near Brainerd
All Minnesota guides →Not sure Brainerd is the one?
Put it side by side with another city.