United States › Minnesota › Brainerd CITY
Brainerd Minnesota · 14,428 residents (2025 est.) · 12.1 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 14,468 people, Brainerd is a city in Minnesota. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. That trails the Minnesota median by roughly 37%. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. The typical home is worth $192,500, having roughly tripled since 2000. This skews young, with a median age of 35.1.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 35.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
20% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 57%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 13,178 in 2000
14,428 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,193 / sq mi
+5%since 2009
from 1,135 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 32.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
12K 13K 13K 14K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Brainerd Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $56,111
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,901 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,744 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.427 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.7%
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
Education & health services 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$192,500
+57%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$827
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $445 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 53.9% in 2000
43.5% rent
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.03 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 32.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 44.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 4.2 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.4%(12,567)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(113)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.5%(13,236)
Hispanic / Latino 3.1%(446)
from 11 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 14.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 83.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 75.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 63.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 74.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 75.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 42.3%(2,235)
Women 15+
Never married 33.2%(2,093)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 13.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 39.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 55.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 55.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 23.1%(155)
Gulf War (1990s) 10.4%(70)
Share of the 671 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Brainerd, Minnesota? Brainerd, Minnesota has about 14,468 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Brainerd, Minnesota? The typical household in Brainerd, Minnesota earns about $56,111 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Brainerd, Minnesota expensive? In Brainerd, Minnesota, the median home is worth about $192,500, and the typical rent is about $827 a month.
How educated are people in Brainerd, Minnesota? About 20.3% of adults age 25 and over in Brainerd, Minnesota hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Brainerd, Minnesota? About 15.0% of people in Brainerd, Minnesota live below the federal poverty line.
Has Brainerd, Minnesota grown since 1990? Yes, Brainerd, Minnesota has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,115 residents, a change of about 17 percent over that period.
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