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
median household income $56,111, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Brainerd
What changed most since 1990
White share97.8% → 91.5%(−6.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree13.8% → 20.3%(+6.6 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$98,403 → $192,500(+96%)US over the same years: +67%
Brainerd's population equals 21% of Crow Wing County's. Its number of households without a car equals 56% of the county's. Its number of people who work from home equals 12% of the county's.
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)10.4%(70)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era23.4%(157)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.9%(53)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.5%(10)
US avg: 1%
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Brainerd, decade by decade
Brainerd population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
12,353
$43,165
$98,403
13.8%
5.5
2000
13,178
$49,004
$122,415
14.1%
11.2
2010
13,590
$42,377
$179,534
19.5%
18.2
2020
14,395
$44,481
$154,777
16.4%
28.7
2024
14,468
$56,111
$192,500
20.3%
20.0
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
