MICROPOLITAN AREA
Brainerd Micro
Brainerd, MN · 2 counties · 100,562 residents (2025 est.) · 3,020 sq mi
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Notable rankings
#40Highest homeownership rateof 92579.9%The short version
Brainerd is a metro area of 98,678 people. The median age is 47.0, about 8 years above the US median. That puts it in the top 8% of US metro areas for household income. 80% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 1%. There are 33 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
28% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 62%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
98,678
+20%since 2000
from 82,249 in 2000
100,562 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
3,020 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
202499K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.7%(4,675)
5 to 95.6%(5,513)
10 to 146.2%(6,094)
15 to 195.7%(5,581)
20 to 244.6%(4,553)
25 to 3410.1%(9,925)
35 to 4411.3%(11,151)
45 to 5410.8%(10,623)
55 to 6415.7%(15,492)
65 to 7415.1%(14,858)
75 to 847.6%(7,524)
85 and over2.7%(2,689)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$71,422
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,514 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
47.8%
+24.9 ptssince 2009
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.2%
Retail trade10.3%
Wholesale trade10.1%
Other services6.3%
Public administration4.4%
Finance & insurance4.2%
Professional, scientific, technical3.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2%
Construction1.8%
Transportation & warehousing1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.4%
Education & health services0.6%
Manufacturing0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$300,990
+62%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $101,961 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
4.2
−2%since 2009
from 4.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
62
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic93.6%(76,957)
Black0.2%(198)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(601)
Asian0.3%(221)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(88,133)
Black0.4%(424)
Hispanic / Latino1.7%(1,654)
Asian0.4%(410)
Other8.2%(8,057)
24
+50%since 2009
from 16 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
35
−15%since 2020
from 41 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican1.1%(1,094)
South American0.1%(116)
Central American0.1%(98)
Cuban0.1%(87)
Puerto Rican0.1%(77)
Spaniard0.1%(66)
Guatemalan0%(47)
Colombian0%(42)
Panamanian0%(30)
Ecuadorian0%(28)
Honduran0%(18)
Venezuelan0%(16)
Asian origin
Filipino0.2%(155)
Korean0.1%(87)
Japanese0%(45)
Chinese0%(40)
Hmong0%(38)
Asian Indian0%(25)
Vietnamese0%(13)
Thai0%(10)
Pakistani0%(5)
Indonesian0%(4)
Ancestry
German32.5%(32,097)
Norwegian13.4%(13,208)
Irish10.6%(10,431)
Swedish8%(7,866)
English7.9%(7,799)
Polish4.6%(4,552)
American3.9%(3,869)
French3.8%(3,731)
Italian2.2%(2,188)
Finnish2%(1,952)
Dutch1.5%(1,457)
Scottish1.4%(1,335)
+ 36 more ancestry groups with data
Czech1.2%(1,220)
Danish1.1%(1,044)
French Canadian1%(1,004)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(607)
Welsh0.5%(482)
Russian0.4%(431)
Belgian0.3%(306)
Ukrainian0.3%(284)
Hungarian0.3%(253)
British0.2%(239)
Subsaharan African0.2%(211)
Swiss0.2%(199)
Greek0.2%(194)
Croatian0.2%(165)
Arab0.2%(150)
Slovene0.2%(150)
Austrian0.1%(126)
Lebanese0.1%(125)
Serbian0.1%(98)
Canadian0.1%(69)
Slovak0.1%(69)
Lithuanian0.1%(66)
Ethiopian0.2%(51)
West Indian0.1%(51)
Romanian0%(46)
Ghanaian0%(36)
Nigerian0%(31)
Kenyan0%(27)
Turkish0.1%(18)
Portuguese0%(17)
Jamaican0%(14)
Syrian0%(8)
Armenian0%(8)
Iranian0%(8)
Australian0%(2)
Somali0%(2)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
94.5%
+9.0 ptssince 2000
from 85.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2020
from 75.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
95.7%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 91.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.8%(11,918)
Married56.2%(23,281)
Widowed3.5%(1,435)
Divorced11.6%(4,817)
Women 15+
Never married22.9%(9,363)
Married55.1%(22,581)
Widowed10.7%(4,361)
Divorced11.3%(4,640)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
21.0%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
4.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 5.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.0%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 67.9% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
50.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 47.1% 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)15.9%(1,090)
Gulf War (1990s)14.9%(1,021)
Vietnam era42.5%(2,910)
Korean War5.8%(399)
World War II1.2%(80)
Share of the 6,847 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
In this metro
Largest cities
BrainerdCENTRAL14,428Baxter9,217Breezy Point2,771Pequot Lakes2,483Crosslake2,412Crosby2,330Nisswa2,217East Gull Lake1,184Lake Shore1,127Walker976Pine River911Emily870Motley688Cass Lake677Deerwood572Ironton560Pillager541Jenkins515Fifty Lakes462Remer380Cuyuna340Hackensack306Backus264Garrison201Longville157Bena156Chickamaw Beach123Merrifield121Federal Dam116Trommald113
The 30 most populous of 35 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.
What's inside
2 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Brainerd
Kankakee
Pop 105,525
Adrian
Pop 97,779
Grand Forks
Pop 105,046
Ithaca
Pop 104,047
Places similar to BrainerdHead to head
Compare Brainerd side by side
BRAINERD VS
Kankakee
Income$71,281same
Home value$192,600−36%
Population105,525+5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BRAINERD VS
Adrian
Income$70,518−1%
Home value$196,800−35%
Population97,779−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BRAINERD VS
Grand Forks
Income$69,566−3%
Home value$243,841−19%
Population105,046+4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BRAINERD VS
Ithaca
Income$74,024+4%
Home value$290,900−3%
Population104,047+3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Brainerd, MN?
Brainerd, MN has about 98,678 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Brainerd, MN?
The typical household in Brainerd, MN earns about $71,422 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Brainerd, MN expensive?
In Brainerd, MN, the median home is worth about $300,990, and the typical rent is about $937 a month.
How educated are people in Brainerd, MN?
About 28.3% of adults age 25 and over in Brainerd, MN hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Brainerd, MN?
About 10.8% of people in Brainerd, MN live below the federal poverty line.
Has Brainerd, MN grown since 1990?
Yes, Brainerd, MN has grown since 1990. The population has added about 32,638 residents, a change of about 49 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024