Brainerd, MN

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

97,801

0.986% 1-year growth

US Senator

Amy Klobuchar

Democratic(DFL) Party

US Senator

Tina Smith

Democratic(DFL) Party

2023 Median Age

46.7

0.647% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

10.6%

3.25% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$69,311

6.67% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$270,500

10.9% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

44,513

1.43% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Brainerd, MN had a population of 97.8k people with a median age of 46.7 and a median household income of $69,311. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Brainerd, MN grew from 96,846 to 97,801, a 0.986% increase and its median household income grew from $64,975 to $69,311, a 6.67% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Brainerd, MN are White (Non-Hispanic) (89.7%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.98%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (3.21%), Two+ (Hispanic) (0.683%), and White (Hispanic) (0.606%).

None of the households in Brainerd, MN reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.5% of the residents in Brainerd, MN are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Brainerd, MN are Central Lakes College-Brainerd (876 degrees awarded in 2023) and Leech Lake Tribal College (42 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Brainerd, MN was $270,500, and the homeownership rate was 79.7%.

Most people in Brainerd, MN drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Brainerd, MN was 2 cars per household.

Brainerd, MN borders Bemidji, MN, Grand Rapids, MN, and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.

United States Minnesota

Population & Diversity

Brainerd, MN is home to a population of 97.8k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 1.42% of Brainerd, MN residents were born outside of the country (1.39k people).

In 2023, there were 22.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (87.7k people) in Brainerd, MN than any other race or ethnicity. There were 3.89k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 3.14k American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%

2023 Citizenship

99.5%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.5% of Brainerd, MN residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Brainerd, MN was 99.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Brainerd, MN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Brainerd, MN

White (Non-Hispanic)
87.7k ± 256
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
3.89k ± 324
American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic)
3.14k ± 152

1.59%

Hispanic Population

1.55k people

1.59% of the people in Brainerd, MN are hispanic (1.55k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Brainerd, MN as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Minnesota.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
53,321 ± 5,642 people
Somalia
38,263 ± 4,786 people
India
30,262 ± 4,259 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Minnesota was Mexico, the natal country of 53,321 Minnesota residents, followed by Somalia with 38,263 and India with 30,262.

Foreign-Born Population

1.42%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.39k people

1.36%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

1.32k people

As of 2023, 1.42% of Brainerd, MN residents (1.39k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Brainerd, MN was 1.36%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Brainerd, MN compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
2,931 ± 215
Gulf War (2001-)
1,119 ± 182
Gulf War (1990s)
621 ± 110

Brainerd, MN has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.62 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Brainerd, MN employs 44.5k people. The largest industries in Brainerd, MN are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,043 people), Retail Trade (5,390 people), and Construction (4,433 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($114,464), Utilities ($83,295), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($74,479).

Males in Minnesota have an average income that is 1.27 times higher than the average income of females, which is $68,089. The income inequality in Minnesota (measured using the Gini index) is 0.458, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

44.5k

2023 Value

± 1,096

1.43%

1 Year growth

± 3.46%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Brainerd, MN grew at a rate of 1.43%, from 43.9k employees to 44.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Brainerd, MN, are Management Occupations (4,933 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,538 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (4,446 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Brainerd, MN.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Minnesota (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

44.5k

2023 Value

± 1,096

1.43%

1 Year growth

± 3.46%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Brainerd, MN grew at a rate of 1.43%, from 43.9k employees to 44.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Brainerd, MN, are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,043 people), Retail Trade (5,390 people), and Construction (4,433 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Brainerd, MN, though some of these residents may live in Brainerd, MN and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,984

Median earning men ± $1,384

$36,379

Median earning women ± $1,283

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Public Administration ($70,685), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($68,911), and Information ($67,679).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Public Administration ($56,833), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($49,286), and Construction ($48,393).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

Y-Axis

2.26%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 2.93M people employed in Minnesota. This represents a 2.26% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 13.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Minnesota.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

354
Construction
220
Retail Trade
180
Other Services (except Public Administration)

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$403k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$220k
Retail Trade
$187k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Minnesota went to Kamala Harris with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.738%).

Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are the senators currently representing the state of Minnesota. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Minnesota is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Brainerd, MN. Showing the available data for Minnesota.

2024 Election Results

Kamala Harris (50.9%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (46.7%)
Republican Party
Robert Kennedy (0.738%)
Independent Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Minnesota went to Kamala Harris with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.7%), followed by Robert Kennedy (0.738%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Minnesota for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Minnesota

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

Amy Klobuchar

Senator from Minnesota

Assumed office on January 3, 2007
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) is the Minnesota affiliate of the U.S. Democratic Party and its members are counted as Democrats.

Tina Smith

Senator from Minnesota

Assumed office on January 3, 2018
Appointed to the seat following the resignation of Al Franken.

Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith are the senators currently representing Minnesota.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Minnesota over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Minnesota

Minnesota is currently represented by 8 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Minnesota have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2023, universities in Brainerd, MN awarded 918 degrees. The student population of Brainerd, MN in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 2,015 male students and 2,760 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Brainerd, MN are White (793 and 86.6%), followed by Two or More Races (33 and 3.6%), American Indian or Alaska Native (32 and 3.49%), and Hispanic or Latino (23 and 2.51%).

The largest universities in Brainerd, MN by number of degrees awarded are Central Lakes College-Brainerd (876 and 95.4%) and Leech Lake Tribal College (42 and 4.58%).

The most popular majors in Brainerd, MN are Liberal Arts & Sciences (328 and 35.7%), Registered Nursing (82 and 8.93%), and Farm & Ranch Management (64 and 6.97%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 4,775 students enrolled in Brainerd, MN, 42.2% men and 57.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 3,728 records, of which 58% were women and 42% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
82 degrees awarded
Criminal Justice - Police Science
13 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
313 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Brainerd, MN was Registered Nursing with 82 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Brainerd, MN according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Central Lakes College-Brainerd
876 degrees awarded
Leech Lake Tribal College
42 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Central Lakes College-Brainerd with 876 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2023, 409 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Brainerd, MN, which is 0.804 times less than the 509 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 793 degrees mean that there were 24 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Two or More Races, with 33 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($4,656) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($523) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($835) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

Measure

In 2022, 0.877% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.991% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.07M), Bachelors Degree (1.04M), and Some college (962k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Brainerd, MN was $270,500 in 2023, which is 0.892 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $244,000 to $270,500, a 10.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Brainerd, MN is 79.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Brainerd, MN have an average commute time of 23.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Brainerd, MN is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Brainerd, MN is $69,311. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Brainerd, MN was Carver County, MN with a value of $123,144, followed by Scott County, MN and Washington County, MN, with respective values of $120,247 and $114,457.

Housing

Property

$270,500

Median Property Value 2023

±$4,822

$33,106

Median Property Taxes

±$816

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Brainerd, MN the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Brainerd, MN compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

79.7%

Homeownership

2023

65.7%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 79.7% of the housing units in Brainerd, MN were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 79.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Brainerd, MN compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Brainerd, MN was Carver County, MN with a value of $123,144, followed by Scott County, MN and Washington County, MN, with respective values of $120,247 and $114,457.

The following map shows all of the counties in Brainerd, MN colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$69,311

Median Household Income

± $1,667

41.5k

Number of Households

± 1,033

In 2023, the median household income of the 41.5k households in Brainerd, MN grew to $69,311 from the previous year's value of $64,975.

The following chart displays the households in Brainerd, MN distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Brainerd, MN is from Minnesota.

0.458

2022 Wage GINI in Minnesota

0.459

2021 Wage GINI in Minnesota

In 2022, the income inequality in Minnesota was 0.458 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.267% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Minnesota was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Minnesota in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Minnesota across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (75.1%)
Worked At Home (11.2%)
Carpooled (9.4%)

In 2023, 75.1% of workers in Brainerd, MN drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (11.2%) and those who carpooled to work (9.4%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Brainerd, MN have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.48% of the workforce in Brainerd, MN have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Brainerd, MN compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Brainerd, MN distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Brainerd, MN have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

10.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Brainerd, MN (10.3k out of 96.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 55 - 64, followed by Males 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Brainerd, MN is White, followed by Native American and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

93.9% of the population of Brainerd, MN has health coverage, with 38.5% on employee plans, 19.7% on Medicaid, 18.6% on Medicare, 15% on non-group plans, and 2.09% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Minnesota see 1110 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.726% increase from the previous year (1102 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1307 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 322 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Minnesota.

1,110 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Minnesota

Primary care physicians in Minnesota see an average of 1,110 patients per year. This represents a 0.726% increase from the previous year (1,102 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Minnesota in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.8% under 18 years, 15.5% between 18 and 34 years, 38.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 24.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.6% were men and 50.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.14%

Uninsured

38.5%

Employer Coverage

19.7%

Medicaid

18.6%

Medicare

15%

Non-Group

2.09%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Brainerd, MN declined by 5.86% from 6.52% to 6.14%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Brainerd, MN changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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