Brainerd, MN: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Brainerd ( BRAY-nərd) is a city in and the county seat of Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. Its population was 14,395 at the 2020 census. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from its confluence with the Crow Wing River, having been founded as a site for a railroad crossing above the confluence. The Brainerd micropolitan area includes Cass and Crow Wing counties and had a population of 96,189 at the 2020 census. The city is well known for being the partial setting of the 1996 film Fargo.

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Brainerd ranks

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#7Rent easiest to afford in MN #28Cheapest rent in MN #35Most affordable in MN All MN rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code56401

Area code218

Living in Brainerd

Housing in Brainerd

$315K▲ 3.6% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Brainerd home is worth about $315,000, up 3.6% in a year, 10% below the Minnesota typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market23

Sale-to-list98.7%

Sold in May26

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Brainerd

C⁻

Safety Grade C-

Brainerd reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 79% report less.

Violent crime per 1,000

Brainerd 2.5

Minnesota 2.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Brainerd 15.7

Minnesota 14.3

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Brainerd

B⁻

Health Grade B−

Healthier than 47% of U.S. towns on seven CDC estimates, and 78% of towns with similar incomes.

Compared with Minnesota

17worse than MN

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 15 are too close to call.

Conditions 4▼ 8 close Habits 2▼ 2 close Care 4▼ 3 close Mind 3▼ 2 close Everyday needs 4▼ 0 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

15.2%More older adults who have lost all their teethMN 8.9% · worse 17.7%More smokersMN 13.1% · worse 7.5%More adults facing a utility shut-offMN 5.7% · worse

Care nearby

Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical CenterBrainerd · 0.5 mi · ER

Scenic Rivers Health ServicesFloodwood · 72.7 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careNo shortage

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Brainerd · CMS · HRSAHealth in Brainerd →

Schools in Brainerd

All Brainerd schools →

B⁺

School Grade B+

The public schools Brainerd’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 72% of Minnesota’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#101Best public schoolsof 230 in MN

DistrictBRAINERD PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTSchools13

Riverside Elementary B+Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 407 students Lowell Elementary AElementary · Grades K–4 · 355 students Garfield Elementary B-Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 250 students Harrison Elementary B+Elementary · Grades PK–4 · 230 students Discovery Woods CElementary · Grades PK–6 · 101 students St. Francis of the Lakes Catholic SchoolElementary · Grades PK–8 · 238 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within MN. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from BrainerdWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Brainerd.Meet them →