Brainerd is a city located in Crow Wing County Minnesota. Brainerd has a 2024 population of 14,614. It is also the county seat of Crow Wing County. Brainerd is currently growing at a rate of 0.35% annually and its population has increased by 1.42% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 14,409 in 2020.
The average household income in Brainerd is $65,903 with a poverty rate of 16.71%. The median age in Brainerd is 36.1 years: 35.9 years for males, and 36.8 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Brainerd was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 13,190 | 91.13% |
| Two or more races | 476 | 3.29% |
| Other race | 271 | 1.87% |
| Native American | 235 | 1.62% |
| Black or African American | 230 | 1.59% |
| Asian | 72 | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0 | 0% |
White
Two or more races
Other race
Native American
Black or African American
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 6,327 | 2.17 | 57 | 43 |
| Non Family | 2,889 | 1.24 | 43.2 | 56.8 |
| Married | 2,306 | 2.76 | 79.4 | 20.6 |
| Female | 902 | 3.44 | 42.4 | 57.6 |
| Male | 230 | 3.03 | 64.8 | 35.2 |
2.82
Average Family Size
2.17
Average Household Size
57.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 692 | 7.01% |
| Associates Degree | 1,344 | 13.61% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,277 | 12.93% |
| Graduate Degree | 651 | 6.59% |
| High School Graduate | 3,399 | 34.42% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 102 | 1.03% |
| Some College | 2,411 | 24.41% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 8,929 | 8,186 | 1,775 |
| 2+ Races | 274 | 252 | 26 |
| Hispanic | 266 | 262 | 0 |
| Other Race | 183 | 167 | 68 |
| Native American | 177 | 164 | 47 |
| Asian | 72 | 72 | 12 |
| Black | 68 | 68 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among other race people with a rate of 37.16%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $52,813 | $68,056 | $41,836 |
| Graduate Degree | $92,604 | $56,935 | $94,514 |
| High School Graduate | $35,713 | $36,139 | $33,281 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $28,634 | $25,903 | $34,135 |
| Overall | $39,192 | $43,480 | $36,957 |
| Some College | $37,155 | $48,202 | $31,729 |
$39,192
Average Earnings
$43,480
Average Male
$36,957
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
97.89% of Brainerd residents speak only English, while 2.11% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.06% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 12,463 | 1,943 | 15.59% |
| Multiple | 440 | 124 | 28.18% |
| Other | 271 | 116 | 42.8% |
| Black | 206 | 99 | 48.06% |
| Hispanic | 383 | 65 | 16.97% |
| Native | 203 | 13 | 6.4% |
| Asian | 72 | 2 | 2.78% |
16.71%
Overall Poverty Rate
16.14%
Male Poverty Rate
17.2%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Brainerd is Black, with 48.06% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Brainerd is Asian, with 2.78% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.24%. Among those working part-time, it was 16.99%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.83%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 21.61% |
| High School | 16.44% |
| Some College | 14.77% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.65% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 58.27% |
| Female Unemployed | 23.05% |
| Female Employed | 9.2% |
| Male Employed | 6.06% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $66,806 | $79,196 |
| Households | $53,705 | $65,903 |
| Married Families | $86,056 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $39,250 | $45,535 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
40.7%
Overall Marriage Rate
44.3%
Male Marriage Rate
37.6%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
859
Number of Veterans
851
Male Veterans
8
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 224 |
| Vietnam | 201 |
| Korea | 103 |
| First Gulf War | 71 |
| World War II | 5 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 300 |
| 65 to 74 | 219 |
| 18 to 34 | 157 |
| 35 to 54 | 106 |
| 55 to 64 | 77 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 835 | 7.96% |
| Other Race | 14 | 7.22% |
| Native American | 10 | 5.13% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
10.32%
Veteran Poverty Rate
51.85%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
64.3%
Labor Force Participation
59.1%
Employment Rate
8.1%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
80.31%
Born in Brainerd
98.87%
Native Born
1.13%
Foreign Born
0.58%
Non Citizen
0.55%
Naturalized
98.87% of Brainerd residents were born in the United States, with 80.31% having been born in Minnesota. 0.58% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 14,871 | 52 | 0.35% |
| 2028 | 14,819 | 51 | 0.35% |
| 2027 | 14,768 | 51 | 0.35% |
| 2026 | 14,717 | 52 | 0.35% |
| 2025 | 14,665 | 51 | 0.35% |
| 2024 | 14,614 | 51 | 0.35% |
| 2023 | 14,563 | -5 | -0.03% |
| 2022 | 14,568 | 8 | 0.05% |
| 2021 | 14,560 | 151 | 1.05% |
| 2020 | 14,409 | 953 | 7.08% |
| 2019 | 13,456 | -15 | -0.11% |
| 2018 | 13,471 | 81 | 0.6% |
| 2017 | 13,390 | 92 | 0.69% |
| 2016 | 13,298 | -31 | -0.23% |
| 2015 | 13,329 | -66 | -0.49% |
| 2014 | 13,395 | -53 | -0.39% |
| 2013 | 13,448 | -50 | -0.37% |
| 2012 | 13,498 | -37 | -0.27% |
| 2011 | 13,535 | -50 | -0.37% |
| 2010 | 13,585 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 13,178 | 825 | 6.68% |
| 1990 | 12,353 | 864 | 7.52% |
| 1980 | 11,489 | -178 | -1.53% |
| 1970 | 11,667 | -1,231 | -9.54% |
| 1960 | 12,898 | 261 | 2.07% |
| 1950 | 12,637 | 566 | 4.69% |
| 1940 | 12,071 | 1,850 | 18.1% |
| 1930 | 10,221 | 630 | 6.57% |
| 1920 | 9,591 | 1,065 | 12.49% |
| 1910 | 8,526 | 1,002 | 13.32% |
| 1900 | 7,524 | 1,821 | 31.93% |
| 1890 | 5,703 | -9,168 | -61.65% |