Jobs, pay and daily life in Brainerd, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Brainerd is a city in Minnesota with 14,468 residents. The median household earns $56,111 a year and the median rent is $827 a month, which is 17.7% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Brainerd compares. Among the 80 largest places in Minnesota, Brainerd is #76 by population, #1 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #78 for household income (#1 = highest), #77 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Crow Wing County, is #54 of 87 counties for average pay ($53,044).
Brainerd has 14,468 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Minnesota. It covers 12 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,193 people per square mile. The median age is 35.1, 10% younger than the state median (35.1 against 38.8).
The median gross rent is $827 a month (rent plus utilities), 35% below the state median ($827 against $1,280). Over a year that is 17.7% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $192,500, which is 3.4 times the median household income ($56,111); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 56.5% of households own their home, 22% below the state average (56.5% against 72.2%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Crow Wing County was 4.5%. 64.6% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Crow Wing County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 72.5% drive alone, 1.0% use public transit, 2.7% walk, 7.5% work from home. 11.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 13% above the state average (11.8% against 10.5%).
20.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 48% below the state share (20.3% against 39.4%). 1.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 88% below the state share (1.0% against 8.7%). The poverty rate is 15.0%, 61% above the state rate (15.0% against 9.3%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 71°F (21.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 8°F (-13.1°C). About 691 mm (27 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Jun is the wettest month (105 mm) and Jan the driest (14 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Sartell (51 miles, rent 54% higher); St. Cloud (57 miles, rent 21% higher); Alexandria (65 miles, rent 13% higher); Monticello (76 miles, rent 70% higher). Rent differences are against Brainerd; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Minnesota (792) →State guide: MinnesotaCountry guideCrow Wing CountyMinnesota rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 792 federal postings open in Minnesota (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.0% |
| Retail trade | 14.8% |
| Manufacturing | 10.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 9.1% |
| Construction | 9.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.2% |
| Other services | 5.0% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.4% |
| Public administration | 2.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.3% |
| Information | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Brainerd lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crow Wing County | 67,686 | $4,044 million | $59,744 | 31,053 | 2,376 | $53,044 | +1.5% | 4.5% | 34,170 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 5,986 | 22.6% | $63,898 | 1.34 |
| Retail trade | 4,739 | 17.9% | $40,342 | 1.53 |
| Accommodation and food services | 4,277 | 16.1% | $25,882 | 1.51 |
| Manufacturing | 2,950 | 11.1% | $58,356 | 1.16 |
| Construction | 2,200 | 8.3% | $76,048 | 1.35 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,144 | 4.3% | $81,719 | 0.91 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,104 | 4.2% | $28,849 | 1.18 |
| Professional and technical services | 805 | 3.0% | $76,301 | 0.37 |
| Wholesale trade | 778 | 2.9% | $65,154 | 0.64 |
| Administrative and waste services | 709 | 2.7% | $38,961 | 0.39 |
| Educational services | 620 | 2.3% | $24,904 | 0.97 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 396 | 1.5% | $26,788 | 0.76 |
| Information | 369 | 1.4% | $74,454 | 0.63 |
| Real estate and rental | 272 | 1.0% | $44,246 | 0.56 |
| Management of companies | 88 | 0.3% | $65,516 | 0.17 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 61 | 0.2% | $29,142 | 0.24 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 72.5% |
| Public transit | 1.0% |
| Walk | 2.7% |
| Work from home | 7.5% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,111 |
| Income per person | $31,316 |
| Median gross rent per month | $827 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.7% |
| Median home value | $192,500 |
| Homeowners | 56.5% |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 9.85%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 35.1 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 92.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 20.3% |
| Born abroad | 1.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 64.6% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | -13.1 | 8 | 14 |
| Feb | -11.2 | 12 | 18 |
| Mar | -2.4 | 28 | 33 |
| Apr | 5.3 | 42 | 60 |
| May | 12.3 | 54 | 87 |
| Jun | 18.4 | 65 | 105 |
| Jul | 21.9 | 71 | 99 |
| Aug | 20.6 | 69 | 78 |
| Sep | 15.6 | 60 | 74 |
| Oct | 6.5 | 44 | 71 |
| Nov | -1.3 | 30 | 27 |
| Dec | -9.3 | 15 | 25 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sartell | MN | 51 mi | 19,758 | $84,131 | $1,275 |
| St. Cloud | MN | 57 mi | 70,629 | $61,374 | $1,003 |
| Alexandria | MN | 65 mi | 14,735 | $61,374 | $934 |
| Monticello | MN | 76 mi | 14,858 | $79,534 | $1,405 |
| Elk River | MN | 77 mi | 26,793 | $108,741 | $1,283 |
| Otsego | MN | 80 mi | 22,245 | $119,927 | $1,765 |
| Buffalo | MN | 83 mi | 16,499 | $88,820 | $1,182 |
| St. Michael | MN | 84 mi | 20,010 | $131,274 | $1,483 |
| Ramsey | MN | 84 mi | 28,421 | $116,415 | $1,826 |
| Bemidji | MN | 85 mi | 15,569 | $55,405 | $1,067 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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14,468 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$827 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.7% of the median household income.
$56,111 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.5% (BLS county, Crow Wing County (latest month 2026M09)).
Minnesota. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.