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Brainerd, MN micro area: population growth, jobs and income

The Brainerd, MN micro area gained 471 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.5%).

The Brainerd, MN micro area had an estimated 100,562 residents in 2025, up 4.3% (4,126 more people) since 2020.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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Headline numbers

Population, migration, employment, permits, unemployment and income are the figures each agency publishes for the area itself (OMB Bulletin 23-01 delineation; ACS 2016-20 and CBP 2018 use the delineation of their year). IRS migration is the sum of the member counties.

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration added 716 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 35,702 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +7.0% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Builders were authorized to start 896 new homes in 2025, or 8.9 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $71,384 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +26.0% since 2016–20.

Population growth over five years ranks 1st of 19 Minnesota micro areas and 80th of 538 U.S. micro areas.

IRS tax-return data for 2022-2023 show a net gain of 531 people (the sum of its counties).

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How it ranks

MeasureAmong U.S. micro areas
Population growth80th of 538
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents88th of 538
Private-sector job growth138th of 495
Median household income134th of 538
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents23rd of 534

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment), against areas with a figure for the same period.

Fastest-growing metro areas in Minnesota · Fastest-growing metro areas in the U.S.

Get the Crow Wing County report — $99

The County Growth and Demographics Report for Crow Wing County, MN, the principal county of the Brainerd, MN area, as a PDF: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Counties in this micro area

Crow Wing County, MN drove the change: of the 4,126 residents the Brainerd, MN micro area gained from 2020 to 2025 (the sum of its counties), it added 2,848 (69%).

The 2 counties of the Brainerd, MN micro area: Census population estimates
CountyRoleResidents2025Share of residents2025Change2020–2025Share of the change2020–2025
Crow Wing County, MNCentral69,13268.7%+2,848 (+4.3%)69%
Cass County, MNOutlying31,43031.3%+1,278 (+4.2%)31%

Census Bureau population estimates (July 1). Shares are of the member counties' total; a share of the change shows only when every county moved the same way. – means no figure for the common period.

All Minnesota counties

Nearby and similar metro areas

Next to this micro area

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Questions

Is the Brainerd, MN micro area growing?

Yes. Its population grew 4.3% between 2020 and 2025, about 4,126 more people (Census Bureau population estimates).

Which county in the Brainerd, MN micro area is growing fastest?

Crow Wing County, MN. Its population grew 4.3% between 2020 and 2025, the fastest of the 2 member counties (Census Bureau population estimates).

How many people moved to the Brainerd, MN micro area?

On net, about 716 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the population of the Brainerd, MN micro area?

About 100,562 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in the Brainerd, MN micro area?

Private employers there had 35,702 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +7.0% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

Crow Wing County data alerts

Email me when Crow Wing County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Crow Wing County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.