Brainerd, MN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Brainerd, MN Summary

Cost of living in Brainerd research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Brainerd is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Minnesota, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Brainerd is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Brainerd is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Brainerd ranks as the #25 cheapest in Minnesota out of 147.

  • Brainerd ranks as the #2,449 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Brainerd is $134,800.

  • The median income in Brainerd is $41,671.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Brainerd's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Brainerd, MN?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Brainerd has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Minnesota, Brainerd has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Minnesota's index of 95.

The standard of living in Brainerd ranks as #25 most affordable out of the 147 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Brainerd ranks as the #122 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Brainerd, check out:

25 out of 147
In Minnesota
2,449 out of 6,412
In America

Brainerd Cost Of Living Vs. Minnesota

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Brainerd. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Brainerd is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Brainerd is 111.

  • The Health index in Brainerd is 117.

  • The Housing index in Brainerd is 64.

  • The Transportation index in Brainerd is 100.

  • The Utilities index in Brainerd is 99.

Living Expense Brainerd Minnesota National Average
Overall 95 95 100
Services 112 101 100
Groceries 111 98 100
Health 117 111 100
Housing 64 83 100
Transportation 100 98 100
Utilities 99 95 100
For more reading on cost of living around Minnesota, check out:
Brainerd Cost of Living Vs. MN

Brainerd, MN Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Minnesota, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Brainerd is $134,800.

  • The Median Rent in Brainerd is $750.

  • The Median Income in Brainerd is $41,671.

  • The Home Value To Income in Brainerd is 3.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Brainerd is 0.22x.

Statistic Brainerd Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $134,800 $250,200 $244,900
Median Rent $750 $1,081 $1,163
Median Income $41,671 $77,706 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.2x 3.2x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.17x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Brainerd, MN
$134,800
Median Home Value
$750
Median Rent
$41,671
Median Income

Brainerd, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Brainerd Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Shampoo $1.41 $1.06
Movie $11.5 $10.68
Bowling $14.67 $14.67
Haircut $22.14 $18.62
Beauty Salon $32.63 $39.05

Detailed Brainerd Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Ground Beef $4.38 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.87 $1.39
Milk $2.51 $2.05
Potatoes $3.69 $3.29
Pizza $11.82 $10.62
Beer $9.02 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.47 $2.34

Detailed Brainerd Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Optometrist $121.88 $108.57
Doctor $188.46 $116.17
Dentist $98.83 $99.13

Detailed Brainerd Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Gasoline $2.14 $2.22
Tire Balancing $51.67 $50.07

Detailed Brainerd Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
All Electricity $167.38 $167.67
Phone $181.73 $175.64

Brainerd SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
5
Diversity
5
Safety
4
Amenities
8
Education
6
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Brainerd

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Brainerd. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Little Falls, MN has a cost of living index of 97, 1.0x Brainerd.

  • Baxter, MN has a cost of living index of 105, 1.1x Brainerd.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Brainerd
Little Falls, MN 9,049 97 1.0x
Baxter, MN 8,544 105 1.1x

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