Brainerd, MN Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

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 #19 cheapest in Minnesota out of 148.

  • Brainerd ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Brainerd is $304,542.

  • The median income in Brainerd is $53,705.

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 97.

The standard of living in Brainerd ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 148 places we measured in Minnesota. By definition, that implies Brainerd ranks as the #129 most expensive place in the North Star State.

For more reading on life in Brainerd, check out:

19 out of 148
In Minnesota
1,954 out of 6,489
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 109.

  • The Groceries index in Brainerd is 99.

  • The Health index in Brainerd is 122.

  • The Housing index in Brainerd is 72.

  • The Transportation index in Brainerd is 97.

  • The Utilities index in Brainerd is 94.

Living Expense Brainerd Minnesota National Average
Overall 95 97 100
Services 109 101 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 122 110 100
Housing 72 100 100
Transportation 97 95 100
Utilities 94 94 100
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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Brainerd is $304,542.

  • The Median Rent in Brainerd is $848.

  • The Median Income in Brainerd is $53,705.

  • The Home Value To Income in Brainerd is 5.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Brainerd is 0.19x.

Statistic Brainerd Minnesota United States
Median Home Value $304,542 $344,484 $303,400
Median Rent $848 $1,235 $1,348
Median Income $53,705 $87,556 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.7x 3.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.17x 0.21x
$304,542
Median Home Value
$848
Median Rent
$53,705
Median Income

Brainerd, MN Costs By Category

Detailed Brainerd Services Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Shampoo $1.52 $1.28
Movie $11.24 $12.13
Bowling $26.39 $18
Haircut $27.97 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.17 $45.56

Detailed Brainerd Groceries Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Ground Beef $5.75 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.35 $1.57
Milk $4.58 $4.67
Potatoes $4.86 $4.93
Pizza $13.07 $12.09
Beer $9.52 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Brainerd Health Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Optometrist $109.94 $125.68
Doctor $162.98 $135.78
Dentist $96.9 $113.29

Detailed Brainerd Transportation Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
Gasoline $3.31 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.97 $59.92

Detailed Brainerd Utilities Costs Vs. Minnesota

Item Brainerd Minnesota
All Electricity $175.69 $193.99
Phone $188.55 $192.25

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 96, 1.0x Brainerd.

  • Baxter, MN has a cost of living index of 107, 1.1x Brainerd.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Brainerd
Little Falls, MN 9,094 96 1.0x
Baxter, MN 8,804 107 1.1x

Articles About Minnesota

Enjoy The Snack?