CITY PROFILE
Brainerd, MN
WHAT LIVING HERE IS LIKE
Brainerd is a smaller metro in central Minnesota with homes on the pricier side of our dataset, so expect higher housing costs relative to comparable small towns elsewhere. The climate brings cold winters and cool summers, moderate sunshine throughout the year, and moderate rainfall, making it a four-season environment where winter preparation is essential. If you're drawn to a compact community with a genuine seasonal rhythm, this fits that profile—just budget accordingly for both housing and the gear that comes with the climate.
By the numbers
| Typical home value | $363K · Zillow, May 2026 (ZHVI) |
|---|---|
| Typical rent | $1,252/mo · Zillow, May 2026 (ZORI) |
| Average temperature | 5.4°C · warmest 21.9°C · coolest -13.1°C · NASA POWER |
| Annual precipitation | 691 mm · NASA POWER |
| Sunshine (solar energy) | 3.77 kWh/m²/day · NASA POWER (annual mean) |
| Metro size rank (US) | #408 · Zillow SizeRank |
Match scores
- Affordable to buy83
- Affordable to rent85
- Climate comfort10
- Plenty of sunshine36
- Big-city amenities1
Scores are 0–100, normalised across the metros we cover, derived from the sourced figures above (higher = better on that factor). A research aid, not a recommendation to move. Job market, safety, and healthcare access need key-gated feeds (BLS, FBI, Census) not yet wired — see the methodology.
Where to look next
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