Alexandria receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Alexandria
Brainerd
Opportunity
44 · Bottom 24%
vs30 · Bottom 6%
Growth
65 · Top 25%
vs66 · Top 23%
Climate
50 · Bottom 1%
vs49 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
96 · Top 2%
vs71 · Top 34%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 46%
vs95 · Top 19%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs62 · Top 36%
Access
34 · Bottom 1%
vs12 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
53 · Bottom 36%
vs54 · Bottom 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Alexandria | Brainerd | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,735 | 14,468 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,374 | $56,111 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,095 | $31,316 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 856/sq mi | 1,193/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $275,300 | $192,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $934 | $827 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.4% | 56.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.5% | -3.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 20.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.0% | 15.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 177 | 159 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 12.0 | 11.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -30.0% | 28.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 82°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 2°F | 0°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.1" | 24.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 99 mi | 101 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.1 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.8 | 35.1 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 15.21 | 14.86 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 59.2% | 57.9% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.9% | 51.8% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 30.0% | 42.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Alexandria
Elevated or high exposure: tornado.
Brainerd
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Alexandria
61
Your Score
64
Area Score
Brainerd
55
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Alexandria, MN · Brainerd, MN · How this is calculated: methodology