Brainerd receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Brainerd
Bemidji
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 6%
vs24 · Bottom 3%
Growth
66 · Top 23%
vs51 · Top 49%
Climate
49 · Bottom 1%
vs45 · Bottom 1%
Physical resilience
71 · Top 34%
vs68 · Top 40%
Housing affordability
95 · Top 19%
vs82 · Top 48%
Schools
62 · Top 36%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Access
12 · Bottom 1%
vs34 · Bottom 1%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 37%
vs44 · Bottom 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Brainerd | Bemidji | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 14,468 | 15,569 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,111 | $55,405 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,316 | $31,542 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,193/sq mi | 893/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $192,500 | $198,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $827 | $1,067 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.5% | 43.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 6.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -3.1% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.3% | 32.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 15.0% | 21.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 159 | 43 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.0 | 2.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 28.2% | 104.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 82°F | 79°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 0°F | -4°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 24.5" | 26.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 101 mi | 99 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 18.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.1 | 30.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.86 | 14.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 57.9% | 48.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 51.8% | 46.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 42.3% | 44.5% | 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
Brainerd
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding, tornado.
Bemidji
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Brainerd, MN · Bemidji, MN · How this is calculated: methodology