Population 475 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brainard
Household size in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.61 | 2.52 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.35 | 2.62 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.61 | 2.51 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.04 | 2.57 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.32 | −0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Brainard is a place of small households, averaging 2.04 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.36 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.6 | 36.0 | 37.4 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 44.6 | 36.5 | 37.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.3 | 37.4 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 53.9 | 37.7 | 38.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +10.3 | +1.7 | +0.9 | +2.3 |
Brainard skews older: half of its residents are older than 53.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.3% | 11.0% | 10.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.9% | 11.5% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 10.9% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.6% | 10.8% | 10.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −0.2 pts | +0.3 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Brainard: 1.6% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Brainard
Renters in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.2% | 31.5% | 31.4% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.0% | 33.9% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.2% | 34.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 13.2% | 33.8% | 33.5% | 34.8% |
| Change | −13.0 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Brainard is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 13.2% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. About six in ten owners (61.6%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 9.2% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 8.2% | 9.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.2% | 7.8% | 9.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.8% | 6.3% | 7.8% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Brainard is close to the national rate: 8.8% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the Omaha area overall (6.3%).
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1938 | 1973 | 1969 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1938 | 1974 | 1970 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1948 | 1975 | 1972 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1947 | 1979 | 1975 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Brainard is a place of older homes: half were built before 1947, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $559 | $844 | $730 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $765 | $938 | $805 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $690 | $1,042 | $911 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $702 | $1,337 | $1,159 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$143 | +$493 | +$429 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Brainard costs $702 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 16.1% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Brainard
Bachelor's degrees in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 34.0% | 29.5% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.3% | 34.8% | 30.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 20.8% | 36.8% | 32.4% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.5% | 39.7% | 34.9% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | +5.7 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Brainard have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 21.5%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 93.0% | 91.2% | 90.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 91.4% | 91.2% | 90.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.2% | 91.7% | 91.3% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.6% | 92.5% | 91.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.6 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Brainard: 95.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Brainard
| Period | Brainard | Omaha area | Nebraska | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 3.1% | 5.8% | 5.1% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.1% | 6.0% | 5.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 1.3% | 3.6% | 3.4% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 0.3% | 3.5% | 3.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.7 pts | −2.2 pts | −2.1 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Brainard has been low: just 0.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Brainard compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainard | 2.04 | 53.9 | 1.6% | 13.2% | 8.8% | 1947 | $702 | 21.5% | 95.6% | 0.3% |
| Loma | 2.16 | 50.9 | 2.3% | 14.2% | 11.2% | 1952 | $780 | 21.4% | 94.6% | 0.3% |
| Dwight | 2.16 | 51.1 | 2.5% | 12.7% | 10.0% | 1944 | $832 | 22.2% | 95.6% | 1.2% |
| Bruno | 2.53 | 41.4 | 3.7% | 19.9% | 20.1% | 1963 | $1,003 | 21.8% | 91.0% | 0.0% |
| Garrison | 2.45 | 46.1 | 2.3% | 11.9% | 13.5% | 1941 | $1,201 | 20.0% | 96.3% | 3.5% |
| David City | 2.31 | 36.4 | 6.0% | 31.1% | 7.0% | 1969 | $816 | 31.3% | 89.9% | 0.2% |
| Valparaiso | 2.41 | 46.3 | 5.3% | 11.0% | 8.1% | 1976 | $977 | 23.0% | 95.9% | 0.5% |
| Bee | 2.31 | 44.2 | 8.6% | 9.3% | 8.6% | 1943 | $849 | 33.4% | 94.4% | 1.4% |
| Weston | 2.46 | 46.6 | 5.7% | 10.6% | 13.8% | 1973 | $966 | 23.2% | 96.4% | 0.4% |
| Abie | 2.51 | 42.7 | 3.3% | 18.9% | 21.6% | 1961 | $987 | 21.4% | 91.8% | 0.1% |
| Ulysses | 2.52 | 45.1 | 2.7% | 12.2% | 14.3% | 1938 | $1,284 | 19.7% | 96.4% | 3.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Lamar, LA · Widowville, OH · Petrolia, CA · Lydia, LA · Willow Hill, PA · Peyton, MS · Lucan, MN · Wilson, SC · Taylor, FL · Poplar Springs, MS
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Brainard. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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