Population 7,661 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Brainerd
Household size in Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.98 | 2.79 | 2.69 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.66 | 2.82 | 2.71 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.70 | 2.75 | 2.66 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.66 | 2.58 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.35 | −0.12 | −0.11 | −0.03 |
Households in Brainerd average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). Household size has dropped from 2.98 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6 | 36.8 | 37.6 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.1 | 37.8 | 38.5 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.7 | 38.9 | 39.6 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.9 | 39.7 | 40.2 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.4 | +3.0 | +2.6 | +2.3 |
Brainerd skews a little older than the country: its median age is 41.9, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 37.6 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Residents skew youngest in the east and oldest in the west.
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 Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.2% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.2% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 11.2% | 11.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 26.3% | 11.5% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −0.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over a quarter of households in Brainerd (26.3%), well above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only ten of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Brainerd
Renters in Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.0% | 32.1% | 30.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 51.0% | 34.8% | 33.1% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.7% | 35.5% | 33.9% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 43.8% | 34.5% | 32.9% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +2.3 pts | +2.1 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Brainerd rent their homes (43.8%), above the national share of 34.8%. Among owners, 37.8% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. Renting is most common in the northeast and least common in the southwest. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.8 points, mirroring the country.
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 Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 9.8% | 10.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 8.9% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.5% | 7.2% | 8.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −1.9 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Brainerd is close to the national rate: 10.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is higher than in the wider Chicago area (7.2%). Vacancy is down 1.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1943 | 1966 | 1966 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1943 | 1967 | 1967 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1944 | 1967 | 1968 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1949 | 1970 | 1970 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
Brainerd is a place of older homes: half were built before 1949, while the national median is 1980. That means established neighborhoods, and more houses that may need updating. The median year built has moved up from 1943 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $868 | $1,060 | $953 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $862 | $1,142 | $1,028 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $880 | $1,306 | $1,165 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,064 | $1,602 | $1,428 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$196 | +$542 | +$475 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Brainerd costs $1,064 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $196 a month since 2006–10, up 23%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 35.7% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the north.
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 Brainerd
Bachelor's degrees in Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 33.9% | 31.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.6% | 37.9% | 34.7% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 18.8% | 40.9% | 37.7% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +7.0 pts | +6.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Brainerd have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 18.8%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.9 points, mirroring the country.
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 Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.5% | 85.6% | 86.3% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.1% | 86.7% | 87.5% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.6% | 88.4% | 89.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 89.7% | 89.5% | 90.3% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.2 pts | +3.9 pts | +4.0 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Brainerd is close to the national rate: 89.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 9.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
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 Brainerd
| Period | Brainerd | Chicago area | Illinois | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.5% | 9.1% | 8.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 30.7% | 10.8% | 10.2% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 6.3% | 6.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 20.4% | 6.3% | 6.0% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −2.8 pts | −2.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Brainerd: 20.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only five of Chicago's 135 neighborhoods have higher unemployment. 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).
Brainerd compared with nearby neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brainerd | 2.63 | 41.9 | 26.3% | 43.8% | 10.5% | 1949 | $1,064 | 18.8% | 89.7% | 20.4% |
| Auburn Gresham | 2.68 | 41.3 | 26.1% | 41.1% | 15.5% | 1948 | $1,084 | 19.1% | 85.6% | 15.5% |
| South Englewood | 2.42 | 40.5 | 23.2% | 60.8% | 14.0% | 1953 | $1,120 | 20.7% | 84.2% | 16.8% |
| Chester Highlands | 2.83 | 37.1 | 40.3% | 56.9% | 15.1% | 1945 | $1,133 | 16.3% | 80.6% | 17.7% |
| Washington Heights | 2.69 | 41.7 | 19.6% | 25.9% | 9.4% | 1952 | $1,372 | 26.3% | 92.0% | 11.8% |
| Auburn Park | 2.19 | 44.9 | 18.7% | 63.1% | 18.8% | 1953 | $1,041 | 18.5% | 88.9% | 6.0% |
| Beverly | 2.70 | 43.7 | 8.9% | 15.6% | 9.2% | 1943 | $1,386 | 57.6% | 97.3% | 8.6% |
| Chatham | 2.26 | 40.4 | 16.8% | 47.3% | 13.3% | 1950 | $1,206 | 36.6% | 93.6% | 15.6% |
| Becks Park | 2.54 | 42.5 | 27.4% | 73.3% | 20.3% | 1947 | $1,052 | 11.1% | 74.0% | 21.8% |
| West Englewood | 2.97 | 37.1 | 22.3% | 49.8% | 19.3% | 1944 | $1,272 | 11.0% | 77.1% | 17.5% |
| Roseland | 2.67 | 41.1 | 20.1% | 45.8% | 17.6% | 1949 | $1,209 | 22.5% | 88.2% | 18.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Pocono Country Place, Tobyhanna, PA · Guide Meridian, Bellingham, WA · Hartford, Providence, RI · Black Rock, Bridgeport, CT · Brighton Heights, Pittsburgh, PA · Central Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA · Prescott, Oakland, CA · Downtown Ontario, Ontario, CA · Downtown Harbor-Post Road South, Milford, CT · Deep Creek West, Chesapeake, VA
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 Brainerd. 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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