Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Brainerd, Minnesota
A $179,000 home here costs
$1,549per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $66,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $976. The real number is $573 higher every month, 59% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Crow Wing County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Brainerd against Crow Wing County and Minnesota
| Measure | Brainerd | Crow Wing County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $178,600 | $274,400 |
| Median property tax | $1,865 | $2,161 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.044% | 0.788% |
| Median gross rent | $848 | $962 |
| Population | 14,474 | 67,113 |
The weather behind that power bill
Brainerd sits in Crow Wing County, which averages a high of 81.5°F in its hottest month and a low of -0.1°F in its coldest, with 24.53" of precipitation a year and 47% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 413 cooling and 8,695 heating degree days, which is what sets the $122 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Crow Wing County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Crow Wing County
Full Crow Wing County cost breakdown · Every county in Minnesota
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Brainerd averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Brainerd every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Brainerd I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Brainerd?
A $179,000 home in Brainerd, Minnesota costs approximately $1,549 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $976 principal and interest, $156 property tax, $78 homeowners insurance, $190 utilities and $149 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Brainerd?
Brainerd has an effective property tax rate of 1.044%, based on a median home value of $178,600 and median real estate taxes of $1,865. That is higher than the Crow Wing County average of 0.788%.
What is the average home price in Brainerd?
The median owner-occupied home value in Brainerd, Minnesota is $178,600, against $274,400 across Crow Wing County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Brainerd?
Median gross rent in Brainerd is $848 a month, against $1,549 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Brainerd?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Brainerd, Minnesota at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $66,500 a year. That covers the full $1,549 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Brainerd, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Minnesota.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.