Real Estate Investing in Brainerd, Minnesota

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

1 ZIP codes • Population: 31,749 • Crow Wing County

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Should you buy in Brainerd, MN? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (48/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 18.9% of homes vacant — above national norms.

What’s happening in Brainerd, MN?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Citywide average

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

5.7% 5yr CAGR

3.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

🏦 30-yr Fixed Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS
Avg Investability
Avg Home Value $330,731
Avg Monthly Rent $1,040
ZIP Codes 1

Investing in Brainerd Real Estate

With a sizable population across 1 ZIPs, Brainerd shows the kind of tepid fundamentals that keep most out-of-state capital on the sidelines.

Brainerd is the kind of market where the cap rate on paper and the cap rate realized tend to diverge. clearly out-of-state investors should be especially careful with the assumptions they carry in.

Market conditions in Brainerd are lackluster. Days-on-market has stretched, rent growth has stalled, and the 0.0% 5-year CAGR understates how uneven the underlying ZIPs really are.

Brainerd's population trends and income levels suggest a market where affordability is strained, which constrains how aggressively rents can rise without hurting collections.

A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Best ZIP codes in Brainerd, MN

Brainerd is part of this metro. Every ZIP in it, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in Brainerd, MN. Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Avg Home Value
$330,731
Avg Monthly Rent
$1,040
1% Rule
✗ Below
Landlord Friendly (MN)

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Brainerd, MN metro

3/10
Moderate Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
1/3
53%
Days Pending
2/2
66 days

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❄️ Cool Market — Brainerd, MN metro
66
Days to pending
9.7%
Listings with price cuts
0.0%
Sale-to-list ratio
📅 Data as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly

🎓 Colleges & Universities in Brainerd

1 College 4,532 Students 3,226 Off-Campus Renters
C
Central Lakes College-Brainerd
2-Year Public · 4,532 students
📍 ~3,226 students rent off-campus

Investor Insight: With 3,226 students living off-campus, Brainerd has substantial rental demand from the college population — typically stable, lease-renewing tenants.

ZIP Codes in Brainerd, MN

Screen every ZIP in Brainerd

Filter Brainerd’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Brainerd, MN

How much do tenants pay in Brainerd, MN?

Expect rents around $1,040/mo per month in Brainerd, MN. With home values at $331K, the yield math works out to reasonable levels for rental investors.

What kind of tenants rent in Brainerd, MN?

Tenant quality in Brainerd, MN ranks as solid. Landlords generally report steady occupancy at market rents of $1,040/mo.

How do experienced investors play Brainerd, MN?

Investors who focus on careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management typically do well in Brainerd, MN. The numbers - $331K homes against $1,040/mo rents - support that play.

How tight is the rental market in Brainerd, MN?

Vacancy risk in Brainerd, MN is elevated. That supports predictable cash flow for typical rental holds.

Is rental property easy to operate in Brainerd, MN?

Landlord-friendliness in Brainerd, MN is balanced. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

Community Ratings

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