Brainerd, MN · standard
ZIP Code 56401
Crow Wing County, Minnesota - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 29,439
- 35/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $73,128
- Median income Near-median income area
- $261,600
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 25.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Near-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Brainerd pairs an above-median household income with above-median home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 48%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 40%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 35
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 56401 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 56401 (Brainerd, MN) rose +3.1% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 221.4 in 2023 to 228.3 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 56401 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Brainerd, Crow Wing County, Minnesota, with 29,439 residents across 841.1 square miles, a density of 35 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 56401 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $73,128 (11% below the average Minnesota ZIP), while per-capita income is $37,969. The poverty rate is 10.1%, with unemployment at 6.4%; those measures add context to the income figure. Median home value is $261,600 (2% above the average Minnesota ZIP) and median rent is $883; 73.6% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Educational attainment sits below the national norm: 25.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.4, and the average commute is 22 minutes. The page also surfaces 1 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Crow Wing County, so 56401 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 56401
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Brainerd, MN
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 56401.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
129 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
115 establishments
- Construction
Construction
114 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
100 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
77 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 56401, Brainerd, MN · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
29,439
Population
841.1
Area (sq mi)
35
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 56401?
40.4
Median Age
49.3%
Male
50.7%
Female
1.3%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$73,128
Median Household Income
-11% vs state ZIP avg
$37,969
Per Capita Income
10.1%
Poverty Rate
6.4%
Unemployment Rate
22.3 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 56401 ranks among Minnesota ZIPs
Brainerd, MN household income vs. every Minnesota ZIP code
Median household income among 864 reporting Minnesota ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$73,128 39th percentile higher than 39% of 864 Minnesota ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Minnesota ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
16,167housing units
16,167
Total Housing Units
13,074
Occupied Units
3,093
Vacant Units
2.38
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$261,600
Median Home Value
+2% vs state ZIP avg
$883
Median Rent
1984
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+3.1%
YoY Change (2024)
228
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+128%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 56401 have increased 3.1% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +128% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.6% | 158 |
| 2021 | +12.8% | 178 |
| 2022 | +14.6% | 204 |
| 2023 | +8.7% | 221 |
| 2024 | +3.1% | 228 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 891 business establishments in ZIP 56401, employing approximately 11,787 people with a combined annual payroll of $588,078,000.
891
Businesses
11,787
Employees
$588.1M
Annual Payroll
18
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 129 | 14.5% |
| Health care and social assistance | 115 | 12.9% |
| Construction | 114 | 12.8% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 100 | 11.2% |
| Accommodation and food services | 77 | 8.6% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 50 | 5.6% |
| Manufacturing | 49 | 5.5% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 45 | 5.0% |
| Finance and insurance | 43 | 4.8% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 43 | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 37 | 4.2% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 26 | 2.9% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 23 | 2.6% |
| Information | 17 | 1.9% |
| Educational services | 10 | 1.1% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 0.6% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5 | 0.6% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 56401 vs 56455 →
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 56455 | Ironton, MN | 1,488 | 10.3 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 56401, both outside MN so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (29,439 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Crow Wing County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 56401 in?
ZIP code 56401 (Brainerd) is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Crow Wing County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/crow-wing-mn.
What is the population of ZIP code 56401?
ZIP code 56401 in Brainerd, MN has a population of 29,439 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 56401?
The median household income in ZIP 56401 is $73,128, which is 4% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 56401?
The median home value in ZIP 56401 is $261,600, which is 6% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 56401?
The largest racial group in ZIP 56401 is White at 93.5%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 1.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 56401?
ZIP code 56401 has 891 business establishments employing approximately 11,787 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 56401?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 56401 are: Retail trade (129), Health care and social assistance (115), Construction (114). There are 18 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 56401?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 56401 increased by 3.1% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 128%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 56401?
In ZIP code 56401, 56.8% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 25.4% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 56401?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 56401 is 22.3 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 56401?
In ZIP code 56401, approximately 73.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 26.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 56401?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 56401 is 10.1% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 56401's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 56401 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Brainerd, MN ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
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ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.