Akashic
1892–2024
Akashic
Brainerd, MN
presidential margin
2008R+7.92012R+13.22016R+31.52020R+29.52024R+31.9
full record · 1892 → 2024
R+31.9
2024
median income$71,422U.S. $80,734 · MN $89,062
median age47.0U.S. 39.1 · MN 39
poverty rate10.8%U.S. 12.5% · MN 9.3%
bachelor’s+ (25+)28.3%U.S. 35.6% · MN 39.4%
non-english2.3%U.S. 22.3% · MN 12.5%
race · ethnicity · ancestry
German32.5%
Norwegian13.4%
Irish10.5%
Mexican1.1%
religion
other traditions
Latter-day Saints0.5%
Other Christian0.4%
American Community Survey 2024 5-year (income, age, poverty, education, language, race, ancestry) · presidential returns from MIT Election Lab through 2024 · 2020 U.S. Religion Census (ASARB) — congregational adherents, unaffiliated is the unclaimed remainder.

Brainerd, MN, Minnesota

Akashic
Brainerd, MNTrumpR+31.9
—
2024 presidential margin by county for Brainerd, MN, MNA map of the constituent counties of Brainerd, MN, MN, each outlined and filled by its 2024 presidential margin from deep red (Republican) through neutral to deep blue (Democratic), seated within the faint outlines of the surrounding states.Cass County, MN · R+33.4Crow Wing County, MN · R+31.3
How it voted
Share of the 2024 vote
Donald Trump ✓Republican65.1%40,182
Kamala HarrisDemocratic33.2%20,473
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.We The People1.7%1,074
D+60
R+60
2 counties, each filled by 2024 D-vs-R margin. Hover any county for its result.
County-level results (2 counties) — table
2024 presidential result by county for Brainerd, MN, MN — winner and D-vs-R margin.
CountyWinnerMargin
Cass County, MNRepublicanR+33.4
Crow Wing County, MNRepublicanR+31.3
34 presidential elections
Third column names the leading third-party or independent finisher. Source · MIT Election Lab · ICPSR · VEST (precinct-level 2024).
YearWonDemocraticRepublicanOtherMarginTotal
R
33.2%Harris20,473
65.1%Trump40,182
1.7%Kennedy1,074
−31.9%
61,729
R
34.3%Biden20,068
63.8%Trump37,296
1.9%Jorgensen1,098
−29.5%
58,462
R
30.7%Clinton15,931
62.2%Trump32,269
7.0%Johnson3,641
−31.5%
51,841
R
42.3%Obama21,618
55.6%Romney28,372
2.1%Johnson1,071
−13.2%
51,061
R
44.9%Obama23,135
52.9%McCain27,227
2.2%Nader1,110
−7.9%
51,472
R
42.1%Kerry20,840
56.6%Bush27,981
1.3%Nader634
−14.4%
49,455
R
40.2%Gore16,789
53.1%Bush22,169
6.6%Nader2,763
−12.9%
41,721
D
44.9%Clinton16,593
40.2%Dole14,886
14.9%Perot5,513
+4.6%
36,992
D
37.6%Clinton13,797
36.4%Bush13,388
26.0%Perot9,551
+1.1%
36,736
R
46.2%Dukakis14,801
52.8%Bush16,912
1.0%McCarthy317
−6.6%
32,030
R
42.6%Mondale13,492
56.7%Reagan17,981
0.7%Larouche229
−14.2%
31,702
R
42.3%Carter14,040
51.2%Reagan16,963
6.5%Anderson2,159
−8.8%
33,162
D
54.0%Carter16,077
42.0%Ford12,515
4.0%McCarthy1,206
+12.0%
29,798
R
42.6%McGovern10,675
54.6%Nixon13,680
2.8%Schmitz699
−12.0%
25,054
D
48.3%Humphrey10,980
46.5%Nixon10,575
5.2%Wallace1,190
+1.8%
22,745
D
62.6%Johnson13,832
37.3%Goldwater8,241
0.1%Hass30
+25.3%
22,103
R
46.1%Kennedy10,413
53.6%Nixon12,126
0.3%Byrd66
−7.6%
22,605
R
43.7%Stevenson8,304
56.1%Eisenhower10,664
0.2%Andrews40
−12.4%
19,008
R
42.6%Stevenson8,701
56.7%Eisenhower11,593
0.7%Hallinan148
−14.1%
20,442
D
56.0%Truman10,706
41.2%Dewey7,881
2.8%Thurmond536
+14.8%
19,123
D
53.5%Roosevelt8,881
46.0%Dewey7,635
0.6%Thomas98
+7.5%
16,614
D
53.4%Roosevelt11,268
45.6%Willkie9,613
1.0%Thomas202
+7.8%
21,083
D
61.1%Roosevelt11,001
34.7%Landon6,245
4.2%Lemke761
+26.4%
18,007
D
54.8%Roosevelt8,562
40.3%Hoover6,293
4.9%Thomas766
+14.5%
15,621
R
30.4%Smith4,598
67.6%Hoover10,217
2.0%Thomas310
−37.2%
15,125
R
5.0%Davis687
51.6%Coolidge7,030
43.3%La Follette5,905
−46.6%
13,622
R
14.8%Cox1,787
70.4%Harding8,504
14.8%Debs1,788
−55.6%
12,079
D
44.0%Wilson2,828
41.9%Hughes2,697
14.1%Benson906
+2.0%
6,431
O
23.6%Wilson1,274
20.8%Taft1,122
55.6%Roosevelt2,998
Roosevelt +32.0
5,394
R
24.7%Bryan1,122
59.3%Taft2,690
16.0%Debs726
−34.6%
4,538
R
12.7%Parker555
76.2%Roosevelt3,328
11.1%Debs484
−63.5%
4,367
R
30.5%Bryan1,322
66.4%McKinley2,877
3.0%Woolley131
−35.9%
4,330
R
38.2%Bryan1,337
58.7%McKinley2,052
3.1%Palmer108
−20.4%
3,497
R
30.0%Cleveland752
48.9%Harrison1,227
21.1%Weaver529
−18.9%
2,508
presidential history
Presidential margin, 1892–2024
Democratic minus Republican, by election
Presidential margin over timeDemocratic-minus-Republican presidential margin from 1892 to 2024. Most recent: −31.9% in 2024.flipped R · 2000−31.9%DR18922024
Presidential margin over time
YearMargin (D minus R)
1892−18.9%
1896−20.4%
1900−35.9%
1904−63.5%
1908−34.6%
1912+2.8%
1916+2.0%
1920−55.6%
1924−46.6%
1928−37.2%
1932+14.5%
1936+26.4%
1940+7.8%
1944+7.5%
1948+14.8%
1952−14.1%
1956−12.4%
1960−7.6%
1964+25.3%
1968+1.8%
1972−12.0%
1976+12.0%
1980−8.8%
1984−14.2%
1988−6.6%
1992+1.1%
1996+4.6%
2000−12.9%
2004−14.4%
2008−7.9%
2012−13.2%
2016−31.5%
2020−29.5%
2024−31.9%
DemocraticRepublican
voter registration
Registered voters
Total registered voters, over time
Voter registration in Brainerd, MNTotal registered voters, 2016–2024. Latest 72,558 in 2024.18.1K36.3K54.4K72.6K72.6K20162024
Registered voters
Voter registration in Brainerd, MN
YearTotal registered
201661,362
201860,745
202067,429
202268,353
202472,558
Source: U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAVS)

The Brainerd lakes region, anchored by a paper-mill and tourism economy, has swung sharply toward Republican presidential candidates since 2008, making Crow Wing County a reliable bellwether for outstate Minnesota's political drift.

Across the recorded series it reached a Democratic high of 26.4 points in 1936 and a Republican high of 63.5 points in 1904. Between 2020 and 2024 the metro moved 2.5 points toward the Republican candidate; the 2024 margin was 31.9 points.

A population of 98,678, a 89% non-Hispanic-white share, and a median household income of $71,422 describe the metro. The metro's voting pattern over the last decade is most similar to that of Rice Lake, WI and Alexandria, MN.

Political twins — metros

The metros whose fingerprint — 2000–2024 trajectory, demographics, ancestry, religion — sits closest to this one, and why.

Rice Lake, WI
85.4twin score
Norwegian ancestry% Whitemedian age
Alexandria, MN
80.9twin score
Norwegian ancestry12-yr trend% White≠ % unaffiliated
Detroit Lakes, MN
79.6twin score
Norwegian ancestry12-yr trend% Latino≠ % unaffiliated

Twin score (0–100) = weighted cosine between tier-standardized fingerprints: presidential margins 2000–2024 with 12-yr trend and elasticity, ACS income, age, education, population and race, top reported ancestries, and religious adherence — chips name the closest-shared dimensions and the widest gap. Re-weight the groups in the twins explorer.

Compare two places, side by side

Twelve curated comparisons line up election history, demographics, and the divergence story for two places at a glance. Browse all comparisons →

Cite this page
All citations released under CC BY 4.0. Attribution: Akashic Intelligence.
Brainerd, MN, Minnesota. Akashic. https://akashic.app/cbsa/14660/. Accessed May 20, 2026. License: CC BY 4.0.
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Places within Brainerd, MN

counties2
Cass CountyCrow Wing County

Frequently asked questions

How did Brainerd, MN, Minnesota vote in 2024?
In 2024, Brainerd, MN, Minnesota voted Republican by 31.9 points (R+31.9), carried by the Republican candidate. Out of 61,729 votes cast, 20,473 went Democratic and 40,182 went Republican.
When did Brainerd, MN, Minnesota last vote Democratic?
The most recent presidential election in which Brainerd, MN, Minnesota voted Democratic was 1996.
How many people live in Brainerd, MN, Minnesota?
Brainerd, MN, Minnesota has a population of 98,678 according to the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates from the US Census Bureau.
What is the median household income in Brainerd, MN, Minnesota?
Median household income in Brainerd, MN, Minnesota is $71,422 — below the national median of $80,734. The Minnesota state median is $89,062.
What is the political history of Brainerd, MN, Minnesota?
Akashic tracks 34 presidential elections in Brainerd, MN, Minnesota from 1892 to 2024. Of those, 11 went Democratic and 22 went Republican.