9 Best Independent Living Communities in Brainerd, MN

Independent Living

For seniors who would wish to live primarily without personal care assistance but wish for the advantage of having their household chores handled by professionalls, an Independent Living Community could be the perfect fit. Seniors may continue to use their free time as they desire while their food is prepared by a professionall chef, housekeeping and laundry duties are handled by staff, and recreational activities are scheduled and organized. Along with their daily needs being met, residents can enjoy an opportunity to be among peers, surrounded by others of similar ages and interests. Within the individual units, residents have access to a private living space and a full kitchen, and can even live with a partner if they choose. While policies vary between locations, a number of residences allow pets as well. If medical or nursing care is desired, residents may always enlist the services of private health care professionalls. There are a number of advantages and costs to consider when selecting an independent living community. It is important to determine if these amenities are included in your plan: laundry, private phone, meals, Waiting list deposit, move-in fee, transportation, field trips, and housekeeping. The benefits that pertain to independent living include community activities, golf course, healthcare center, restaurant-style dining hall, laundry service, beauty salon & barber shop, fitness center & swimming pool, and game/TV room.

Demographics and Values

Based on gender, 46.7% are male and 53.3% are female. The median age of Brainerd is 34 years old. In Brainerd, 10.0% of the population are veterans. In terms of education, 19.7% have a college degree, 6.9% have a graduate degree, and 31.0% have a high-school diploma. Brainerd has a population density of 426 people per square mile. In Brainerd, 8.9% do not have health insurance, 8.2% are widowed, 16.4% live in poverty, and 62.9% participate in the labor force. Racially, the population of Brainerd is 2.0% Native American, 0.3% other or not specified, 2.1% black, 2.6% mixed race, 0.0% Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian, 2.0% Hispanic, 92.6% white, and 0.3% Asian.

Cost of Living

The overall cost of living is a major influence when choosing which community is the best fit for your loved one’s needs. The median home value in Brainerd is about $110,007 and the median rent is around $776 a month. The rent burden for Brainerd is around 18.7% of the average person’s monthly income.

State Information

An overview of Minnesota

Overall, Minnesota ranks 3rd out of all states in quality of life and 10th in healthcare. In terms of resources, Minnesota has a cost of living index of 101.5, a grocery index rating of 106.7, and a housing index rating of 88.3. These index ratings are based on a system where 100 is considered the national average and anything above 100 is considered more expensive than said average. There are 140 hospitals and 61 health centers that service a population of 5,654,535. The three highest ranked hospitals in Minnesota are Mayo Clinic Hospital Rochester, Mayo Clinic Health System – Red Wing, and Alomere Health. The natural beauty of Minnesota is ranked 3rd in the nation.

Social demographics of the state

The state has a median age of 38 and 29% of its population being over the age of 55. In Minnesota, 34% of the population attend some form of religious service and there are 5,953 different congregations. The top three Christian denominations in the state are Evangelical Protestant-19%, Mainline Protestant-29%, and Historically Black Protestant-2%. The top three non-Christian denominations in the state are Jewish-<1%, Muslim-<1%, and Buddhist-<1%. In Minnesota there are 170 masonic lodges. During the latest presidential election, 45% voted for the Republican candidate while 46% voted for the Democratic candidate. In terms of diversity, Minnesota ranks 27th in the nation and is considered LGBTQ friendly.

State-wide weather information

During the summer, the average temperature in Minnesota is around 67F. Over the summer months the average high temperature peaks at around 86F during the month of July. The average low summer temperature is around 42F in the month of June. The average temperature in the winter falls to around 13F. The average high winter temperature is around 33F in the month of February. The average low temperature during the winter drops to around -11F in the month of January. The average monthly precipitation for the state of Minnesota is around 2.37 inches. The most precipitation occurs in June with an average of 5.59 inches of precipitation a month. On average, Minnesota has an air quality index rating of around 34.5 AQI. The average air quality index rating peaks in the month of May with a rating of around 42.7 AQI. Minnesota experiences an average humidity rating of about 70%. Humidity levels tend to reach their peak in the month of December at around 80%. While residents of Minnesota mostly enjoy pleasant conditions, it’s important to be aware of inclement weather as well, which in Minnesota can include floods and earthquakes (high).

Wildlife to be found in Minnesota

The state of Minnesota has a diverse array of plant and animal life. Local plant life can consist of mountain ash, wine, red, and black spine, hemlock, and black cherry. While venturing throughout the state, you might see animals such as the red-winged blackbird, the trumpeter swans, the horned lark, or the bald eagles. The state animal of Minnesota is the eastern timber wolf.