Communities of the Brainerd Lakes Area
From the shores of Gull Lake and the Whitefish Chain to the Cuyuna mine lakes, the Mississippi river towns, and the quiet northwoods lakes, the Brainerd Lakes Area is really 23 distinct communities. Understanding the differences between them helps you choose the right location for your lifestyle, budget, and long-term goals.
Communities Covered
Counties Represented
Typical Lake-Home Range
Lakes Across the Region
Brainerd
The Hub of the Lakes Area
Brainerd is the largest community in the Brainerd Lakes Area, serving as the regional center for healthcare, shopping, dining, and services....
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Baxter
Modern Living with Lake Access
Baxter sits just west of Brainerd along the Highway 371 corridor, offering modern development, easy highway access, and proximity to both ci...
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Nisswa
Charming Lakeside Living
Nisswa is one of the most charming communities in the Brainerd Lakes Area, known for its vibrant downtown, excellent restaurants, and connec...
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Crosslake
Year-Round Lake Culture
Crosslake sits on the Whitefish Chain and is known for its year-round lake culture, strong property values, and loyal resident base. It is o...
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Pequot Lakes
Gateway to the Whitefish Chain
Pequot Lakes serves as a gateway to the Whitefish Chain, offering a growing downtown, strong schools, and a mix of lake and off-water homes....
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Crosby
Historic Town, Thriving Outdoor Recreation
Crosby is a historic iron-range town that has reinvented itself as an outdoor recreation destination. With the Cuyuna mountain biking trails...
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Ironton
The Trailhead Town of the Cuyuna Range
Ironton is a small historic iron-range city that sits shoulder to shoulder with Crosby, at the doorstep of the Cuyuna mountain bike trails. ...
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Deerwood
Bay Lake Living at the Edge of the Range
Deerwood is a small Crow Wing County city on Bay Lake, between Serpent Lake and the Cuyuna range. It combines classic resort-lake living wit...
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Prestigious Gull Lake Living
East Gull Lake is a small, prestigious community on the shores of Gull Lake, known for its resort amenities, excellent shoreline, and strong...
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Lake Shore
Quiet Residential Lake Living
Lake Shore is a quiet residential community on the north shore of Gull Lake near Nisswa, offering peaceful lake living with convenient acces...
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Resort Living with Year-Round Recreation
Breezy Point is a resort community on Pelican Lake at the edge of the Whitefish Chain, offering golf, skiing, dining, and a full calendar of...
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Emily
Quiet Northwoods Lake Country
Emily is a small lake-country town in northern Crow Wing County, sitting on Lake Emily with the Gull chain waters nearby. It offers a quiet ...
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Aitkin
The Mississippi River County Seat
Aitkin is the county seat of Aitkin County, sitting on the Mississippi River with a county of roughly 1,700 lakes behind it. It offers histo...
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Fifty Lakes
Backroads Lake Country Near the Chain
Fifty Lakes is a water-rich community in northern Crow Wing County, with roughly four square miles of its land in lakes and Rush Lake, a dee...
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Jenkins
Quiet Town, Big Lake Next Door
Jenkins is a small town on Highway 371 between Pequot Lakes and Pine River, with Pelican Lake, one of the region's largest and clearest lake...
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Pine River
River Town on the Trail
Pine River is a Cass County river town on the Paul Bunyan State Trail with more than 400 lakes within 30 miles. It combines a real downtown,...
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Pillager
River Town Minutes from Brainerd
Pillager is a small Cass County town on the Crow Wing River, a designated state water trail, with Lake Placid reservoir fishing, the Gull La...
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Little Falls
Historic Mississippi River City
Little Falls is the county seat of Morrison County, a historic Mississippi River city best known as Charles Lindbergh's boyhood home. It off...
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Merrifield
The Countryside Between Brainerd and the Lakes
Merrifield is the unincorporated community that grew up at the north end of North Long Lake and along the Paul Bunyan State Trail, about 9 m...
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Outing
Deep Northwoods Lake Country
Outing is a small crossroads community in northern Cass County between Crosby and Remer, set among the Roosevelt Lakes, Pleasant Lake, and t...
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Longville
The Woman Lake Chain Town
Longville is a classic northern lake town on the Woman Lake chain in Cass County, where boats can run from the lakes straight to downtown. I...
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Motley
Where the Crow Wing Chain Reaches the River
Motley is a small Morrison County town where the Crow Wing chain of lakes empties into the Crow Wing River, a designated national scenic can...
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Staples
Railroad Town with Strong Lake Country
Staples is a railroad town on the Todd and Wadena county line with a historic depot, strong schools, and lake country at its edge: Dower Lak...
Explore StaplesNot Sure Which Community Is Right for You?
We help buyers understand the differences between communities, lakes, and property types. The goal is to find the right fit for your life.