Brookston City Hall · Lorie Shaull / CC BY-SA 4.0Elevator and Great Northern Depot, Brookston, Minnesota, 1920s · Unknown authorUnknown author / Public domain
Brookston is a small town of 99 in Minnesota, with a median household income of $68,333
and a 14.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is
13% below the national average.
Strengths:
Brookston stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Brookston is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Brookston city data on this page comes from official government sources —
the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.0
Brookston's overall cost of living index is 87.0,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Brookston costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
Metric
Brookston, MN
National Avg
Median Home Value
$127,500
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
91.2%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$68,333
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
Brookston's violent crime rate is 188.9 per 100,000 residents
— 50% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
188.9 /100k
Property Crime
1946.6 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Brookston, MN
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
7.2%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
98.8%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Brookston sees average highs of 18.2°F in January
and 78.5°F in July,
with 28.2 inches of annual precipitation
and 71.3 inches of snow per year.
Brookston's cost of living index is 87, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Brookston roughly 13% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $127,500 and median rent is N/A/month.
Brookston's violent crime rate is 188.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1946.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Brookston, MN has a population of 99, a median household income of $68,333, and an unemployment rate of 14.6%.
It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Brookston averages 18.2°F in January and 78.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 28.2 inches
with about 71.3 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Brookston, MN is covered by 1 ZIP code: 55711.
The population of Brookston, Minnesota is 99 with a median age of 51.3. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Brookston: cost of living index 87 (100 = US average), median home $127,500, median household income $68,333, crime index 67 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Brookston side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
