Baxter is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, home to about 8,966 people across 19 square miles. Its ZIP code is 56425.
Homes sold for a median of $176 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Baxter; also First Assessment UT
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Baxter. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Baxter’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP)113 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport (BRD)8 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Minneapolis, MN107 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Chicago, IL452 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Baxter; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Baxter had 8,612 residents in the 2020 census, up 55% since 2000.
It’s the 113th largest of 2,727 towns in Minnesota by population.
Crow Wing County grew from 14,250 residents in 1900 to 66,123 in 2020.
Crow Wing County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 80°F in summer, and winter lows average -2°F. About 30.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 48 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Brainerd, MN weather station (4 miles away).
28,209 jobs at 2,283 businesses in Crow Wing County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
263 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Baxter.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 18 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 16 |
| Dentists | 22 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 53 |
| Mental health providers | 107 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 27 |
| Optometrists | 7 |
| Chiropractors | 13 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (4 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies
Libraries
Museums
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Brainerd Public School District. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baxter ElementaryBaxter | Pre-K–4 | 506 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Brainerd Early Childhood Sp. Ed.Baxter | Pre-K | 151 | Special Education | 0.2 mi |
| Welc - VpkBaxter | Pre-K | 215 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| Forestview MiddleBaxter | 5–8 | 1,626 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Region Christian SchoolBaxter | Pre-K–12 | 274 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 1.8 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with First Assessment UT.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.