Oscar Olson House · National Register of Historic Places
Braham’s story
135 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1918.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1891Braham is settled
BrahamMN
A town of 1,789, settled in 1891.
2 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Myotus · CC BY 4.0
Population
1,789
2025 Census estimate · +0.2% since 2020
Typical home
$276K
+3.2% in a year
Household income
$59K
median
Median age
36.6
years
Jobs based here
535
A commuter town
Is Braham a good place to live?
The best of Braham’s subject grades is an A for cost of living; the weakest is a C− for incomes. Only 41 of Minnesota’s 574 towns score lower on incomes. Only 28 of Minnesota’s 575 towns score lower on the outdoors. Oscar Olson House is on the National Register of Historic Places. Braham has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Braham stand out
Where Braham beats most towns.
A commuter town
94% of working residents leave Braham for work
Where Braham’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
535jobs based in Braham
6%of working residents work in town
37 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Braham grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Braham is from typical.
Cost of livingAOpen →Jobs & income$59K median household income; 535 jobs based hereC−Open →HealthLess healthy than 62% of U.S. towns; Cambridge Medical Center 11.1 miles awayC+Open →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listC+Open →SchoolsB−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.8 of 20; 9.5% of households have no car; 2.1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
OutdoorsConserved land, trails and parksDOpen →History1 place on the National Register; 5 notable people born hereBOpen →Civic life4.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 36.6; 10% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Braham: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Braham, and how to reach them.
PowerEast Central Energy17.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBraham water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Braham’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn Minnesota you can register online until 21 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (received 21 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereIsanti County Auditor-Treasurer's OfficeIsanti County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Apr 2022
ZIP code5500655006 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Braham.
SchoolsB−
Braham’s public schools outperform 54% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Braham Public School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Braham Area Secondary, with 354 students.
54%of MN districts it outscoresB−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Braham ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 429 | B |
| Braham Area SecondaryLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 354 | C+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Braham has 0.6 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
Most working residents leave Braham for work: only 6% work in town. 16% of Braham residents live below the poverty line, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 7% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Braham’s average trip to work is 30 minutes.
6%work in town
| Braham | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 30 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 14% | 11% |
| Median household income | $59,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Braham6%
Cambridge13%
Minneapolis7%
Blaine3%
Rush City3%
37 mi
median commute distance
535
jobs based in Braham
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 49% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
HousingCost of living grade A
Homes in Braham are worth about $276K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Braham home is worth about $276,000, up 3.2% in a year, 21% below the Minnesota typical home. At $788 a month, Braham’s median rent is below both Minnesota’s towns ($1,196 a month) and U.S. towns ($1,185 a month).
$276KZillow home value
| Braham | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $788 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 69% | 75% | 73% |
Typical home value
Braham$276K
Minnesota$349K
+3.2%
value change, 1 year
3
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Braham has snowy winters and pleasant summers
Braham has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. The July high in Braham is 81°F.
44″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter7–25°
Spring32–54°
Summer57–79°
Fall37–56°
Oct 4
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.6°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthC+
More of Braham’s adults smoke cigarettes than in the typical Minnesota or U.S. town
20% of adults smoke cigarettes in Braham. Braham beats the Minnesota average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 15. 29% of adults get no exercise outside work in Braham.
38%healthier than U.S. townsC+Health Grade
| Braham | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 14% | 14% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 72% | 75% | 79% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 19% | 16% | 17% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
0 better17 too close to call15 worse
| What stands out | Braham | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 13.5% | 8.9% |
| More smokers | 19.6% | 13.1% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 16.6% | 11.4% |
Cambridge Medical Center
11.1 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Safety
Crime reported in Braham
Braham's reported crime rate is well below Minnesota's. Among 170 Minnesota towns, just 8 have a lower property crime rate than Braham. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts.
| Braham | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 1.1 per 1,000 residents | 10.7 | 11.5 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2024) | 0 per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 1.7 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Braham0
Minnesota2.6
U.S.3.6
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Braham1.1
Minnesota16.3
U.S.17.7
0
violent crimes reported in 2024
2
property crimes reported in 2024
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade C+
Moderate risk in Braham, with inland flooding at the top
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 53% of U.S. communities.
53risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
1
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Braham
19pages on Braham
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 54% of MN districts · 2 schoolsSafety0 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2024)HealthC+Better than MN on 0 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingA$276K typical home · up 3.2% in a yearWork & commuteC−$59K median household income · 535 jobs hereNatural hazardsC+FEMA risk higher than 53% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Braham
About 2 of every 100 Braham residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Famous people from Braham
5 notable people were born in Braham.
About Braham
City in Minnesota, United States
Braham is a city in Isanti and Kanabec Counties in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The population was 1,769 at the 2020 census. Braham is 12 miles north of Cambridge, 15 miles southwest of Pine City, 16 miles south-southeast of Mora, and 12 miles west of Rush City.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.6 sq mi
- Elevation
- 958 ft
- ZIP code
- 55006
- Area code
- 320
Braham’s neighbors
2 towns share a border with Braham.
Stanchfield TownshipGrass Lake TownshipBraham
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Braham | — | — | A | — | B− | C+ |
| Stanchfield Township | — | — | B+ | — | B− | B |
| Grass Lake Township | — | — | B+ | — | B− | C+ |
Braham, Stanchfield Township and Grass Lake Township have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Braham, Stanchfield Township and Grass Lake Township report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare Braham with a neighbor →
Questions about Braham
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Braham, MN expensive?
Not for the area. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
What is Braham, MN known for?
5 notable people were born here, including Noah Dahlman and Marlene Johnson.