Grand View Lodge · National Register of Historic Places
Nisswa’s story
118 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2006.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1908Nisswa is settled
NisswaMN
A town of 2,217, settled in 1908.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: McGhiever · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
2,217
2025 Census estimate · +12.7% since 2020
Typical home
$583K
+3.4% in a year
Household income
$100K
median
Median age
54.7
years
Jobs based here
1,362
A job hub
Is Nisswa a good place to live?
The best of Nisswa’s subject grades are an A for safety and an A− for health and incomes; the weakest is a C for cost of living. Nisswa’s median age is 54.7 years, above both Minnesota’s towns (39.9 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Among 274 Minnesota towns, just 7 have a lower share of children under 18 than Nisswa. Nisswa has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Grand View Lodge and Minnewawa Lodge. Nisswa has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Nisswa stand out
Where Nisswa beats most towns.
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Nisswa0.9
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
SafetyA
61% less violent crime than MN
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
32 measures vs. Minnesota
14 better14 too close to call4 worse
| Widest gap | Nisswa | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.2% | 11.4% |
HealthA−
Healthier than 83% of U.S. towns
Less healthyHealthier
CDC PLACES 2025 estimates.
Natural hazardsB+
Low risk of storm and flood damage
FEMA National Risk Index.
A job hub
Every workday, about 1,221 people come to Nisswa for work
Where Nisswa’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,362jobs based in Nisswa
17%of working residents work in town
12 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How Nisswa grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Minnesota), ordered by how far Nisswa is from typical.
SafetyAOpen →HealthEssentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center 10.6 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$100K median household incomeA−Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB+Open →Cost of livingCOpen →SchoolsB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.5 of 20; 1.1% of households have no car; 2.2% of workers walk, bike or ride transitBOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 1% conserved landDOpen →History2 places on the National Register; 1 notable person born hereC+Open →Civic life7.8 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsB−Open →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Nisswa: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Nisswa, and how to reach them.
WaterWhite Pine Villas water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Nisswa’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 hereCrow Wing County ElectionsCrow Wing County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2025
ZIP code5646856468 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 Nisswa.
HousingCost of living grade C
Homes in Nisswa are worth about $583K, by Zillow’s estimate
The typical Nisswa home is worth about $583,000, up 3.4% in a year, 67% above the Minnesota typical home. 94% of Nisswa households own their home, where Minnesota’s towns sit at 75% and U.S. towns at 73%. Nisswa’s median rent is $867 a month.
$583KZillow home value
| Nisswa | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 94% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $867 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Nisswa$583K
Minnesota$349K
+3.4%
value change, 1 year
4
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB+
Nisswa’s public schools outperform 69% of Minnesota districts
Its public schools are run by the Brainerd Public School District. Its one school is below.
69%of MN districts it outscoresB+School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nisswa ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 249 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within MN on state tests and graduation
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
With 1.6 jobs for every working resident, Nisswa draws in 1,221 commuters
Most working residents leave Nisswa for work: only 17% work in town. Jobs based in Nisswa grew to 1,362 in 2023, 365 more than in 2013. 5% of Nisswa residents live below the poverty line.
17%work in town
| Nisswa | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 5% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $100,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
Where working residents work
In Nisswa17%
Brainerd17%
Baxter12%
Pequot Lakes4%
Crosslake3%
12 mi
median commute distance
1,362
jobs based in Nisswa
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B
Walkability grade: more walkable than 59% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
SafetyA
Crime per resident in Nisswa is lower than in 87% of U.S. towns
The property crime rate in Nisswa is 5.9 per 1,000 residents.
87%of U.S. towns report more crimeASafety Grade
| Nisswa | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 5.9 per 1,000 residents | 8.7 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 0.9 per 1,000 residents | 1.1 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Nisswa0.9
Minnesota2.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Nisswa5.9
Minnesota14.3
U.S.15.5
87th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
2
violent crimes reported in 2025
13
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
HealthA−
Compared with most of Minnesota and the rest of the country, fewer of Nisswa’s adults feel lonely
25% of adults feel lonely in Nisswa. Nisswa beats the Minnesota average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 12% of adults report frequent mental distress in Nisswa.
83%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
| Nisswa | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 25% | 30% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 30% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 25% | 23% |
32 measures vs. Minnesota
14 better14 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Nisswa | MN |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 7.2% | 11.4% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 5.9% | 9.3% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 12% | 8.5% |
Essentia Health St. Joseph's Medical Center
10.6 mi away · emergency room
2 of 3
care shortages: dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B+
Nisswa faces a low natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 70% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Nisswa since 2016.
30risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingCold wavesTornadoes
1
paid flood claims since 2016
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Climate
Snowy winters and pleasant summers in Nisswa
Nisswa has cold, snowy winters and pleasant summers. July afternoons reach 80°, January nights drop to 0° and about 48 inches of snow falls in a winter.
48″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter4–23°
Spring31–52°
Summer56–78°
Fall35–54°
Oct 6
typical first frost
May 2
typical last frost
+1.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
OutdoorsD
Nisswa has set aside 0.9% of its land for conservation
0.7 miles of trail in 1 park or preserve.
0.9%conserved
0.9%
conserved · 100 of 11,674 acres
0.7 mi
of trails · 0 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Nisswa Lake Park | — | 4 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Nisswa
20pages on Nisswa
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 69% of MN districts · 1 schoolSafetyA0.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than MN on 14 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC$583K typical home · up 3.4% in a yearWork & commuteA−$100K median household income · 1,362 jobs hereNatural hazardsB+FEMA risk higher than 30% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Nisswa
About 9 of every 100 Nisswa residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
About Nisswa
City in Minnesota, United States
Nisswa ( NISS-wə) is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,967 at the 2020 census. Nisswa is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area, near Gull Lake.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 18 sq mi
- Elevation
- 1,230 ft
- ZIP code
- 56468
- Area code
- 218
Nisswa’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with Nisswa.
Lake Edward TownshipLake ShorePequot LakesLoon Lake TownshipNisswa
How the neighbors grade
| Town | MN rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nisswa | — | — | C | A | B+ | A− |
| Lake Edward Township | — | — | C+ | — | B+ | B+ |
| Lake Shore | — | — | D | — | B+ | B |
| Pequot Lakes | — | — | B− | A+ | A− | A− |
| Loon Lake Township | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nisswa, Lake Edward Township, Lake Shore and Pequot Lakes have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. Lake Edward Township and Lake Shore report no FBI crime data of their own. Loon Lake Township isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Nisswa with a neighbor →
Questions about Nisswa
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Nisswa, MN expensive?
That is 8.2 years of the area's median household income ($71,384 across the Brainerd, MN area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.