Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Pine River has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Pine River beats most towns.
Brainerd and Northern Minnesota-Minnesota and International Railway DepotIn a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Census counts: 329 in 1910, 911 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 1995 and 3 maps from 1959 on.
1 place on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Pine River, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Pine River.
In Pine River, the average trip to work is 20 minutes, below both Minnesota’s towns (23 minutes) and U.S. towns (25 minutes). For Pine River, the typical household income is $43,000. Jobs based locally fell to 729 in 2023, 156 fewer than in 2013. Commuting out is the norm locally: just over a tenth of working residents work locally.
| Pine River | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 29% | 7% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $43,000 | $90,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 23 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 11% | 9.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its two schools are below. The Pine River-Backus School District runs its public schools. The largest public high school is Pine River-Backus High School, with 371 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine River-Backus ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 478 | C+ |
| Pine River-Backus High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 371 | C |
NCES · EDFacts
Among 257 Minnesota towns, just 9 have a lower typical rent than Pine River. Home values are up 3.3% over the year to September 2026.
| Pine River | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 49% | 75% | 73% |
| Median rent | $700 a month | $1,196 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
The typical July afternoon high for Pine River comes to 80°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
In a town this small, a few incidents move the numbers a lot, so rates aren't shown. 12 crimes were reported in Pine River in 2024: 10 property and 2 violent.
Pine River is small, so we show counts rather than rates.
FBI crime data, 2024 · crimes reported to police
For adults in Pine River, the share who say their health is fair or poor is 22%. CDC measures, 32 in all: Pine River beats Minnesota on 1 and trails on 14. Among adults locally, 28% feel lonely and 39% have high blood pressure. Only 5 of the 272 Minnesota towns we compare have a higher share of adults who report frequent physical distress than Pine River.
| Pine River | Minnesota towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 23% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 30% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 31% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 12% | 14% |
| What stands out | Pine River | MN |
|---|---|---|
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 81.1% | 76.1% |
| More adults with COPD | 8.9% | 5.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
FEMA puts 52% of Pine River’s expected hazard losses down to inland flooding, and 29% to cold waves. The town’s natural-hazard score from FEMA is 43 of 100. Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 57% of U.S. communities.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Pine River; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Pine River residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Minnesota.
Where Pine River’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
City in Minnesota, United States
Pine River is a city in Cass County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 911 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Pine River has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.