Baxter, Minnesota
Location of Baxter, Minnesota
Coordinates: 46°20′54″N 94°16′7″W / 46.34833, -94.26861
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Crow Wing
Area
- Total	19.7 sq mi (50.9 km²)
- Land	17.3 sq mi (44.9 km²)
- Water	2.4 sq mi (6.1 km²)
Elevation	1,207 ft (368 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	5,555
- Density	320.7/sq mi (123.8/km²)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	56401, 56425
Area code(s)	218
FIPS code	27-04042[1]
GNIS feature ID	0639737[2]
Website: www.ci.baxter.mn.us

Baxter is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 5,555 at the 2000 census.

Minnesota Highways 371 and 210 are two of the main routes in the city.

Geography

Baxter is located just north of the geographical center of Minnesota, in a terminal moraine area created by the Superior Lobe of the Labradorian ice sheet. The city is home to numerous lakes and ponds.

Baxter is bordered on the west by Cass County and on the east by Brainerd. The Mississippi River marks the current southern border but expansion both north and south is possible.

Along with the rest of Crow Wing County and parts of the adjoining counties, Baxter is part of the so-called Brainerd Lakes Area. Many residents of Baxter work in Brainerd or consider themselves Brainerd residents.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.7 square miles (50.9 km²), of which, 17.3 square miles (44.9 km²) of it is land and 2.3 square miles (6.1 km²) of it (11.95%) is water.

History

A suburb of nearby Brainerd, Baxter owes its existence to the Northern Pacific Railroad, which operated a large tie-treating plant, since closed, in the area during the 1920s. Farming was also an important early industry.

Baxter was incorporated on May 25, 1939. The town is named after Luther Baxter, an attorney for the railroad who served in the Minnesota Legislature and as a colonel in the Civil War.

Tourism and various service industries have become Baxter's biggest employers, and numerous housing subdivisions have been developed in the wooded area west of Minnesota Highway 371, which passes through the town. Owing to the amount of unused land in the area, commercial development along the highway itself has also increased in recent years, though it has tended to conform to the pattern of urban sprawl.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 5,555 people, 1,921 households, and 1,586 families residing in the city. The population density was 320.7 people per square mile (123.8/km²). There were 1,979 housing units at an average density of 114.3/sq mi (44.1/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.63% White, 0.02% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.09% from other races, and 0.63% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.61% of the population. 31.8% were of German, 14.0% Norwegian, 11.3% Swedish, 6.4% Irish and 5.0% English ancestry according to Census 2000.

There were 1,921 households out of which 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were married couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 17.4% were non-families. 14.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.17.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 28.6% from 25 to 44, 22.8% from 45 to 64, and 10.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $52,289, and the median income for a family was $55,838. Males had a median income of $38,375 versus $26,667 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,772. About 2.3% of families and 5.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

Radio stations

FM radio

• 104.3 KLKS Timeless music, CNN and local news, Great Lakes Weather Service Meteorologists

References

1. ^ ^{a b} American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
2. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.

External links

• City of Baxter, MN -- Official site
• Explore Brainerd Lakes.com -- Baxter page -- Visitor Information site
• Baxter article

Coordinates: 46°20′36″N, 94°17′12″W