Brainer is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,178 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Crow Wing County and one of the largest cities in Central Minnesota. Brainerd straddles the Mississippi River several miles upstream from the confluence with the Crow Wing River, having been founded as a site for a railroad crossing above that confluence. The Brainerd area serves as a major tourist destination for Minnesota, and with Baxter as a regional retail center. The city is also known for the Brainerd International Raceway.