Editing Baxter, Minnesota

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Short description|City in Minnesota, United States}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Baxter
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    = A Growing Community
<!-- Images --------------->
|image_skyline            = 
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps ----------------->
|image_map                = Crow_Wing_County_Minnesota_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Baxter_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of the city of Baxter<br>within [[Crow Wing County, Minnesota|Crow Wing County]]<br>in the state of [[Minnesota]]
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             = 
<!-- Location ------------->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Minnesota]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Minnesota|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Crow Wing County, Minnesota|Crow Wing]]
<!-- Government ----------->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = [[Mayor]]
|leader_name              = Darrel Olson
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
|established_date         = May 25, 1939
<!-- Area ----------------->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_27.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 54.67
|area_land_km2            = 48.83
|area_water_km2           = 5.84
|area_total_sq_mi         = 21.11
|area_land_sq_mi          = 18.85
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.25
<!-- Population ----------->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_est           = 8971
|pop_est_as_of            = 2022
|pop_est_footnotes        = <ref name="USCensusEst2022"/>
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
|population_total         = 8612
|population_density_km2   = 176.38
|population_density_sq_mi = 456.82
<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[Central Time Zone|Central]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 1194
|coordinates              = {{coord|46|20|33|N|94|16|46|W|region:US-MN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
|postal_code              = 56401, 56425
|area_code                = [[Area code 218|218]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 27-04042
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2394086<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2394086}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|https://www.baxtermn.gov/|baxtermn.gov}}
|footnotes                = 
}}

'''Baxter''' is a city in [[Crow Wing County, Minnesota|Crow Wing County]], [[Minnesota]], United States. The population was 8,612 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].<ref name="2020 Census (City)">{{cite web|title=Explorer Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Baxter_city;_Minnesota?g=160XX00US2704042 |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=June 14, 2023}}</ref> It is part of the [[Brainerd, Minnesota|Brainerd]] [[Brainerd micropolitan area|Micropolitan Statistical Area]].

Minnesota State Highways [[Minnesota State Highway 210|210]] and [[Minnesota State Highway 371|371]] are two of the main routes in the city.

==Geography==
Baxter is just north of Minnesota's geographical center, 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, Minnesota|Cass County]] and on the east by [[Brainerd, Minnesota|Brainerd]]. The [[Mississippi River]] marks the 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 Brainerd Lakes Area.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|20.62|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|18.39|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|2.23|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=US Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=November 13, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120125061959/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=January 25, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
Baxter owes its existence partly to the 1920s operation of a (since closed) large [[Railroad tie|tie]]-treating plant, owned by [[Northern Pacific Railroad]].  Farming was also an important early industry.

Baxter was incorporated on May 25, 1939. The town is named after Luther Baxter,<ref>{{cite book|author=Warren Upham|title=Minnesota Geographic Names: Their Origin and Historic Significance|url=https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog|year=1920|publisher=Minnesota Historical Society|page=[https://archive.org/details/minnesotageogra00uphagoog/page/n174 155]}}</ref> an [[Lawyer|attorney]] for the railroad who served in the [[Minnesota Legislature]] and as a [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] in the [[American Civil War|Civil War]].

[[Tourism]] and various [[service industry|service industries]] have become Baxter's biggest employers, and numerous [[urban sprawl#Housing subdivisions|housing subdivisions]] have been developed in the wooded area west of Minnesota Highway [[Minnesota State Highway 371|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]].

==Superfund site and environmental damage==
The [[Burlington Northern (Brainerd/Baxter)]] [[United States Environmental Protection Agency]] [[Superfund]] site is on the boundary between [[Brainerd, Minnesota|Brainerd]] and Baxter. The site served as a [[Burlington Northern Railroad]] tie treatment plant between 1907 and 1985. During that time, [[wastewater]] generated from the wood-treating process was sent to two shallow, unlined ponds. This created a sludge that contaminated both the underlying soils and the [[groundwater]] with [[creosote]] and [[polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons]] (PAHs).<ref>[http://www.epa.gov/region5/superfund/npl/minnesota/MND000686196.html "Burlington Northern (Brainerd/Baxter) Fact Sheet"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205201337/http://www.epa.gov/region5/superfund/npl/minnesota/MND000686196.html |date=December 5, 2012}}, ''EPA'', July 13, 2012</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1930= 169
|1940= 357
|1950= 507
|1960= 1037
|1970= 1556
|1980= 2625
|1990= 3695
|2000= 5555
|2010= 7610
|2020= 8612
|estyear=2022
|estimate=8971
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2022">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-cities-and-towns.html |date=June 14, 2023|title=City and Town Population Totals: 2020-2022|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=June 14, 2023}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|author-link=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 26, 2013}}</ref><br>2020 Census<ref name="2020 Census (City)"/>
}}

===2010 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2010, there were 7,610 people, 2,963 households, and 2,110 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|413.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 3,176 housing units at an average density of {{convert|172.7|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 96.5% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.5% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.5% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.9% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.1% [[Race (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.2% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 1.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.1% of the population.

There were 2,963 households, of which 35.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.8% were non-families. 23.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

The median age in the city was 38.7 years. 27% of residents were under the age of 18; 7.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 23.8% were from 25 to 44; 25.6% were from 45 to 64; and 15.8% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]] of 2000, there were 5,555 people, 1,921 households, and 1,586 families living in the city.  The population density was {{convert|320.7|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,979 housing units at an average density of {{convert|114.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the city was 98.63% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.02% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.22% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.41% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.09% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.63% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.61% of the population. 31.8% were of [[germans|German]], 14.0% [[norwegians|Norwegian]], 11.3% [[swedish people|Swedish]], 6.4% [[Irish people|Irish]] and 5.0% [[English people|English]] ancestry.

There were 1,921 households, out of which 45.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 72.4% were [[Marriage|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.

==Education==
Baxter's students attend [[Brainerd Public Schools]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st27_mn/schooldistrict_maps/c27035_crow_wing/DC20SD_C27035.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707125343/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st27_mn/schooldistrict_maps/c27035_crow_wing/DC20SD_C27035.pdf |archive-date=July 7, 2021 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Crow Wing County, MN|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=July 7, 2021}}</ref> The zoned high school is [[Brainerd High School (Minnesota)|Brainerd High School]].

==See also==
*[[Burlington Northern (Brainerd/Baxter)]]
*[[List of Superfund sites in Minnesota]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.baxtermn.gov/ City of Baxter, MN -- Official site]
* [http://www.visitbaxter.com VisitBaxter - Resorts Hotels Attractions Information]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050404222228/http://www.explorebrainerdlakes.com/community/city/baxter/index.htm Explore Brainerd Lakes.com -- Baxter page -- Visitor Information site]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110509064221/http://brainerddispatch.com/stories/072699/opi_0726990002.shtml Baxter article]

{{Crow Wing County, Minnesota}}
{{Brainerd micropolitan area}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Cities in Crow Wing County, Minnesota]]
[[Category:Brainerd, Minnesota micropolitan area]]
[[Category:1939 establishments in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Minnesota populated places on the Mississippi River]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1939]]