Lake Country Living

The community of Crosby is located within the scenic Lakes Area of Central Minnesota. The communities of Crosby, Deerwood and Ironton are a part of the Cuyuna Iron Range and are located 14 miles northeast of the Brainerd/Baxter communities.

The Lakes Area of Crow Wing and Cass Counties has been ranked the fourth-fastest growing “micropolitan” area in the Midwest and the 28th fastest nationally, according to an analysis by the Star Tribune based on U.S. Census Bureau figures. According to the U.S. Census, a micropolitan is a new category to analyze population changes in rapid-growing resort communities. The area compares to other fast growing resort areas such as Hilton Head, South Carolina or Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

Crosby and the rest of the Lakes Area have seen a steady flow of economic activity into the region. While tourism remains a strong economic force, high-tech communication capabilities and infrastructure have been added to most communities allowing and supporting a variety of industries. Business owners and entrepreneurs realize that a business in the Lakes area affords them the best of all worlds- the ability to grow and thrive within an area offering an unmatched quality of life.

Home to the Crosby-Ironton Rangers, School District 182 continues to grow and welcome new students. The school district is composed of three educational campuses: the Cuyuna Range Elementary School, the recently expanded Junior/Senior High School and the Range Area Alternative Program. Parochial schools are also available in the nearby communities of Emily and Brainerd/Baxter.

High quality, accessible healthcare has been a part of the community for over 40 years. The Cuyuna Regional Medical Center and the rest of the Medical Campus is home to Central Lakes Medical Clinic, Minneapolis Heart Institute-Crosby, Minnesota Institute for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIMIS), Hallett Cottages, Crosby Eye Clinic and more. Groundbreaking began in October 2005 for a 70,000 square foot addition and renovation including a new ICU, expanded birthing area, all new inpatient unit with private rooms, expanded on-site retail pharmacy, new front entrance and more. “Our board, physicians, and staff are working together with a shared vision. A vision to create a ‘healing environment’,” states Cuyuna Regional Medical Center CEO, Tom Reek. “We have spent time researching, visiting other facilities, and reviewing plans in an effort to create a staff-friendly, patient-centered hospital. The result is a very unique design of our new inpatient unit.”

In Crosby, it is possible to enjoy a fulfilling career in a thriving community; while living in an area with a true sense of community and values surrounded in natural beauty.

*excerpts taken from 2005 Brainerd Lakes Area Relocation and Buyers Guide

Additional Resources:

To visit the Cuyuna Range Chamber of Commerce, please click here.

To visit the Brainerd Lakes Area Chambers of Commerce, please click here.

To visit the Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corporation, please click here.