Tag: economy

Closing the wage gap

Is it realistic for rural areas to close the wage gap? Probably not. By: Kelly Asche, Senior Researcher Most of rural Minnesota is discussing ways to grow the labor force. Increasing the affordable housing stock and childcare capacity are two primary strategies being discussed at the legislature. One of the underlying issues that makes these ...

What’s happening in Greater Minnesota – Part 1, Changes in the labor force

On February 7th, Sourcewell hosted the Center for Rural Policy and Development to broadcast a presentation and discussion highlighting the Center’s most recent research. In part 1, Senior Researcher Kelly Asche presents data highlighting the low unemployment rates and the decline in people participating in the labor force which is leading to all-time high job ...

The Journey to meaningful workforce participation among graduates in Southwest Minnesota

The data show that the choices students make in high school and that paths they take after high school can predictably guide them to specific states of meaningful workforce participation later on. November 2023 By Kelly Asche, Senior Researcher | Marnie Werner, VP of Research & Operations For a print version of this report, click ...
chart of stock prices

Inflation does vary between rural and urban Minnesota

By Marnie Werner Vice President of Research Click for a printable version of this report. According to a Star Tribune article in January 2022, “For the broader Midwest, inflation was 7.5% in December, far above the 5.9% rate in the more heavily populated northeastern states.” Inflation wasn’t even consistent around the state: “Rochester; St. Cloud; ...

Slow employment recovery for leisure and hospitality – State of Rural 2023

Northern Minnesota saw significant declines in employment in the leisure and hospitality industry   By Kelly Asche, Senior Researcher January 2023 Every year the Center for Rural Policy and Development publishes the “State of Rural Minnesota,” a report outlining the demographic and economic trends in Minnesota using the most recent data available. Typically, the report ...

Season 3, Episode 6: The State of Rural 2023 – A shift in the trends

On this episode, Marnie Werner, Vice President of Research & Operations, interviews colleague Kelly Asche about this years State of Rural report. Every year the Center for Rural Policy and Development publishes the State of Rural – a report outlining the various economic and demographic trends taking place in rural Minnesota. Most years it’s a ...

A slow recovery among home builders

The number of residential housing builders still isn’t at peak levels of 2006. October 2022 By: Kelly Asche, Senior Research Associate Now more than ever we are seeing the linkages between economic development, workforce development, and housing. No matter where you turn, it seems that small communities are trying to crack the code on how ...

Season 3, Episode 1: Childcare Solutions with Initiative Foundation

In September, the Center for Rural Policy and Development released the results of an environmental scan of child care initiatives taking place across rural Minnesota. In this episode, Vice President of Research, Marnie Werner, interviews Don Hickman, the Vice President for Community and Workforce Development at the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls, MN. As an ...