Welcome To
Minnesota Compass
By tracking and analyzing trends in topics that affect our quality of life, Compass gives everyone in our state – policymakers, business and community leaders, and concerned individuals who live and work here – a common foundation to act on issues to improve our communities. More >
IN BRIEF
Includes notable trends, key demographics, and a dashboard look at how our state fares in key topic areas.
New data
Minnesota's poverty rate stands at just under 10 percent, the lowest poverty rate we've seen since before the Great Recession.
Median household income stands at $65,600 in Minnesota, up $1,300 from a year ago and on par with median household income before the Great Recession.
Twenty-six percent of Minnesota households are housing cost-burdened, paying 30 percent or more of their income for housing. The share of Minnesota households paying too much for housing has been trending downward since 2009.
Eight percent of Minnesota's residents are foreign-born, compared to 14 percent nationally.
Seventy-eight percent of adults in Minnesota are working, equivalent to pre-recession levels. Only neighboring North Dakota has a higher proportion of adults working.
Minnesota's serious crime rate was 2,363 crimes committed per 100,000 residents in 2016, representing a fourth consecutive year of decline in the serious crime rate.
There are 1.3 million children and youth (age 0-17) living in Minnesota, or 23 percent of the state's population.
Residents of color compose 19 percent of Minnesota's total population, up from 12 percent in 2000.
Fifty-eight percent of 8th graders were proficient in math in 2017. The trend in 8th grade math proficiency has been flat since 2013.
Fifty-seven percent of Minnesota's 3rd graders were proficient in reading in 2017, marking five years of relatively flat results on this measure.
Racial Equity Resource Directory
View a statewide listing of racial equity programs and training providers serving faith communities, civic organizations, educational institutions, and anyone working to combat racism and increase cultural competence.
Insights
Minnesota Compass staff have been on the road across Minnesota to hear from communities about the information and tools they need to better understand the opportunities and challenges facing their regions.
NEW feature
Now you can create a profile comparing two areas.
MORE Insights
Recent articles highlighting key trends and issues:
2016 year-end: How Minnesota stacks up
Racial disparities in Minnesota: better, worse, or the same?
Immigration in Minnesota: a changing story
6 things you should know about poverty in Minnesota: Myth-busters edition
RSS Feed
OUR SPONSORS
3M
Blue Cross and Blue Shield
of Minnesota Foundation
Otto Bremer Trust
Bush Foundation
Greater Twin Cities United Way
Initiative Foundation
The Jay & Rose Phillips Family
Foundation of Minnesota
Mardag Foundation
The McKnight Foundation
Community Leadership Fund
of The Minneapolis Foundation
Northwest Minnesota Foundation
The Saint Paul Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation Minnesota
Amherst H. Wilder Foundation
Minnesota Compass
www.mncompass.org
Led by Wilder Research
© 2017. All rights reserved.