Minnesota's population is getting older and more diverse, but earning less and leaving for other states
Minnesotans are getting older, people here are earning less money, it's dramatically more diverse than it used to be, and compared to other states, more people are moving out of the state than moving in. What does that mean for you?
Between 2011 and 2020, Minnesota lost 0.6% percent of its population to other states, while at the same time, Florida gained 7%. According to Susan Brower, the state demographer, Minnesota is not alone when it comes to people leaving.
"We're in a part of the country, in the Midwest, where we tend to see net losses to other states. So Wisconsin, for example, (or) Iowa, like Minnesota, tend to see net losses," said Brower.
Minnesota has experienced a significant increase in minority populations. In 1960, Minnesota was 97% White. In 2023, the state was 76% White. By comparison, in the 2020 Census, the U.S. as a whole was just shy of 58% White.
The last Census counted 1.2 million people in the state who see themselves as Persons of Color. And while demographers say that group is having more children as a whole, the state's birthrate is declining. In 2007, there were 73,000 babies born in the state. Fast-forward to 2023, and that number dropped to 61,000.
Brower says many factors contribute to declining birth rates, including the cost of children, preferences, and the skyrocketing cost of living. Minnesota's median household income between 2019 and 2024 dropped from $91,000 to $87,000; the data show that stems from a decrease in the salaries men are receiving.
"Given what inflation has looked like over the last few years, it's just that income growth has not kept up with inflation, and that is what many people are experiencing," said Brower.
Nationally, the median income has remained the same.