Serving the Iron Range and northeastern Minnesota

Labor Market

The right people, right skills, right cost

As the labor market tightens, employers are facing increasing difficulty in recruiting skilled workers in metro areas, and companies looking to fill open employment positions are beginning to look toward northeastern Minnesota.

Get the stats

Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) tracks the profile of the state's labor market.

NE Minnesota Total labor force (excluding Duluth)	122,607
Employed	116,167
Unemployed Labor Force	6,441
2006 Annual Unemployment Rate	5.3%

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) – 2007.

For the most recent information available about wages, unemployment, census figures, job vacancies, and labor-related articles, visit: http://www.deed.state.mn.us/lmi/Home.htm

Low turnover, dedicated employees

The people in northeastern Minnesota are known for their work ethic, dedication and loyalty to employers. The Minnesota State Planning Agency reports that the region's employee-turnover percentage rate is significantly lower than other parts of Minnesota and the nation.

A Skilled Workforce The region's workers bring valuable technical skills and experience to their jobs
Age	% of workforce
16-24 years	17.1%
24-44 years	40.4%
45-64 years	39.5%
Skills	% of total workforce
Health Care and Social Assistance	22.4%
Retail Trade	16.2%
Manufacturing	9.8%
Construction	5.8%
Finance & Insurance	4.7%
Mining	3.3%

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, 2007.