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12/19/2023 9:00:00 AM
Tim O'Neill
This past month the U.S. Census Bureau released updated estimates through the American Community Survey (ACS). These new 5-year estimates covering 2018 to 2022 are available for all geographies down to the census tract and block group levels. Additionally, the ACS data covers a wide array of vital information, including employment, educational attainment, income and poverty, housing, disability status, veteran status, and more. This month let's take a closer look at the Metro Area's labor force characteristics by age, and how the region's labor force has changed in recent years.
According to the new 2022 5-year estimates, the Seven-County Twin Cities Metro Area had a labor force size of 1,778,729 people. It should be noted that the labor force includes all persons, 16 years of age and older, who are either employed or unemployed. Overall, the Metro Area had a labor force participation rate of 71.0% in 2022, with the highest labor force participation rates for those between the ages of 25 and 54 years.
Between the 2017 and 2022 5-year estimates, the Metro Area's labor force expanded by 3.6%. This was equivalent to over 61,600 additional people. For reference, Minnesota's labor force size rose by 2.6% during that period, meaning the Twin Cities accounted for a majority of the state's labor force growth. The most significant growth in the Metro Area's labor force was for those persons between the ages of 35 and 44 years, with those between the ages of 60 and 74 years also adding a significant number to the region's labor force. The most rapid growth was for those persons 65 to 74 years, as well as those persons 75 years and over. Declines were witnessed for those persons between the ages of 45 and 54 years, as well as those persons between 20 and 29 years (Table 1).
| Table 1. Metro Area Labor Force Characteristics by Age, 2022 5-Year Estimates | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age Cohort | Population | Labor Force | Labor Force Participation Rate | Labor Force Change 2017-2022 | |
| Numeric | Percent | ||||
| Population 16 years & over | 2,503,656 | 1,778,729 | 71.0% | 61,656 | +3.6% |
| 16 to 19 years | 157,642 | 79,234 | 50.3% | +4,519 | +6.0% |
| 20 to 24 years | 193,205 | 160,616 | 83.1% | -799 | -0.5% |
| 25 to 29 years | 225,314 | 202,412 | 89.8% | -468 | -0.2% |
| 30 to 34 years | 234,004 | 210,814 | 90.1% | +5,973 | +2.9% |
| 35 to 44 years | 439,630 | 391,054 | 89.0% | +42,167 | +12.1% |
| 45 to 54 years | 385,986 | 341,099 | 88.4% | -25,103 | -6.9% |
| 55 to 59 years | 209,166 | 171,351 | 81.9% | +1,117 | +0.7% |
| 60 to 64 years | 195,151 | 128,601 | 65.9% | +16,361 | +14.6% |
| 65 to 74 years | 278,540 | 81,184 | 29.1% | +16,299 | +25.1% |
| 75 years & over | 185,018 | 12,622 | 6.8% | +2,573 | +25.6% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey | |||||
Zooming in, Hennepin County added the most to the Metro Area's labor force between 2017 and 2022 (+26,769 persons). However, Scott County witnessed the most rapid growth in its labor force during that period, growing by 8.6%. Carver County (+5.7%) and Washington County (+5.4%) also witnessed faster labor force growth between 2017 and 2022 (Table 2).
| Table 2. Metro Area Labor Force Statistics by County
2022 5-Year Estimates |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Labor Force Size | Labor Force Participation Rate | Labor Force Change, 2017-2022 | |
| Numeric | Percent | |||
| Anoka County | 202,932 | 70.4% | +6,549 | +3.3% |
| Carver County | 60,394 | 73.0% | +3,250 | +5.7% |
| Dakota County | 249,078 | 72.1% | +8,228 | +3.4% |
| Hennepin County | 735,236 | 71.7% | +26,769 | +3.8% |
| Ramsey County | 297,326 | 68.5% | +2,465 | +0.8% |
| Scott County | 87,460 | 75.4% | +6,934 | +8.6% |
| Washington County | 146,303 | 69.1% | +7,459 | +5.4% |
| Metro Area | 1,778,729 | 71.0% | +61,656 | +3.6% |
| Minnesota | 3,117,089 | 68.7% | +78,247 | +2.6% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey | ||||
Contact Tim O'Neill, Labor Market Analyst, at timothy.oneill@state.mn.us.
