Home to the state's second-largest metro, the Northeast Region has a strong industrial sector, tied largely to the area's abundant natural resources.
Most of the manufacturing base centers on mining and forest products industries. More than half of the sector's employment is in paper and machinery manufacturing.
Want the freshest data delivered by email? Subscribe to our regional newsletters.
11/8/2021 9:00:00 AM
Carson Gorecki
Veterans are important contributors to Minnesota's local economies and communities, and a larger than average share calls Northeast Minnesota home. In 2020, there were an estimated 26,973 veterans living in Northeast Minnesota, accounting for 8.3% of the population, according to the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA). In fact, 10% of Aitkin County and 9% of both Lake and Itasca County residents were veterans, which were among the highest percentages in the state. Every county in Northeast Minnesota had shares above the state average (see Table 1).
| County | Total Population | Number of Veterans | Veterans as a Percent of Total Population | Veterans in the Labor Force (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aitkin Co. | 15,697 | 1,623 | 10.3% | 351 |
| Carlton Co. | 36,207 | 2,771 | 7.7% | 925 |
| Cook Co. | 5,600 | 413 | 7.4% | 86 |
| Itasca Co. | 45,014 | 3,957 | 8.8% | 1,070 |
| Koochiching Co. | 12,062 | 1,028 | 8.5% | 336 |
| Lake Co. | 10,905 | 974 | 8.9% | 148 |
| St. Louis Co. | 200,231 | 16,207 | 8.1% | 4,803 |
| Northeast Minnesota | 325,716 | 26,973 | 8.3% | 7,719 |
| Minnesota | 5,706,494 | 321,810 | 5.6% | 109,835 |
| Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs | ||||
Of the veterans living in Northeast Minnesota in 2020, over 58% are at least 65 years old, and 41% served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975). For veterans between the ages of 18 and 64, there were just over 7,700 veterans in the labor force, for a participation rate of 68.6%. Unfortunately, the average unemployment rate for veterans of 7.5% was higher than the general population.
Importantly, in 2020 about 26% of all veterans in the U.S. had a service-connected disability. The labor force participation rate for all workers with disabilities in Northeast Minnesota was much lower (44.1%) and the unemployment rate was much higher (10.6%) compared to the overall population. In addition, the employment impacts of the pandemic fell disproportionately on people and workers with disabilities, including veterans with service-connected disabilities.
There are many veterans in Northeast Minnesota looking for work and many are well qualified. Via initiatives such as the Minnesota GI Bill and the MDVA's Higher Education Veterans Programs, Minnesotan veterans have good access to education and training opportunities. Most have taken full advantage. In Northeast Minnesota, 40.1% of veterans have some college or an associate's degree and 19.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher. By comparison, 38.4% of the general population have some college or an associate's degree and 26.6% have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, veterans are more likely to end up in certain types of occupations. Relative to non-veterans, veterans are more than twice as likely to work in Installation, Maintenance, and Repair, and 1.5 times as likely to be in Transportation and Material Moving occupations. By industry, veterans are about five times more likely than non-veterans to hold Federal Government jobs and twice as likely to be in Mining, Quarrying, and Gas Exploration. Veterans are also slightly more likely to be self-employed than non-veterans.
Veterans return from service with a vast array of unique skills and experiences. They will continue to be an invaluable resource for local employers looking for quality, well trained candidates. The entire Northeast Region serves to benefit. If you are a veteran looking to transition to a civilian job, try O*NET's My Next Move For Veterans website. One tool on this site matches military classifications with similar civilian careers, allowing veterans to leverage their experience and skills gained while serving.
More importantly, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development has an employment team dedicated to serving Minnesotan veterans and their needs. Check out the CareerForce Veterans Employment Services page to find your regional contact and how they might help you or a veteran you know.
Contact Northeast Minnesota Labor Market Analyst Carson Gorecki at 218-302-8413.
