Insights Archives

Last year, our annual Compass Points report unveiled a concerning trend: over 50% of our quality-of-life metrics were on a negative trajectory. In our latest analysis, although there are signs of improvement in certain areas, Minnesota continues to grapple with the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated challenges. IT Analyst Megan Chmielewski explains in our latest Insights article.

Minnesota is home to more than 430,000 Black residents. But this broad, census-level category doesn't give us the full picture of Black Minnesotans. In this article, we disaggregate the data to understand the varying lived experiences of Minnesota's Black population.

There's no doubt that COVID-19 had an impact on the housing market, but many contributing factors were at play before 2020. Research Scientist Caitlin Hamrock busts the myth that the current housing crisis was caused specifically by the pandemic.

We are facing a labor force shortage, but is it caused by workers opting out? Many people believe that the COVID-19 crisis and its aftermath have driven workers away from the labor market. Is this really the case?

Read about Ramsey County's Inclusive Workplaces Cohort, a group of decision-making staff from small- to medium-sized employers in the county that are committed to learning how to recognize the systemic inequities in their workplaces and make substantive change toward equity and inclusion.

In today's world, we have so much data at our fingertips. But it's important to know how to use that data wisely. We need to be aware of its limitations and biases so that we can make informed decisions. This is especially true when it comes to socioeconomic and demographic data, which can have a significant impact on our understanding of society and the communities we serve. Here are three data myths debunked.

After nearly a decade of incremental declines in Minnesota's poverty rate, we’ve seen an upward trend in poverty since the onset of the pandemic. Here are a few interesting—and some troubling—trends about poverty in Minnesota.

Join Minnesota Compass staff in this five-part virtual training series, designed to empower nonprofit and community leaders in Minnesota with the knowledge and skills to effectively use American Community Survey (ACS) data.

Learn about 100 Rural Women, a nonprofit and non-partisan organization committed to building leadership and confidence through networking, mentoring, education, and civic engagement.

How do culture and demographics connect to leadership development and influence? Research Scientist Justin Hollis provides some thoughts and some questions to ponder.