Insights Archives

We know that a lot of people like to have data about the state as a whole, but also want to be able to say what is going on in their own area. For that reason, we provide data for all 87 of Minnesota's counties, and the 55 cities with populations over 20,000. You can access this data in two ways: by region and by topic area.

Before the recent election, we heard a great deal about conditions in our communities, our state, and our nation, and the conversation continues. So, we thought we would share what we know, from data which have recently emerged on community conditions. Because, of course: "We are all entitled to our own opinions; but we are not entitled to our own facts."

Compass talked with Randi Roth, Executive Director of the Otto Bremer Foundation since 2008, about community involvement and the Foundation's role in promoting it.

Times are tough. We know that. Those of us who manage organizations serving the community and who have worked through demanding times before also recognize that, with creativity and hard work, we can persevere; we can succeed in continuing to meet the needs of the community.

Minnesota Compass has revised the Jobs key measure in the Economy section. Compass researcher Allison Churilla answers questions about the changes and the reasons behind them, and points out some key learnings we can glean from the revised measure and accompanying breakdowns by geography.

Construction of the Central Corridor Light Rail Line running along University Avenue and linking downtown Saint Paul and downtown Minneapolis is well underway. The Central Corridor Funders Collaborative provides support to build on the strengths of adjacent neighborhoods, and is working with Compass staff to track changes along the corridor.

In Robert Putnam's book, "Bowling Alone," he demonstrated that since the 1960s, Americans have become less involved in their communities, less trusting in their neighbors, and less likely to give of their time and resources. In short, he concluded that the fabric holding together neighborhoods is slowly unraveling. And he warns that our stock of social capital has plummeted, impoverishing our lives and communities.

The gender wage gap is one of the most frequently cited social indicators of gender disparity. According to a recent report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a full-time working woman in Minnesota earns, on average, 83 cents for every dollar earned by a man. This represents positive change since 2003, when the gender wage gap hit a low of 74 cents.

Super Bowl victors come and go every 12 months. Can you even remember who won a few weeks ago, or last year? However, training and play execution for a prosperous Minnesota require 365 days of attention. Can we win at that game?

What might the ESPN-like pundits observe, were they to gauge the likelihood of a Minnesota victory in this global economy? Where does our General Manager (aka all of us who care about the state) need to focus attention?

Housing is more than shelter. Our communities need stable neighborhoods where families can put down roots. Children need safe, stable homes and neighborhoods to flourish and succeed in school. With so much changing in the housing market, reports of volatile prices, it's a good chance to take a step back and look at how all of these numbers are impacting our communities.