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Income and Work

Minnesota has one of the highest rates of labor force participation in the country, but that doesn’t mean that all Minnesotans are able to make ends meet. We research economic trends to understand who’s faring well in today’s economy, and who is left behind. We advocate for economic policies, particularly those that improve wages and job quality standards, so that more Minnesotans can thrive.

Research

October 2014

Mapping Minnesota's future to shared opportunities

Catholic Charities of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the Minnesota Budget Project have worked together to create this portfolio of maps to answer questions such as “Where is our fight against poverty most needed?” and “Where do Minnesotans have less education, higher unemployment, or lower incomes?” 

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September 2014

Many Minnesotans still struggling to find jobs despite stronger economy

By the start of 2014, it appeared that the economic recovery was taking hold. Minnesota had recovered the jobs lost during the recession, and unemployment was comfortably below the national figures. But these overall figures disguise the fact that many Minnesota workers are not sharing in the state’s economic growth. The same kinds of workers that suffered the highest levels of unemployment during the recession - the less educated, the young, single parents and people of color – still face higher unemployment rates during the recovery.

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April 2014

Minimum wage increase will boost economy and incomes of many Minnesotans

Minnesota’s low-wage workers will soon receive a long overdue raise. One of our country’s most deeply held values is that hard work should pay off and that those who work hard should be able to support their families. But Minnesota’s minimum wage has failed to live up to that principle. Minimum wage workers do not earn enough to make ends meet, and the minimum wage has not kept up with the cost of basic necessities.

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February 2014

Unemployment picture remains grim for many Minnesotans

The U.S. is still on the road to recovery from the Great Recession, an historical period of economic turmoil. In December 2007, the country entered a prolonged recession during which housing prices plummeted and unemployment skyrocketed. Although the recession officially ended in June 2009, the economic recovery has been slow and unsteady, leaving many families struggling to get back on their feet.

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Income and Work Blog Posts

January 25, 2024

Proposed federal Child Tax Credit expansion would boost the incomes of millions of families

Congress is considering passing an important expansion of the federal Child Tax Credit that would benefit about 16 million children in low-income families across the US. But it's not a sure thing yet. We've included a link in the blog to email your representatives today, urging them to pass an expanded CTC and reduce poverty among the nation's children.

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May 12, 2023

2023 tax conference committee weighs similarities, differences in House, Senate, Walz tax plans

This year, policymakers are considering transformational changes and long-overdue investments to make Minnesota a state...

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January 25, 2023

Child poverty declines sharply thanks to federal Child Tax Credit expansion

Thanks in part to improvements policymakers made to the federal Child Tax Credit (CTC), recent U.S. Census data show that from 2019 to 2021, child poverty fell a remarkable 59 percent. Minnesota policymakers should build on that success and create a state Child Tax Credit.

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November 09, 2022

Minnesota college students increasingly facing basic economic, mental health challenges

Minnesota should prioritize funding basic needs programs and mental health services so that every college student can succeed regardless of their income or where they live.

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More Income & Work Blogs

Highlighted Research

workers

State of Working Minnesota: Barriers Keep Many from Making Ends Meet

Despite Minnesota's economic recovery from the Great Recession, many Minnesotans have not seen the wage growth we would expect nearly a decade later. And many people still face barriers to finding good jobs and supporting themselves and their families, according to analysis from the Economic Policy Institute. Our State of Working Minnesota report digs deeper into the data.

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