A couple of weeks ago I read through a lengthy report put out by the Minnesota Department of Administration’s State Demographic Center for Greater Minnesota. Here are some items that stood out. . Rural, small town, and large town residents who work full-time are two or more times more likely to live in poverty than urban dwellers. . Residents of rural Minnesota are not likely to be rescued from poverty by full-time, year-round work, with 1 in 20 such workers living in poverty (5 percent). . Between 17 and 18 percent of all children in rural, small town and large town Minnesota live in poverty, compared to 14 percent of children living in urban settings. . In total, 44 percent of rural Minnesotans are age 50 or above, compared to 41 percent of small town residents, 38 percent of large town residents, and only 32 percent of urban Minnesotans. In Cook County, 41 percent of the residents are 65 and older.
Of particular concern for health services and caregiving needs, residents of rural and small town Minnesota are more than twice as likely to be age 80 or older than residents in urban parts of the state.
Employing technological tools and improving coverage and speed of broadband to deliver telemedicine and meet other needs—by conquering distances without being physically present—will be especially valuable. . Community leaders, say the authors, should consider ways to improve social connections for older adults, many of whom live alone, as strengthened social networks can serve as a bulwark against isolation and related health and mental health concerns. . The educational services, and health care and social assistance industry is the most common among rural workers, employing 23 percent of rural residents. . Between 10 and 12 percent of employees living in each geography type is employed in the retail industry, and about 8 to 9 percent in each is working in the arts, entertainment, and recreation, and accommodation and food services industry. Statewide, workers in these two industries report the lowest median (midpoint) annual earnings of all 13 industries, at $23,100 and $14,800, respectively. . Cook County added 30 people from 2000 to 2015, which is considered zero growth by the report.
Policymakers and community members will use the demographic, and related information to assist with long-term management decisions.
For residents of Cook County, the information won’t come as a big surprise, and the county is working on items like bringing in telemedicine. Still, it is evident, the gap between the metro areas and rural areas in Minnesota is wide. How to close the gap in wages and benefits and retain younger people in rural Minnesota is left to another report. And the hope here is it’s coming soon.
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