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Southwest Minnesota’s workforce in 2024 is older, more balanced by gender and better paid than it was a decade ago
11/19/2025 11:24:15 AM
Amanda Blaschko, Luke Greiner
According to data from DEED's Quarterly Employment Demographics program, Southwest Minnesota's workforce in 2024 is older, more balanced by gender and better paid than it was a decade ago. Several shifts stand out, but some of the most notable include:
| Table 1. Workforce Demographics by Age Group and Gender, Total of All Industries, 2014-2024 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Minnesota | Percentage of Jobs Held | Minnesota | Median Hourly Wage | Median Hours Worked Per Qtr. | ||||
| 2024 | 2014 | 2024 | 2014 | 2024 | 2014 | 2024 | 2014 | |
| Total | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | 100.0% | $22.61 | $14.22 | 402 | 402 |
| 19 years & under | 7.9% | 8.1% | 6.0% | 6.4% | $15.24 | $8.39 | 117 | 111 |
| 20 to 24 years | 10.4% | 12.3% | 9.0% | 11.1% | $19.33 | $10.79 | 286 | 250 |
| 25 to 44 years | 40.1% | 38.1% | 43.6% | 42.4% | $25.96 | $15.96 | 459 | 461 |
| 45 to 54 years | 17.2% | 19.3% | 18.7% | 20.8% | $28.59 | $17.51 | 478 | 480 |
| 55 to 64 years | 16.3% | 16.8% | 16.5% | 15.4% | $26.31 | $17.16 | 472 | 478 |
| 65 years & over | 8.0% | 5.4% | 6.1% | 3.9% | $19.92 | $12.93 | 219 | 202 |
| Male | 48.0% | 47.6% | 48.9% | 49.3% | $25.74 | $16.35 | 469 | 472 |
| Female | 52.0% | 52.4% | 51.1% | 50.7% | $21.96 | $12.98 | 367 | 354 |
| Source: DEED Quarterly Employment Demographics | ||||||||
Overall, median hourly wages across all ages in Southwest Minnesota rose from $14.22 in 2014 to $22.61 in 2024 – a 59% increase over the decade. With increased demand for workers, wage growth was strongest among younger cohorts, with workers aged 19 years and under seeing wages jump 82% (from $8.39 to $15.24). Yet, older workers still earn more, as the 45 to 54 age group had the highest median wage at $28.59 per hour in 2024.
And although women experienced a faster wage increase over the decade, a gender pay gap persists; median hourly wages for men were $3.78 per hour more than women in 2024. Industry and occupational mix dictates much of the gap, with men more concentrated in higher wage industries like Mining, Utilities, Construction, Manufacturing and Wholesale Trade; women were more concentrated in lower wage industries like Accommodation & Food Services, Arts, Entertainment & Recreation, Educational Services and Health Care & Social Assistance.
Over the decade, men's median wages rose from $16.35 to $25.74 (+57%), compared to women's median wages, which jumped from $12.98 to $21.96 (+69%). Also highlighting ongoing differences in job type, part-time work, and possibly caregiving responsibilities, the data show that at the median, men work over 100 more hours per quarter than women: 469 vs. 367. This gap is relatively unchanged from 2014.
For more information about wage trends in Southwest Minnesota, contact Luke Greiner at Luke.Greiner@state.mn.us or Amanda Blaschko at Amanda.Blaschko@state.mn.us.
