Poverty and Labor Markets in Minnesota

Prepared for

The Legislative Commission to End Poverty by 2020

Steve HineResearch Director

Department of Employment and Economic Development

US Families in Poverty(2005, numbers in thousands)

 All income

levelsBelow poverty

Share below poverty

People in families 242,389 26,068 10.8

     

In families with no workers 26,156 8,941 34.2

In families with at least one worker 216,233 17,127 7.9

Only one working family member 73,850 13,043 17.7

Two or more working family members 142,382 4,084 2.9

Share of Jobs Below Poverty Thresholds (hourly wage rates)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Census Poverty Threshold Census LLSIL JobsNow Coalition

Per

cen

t o

f Jo

bs

(200

5 A

vera

ge)

156,328 jobs

Share of Jobs Below Poverty Thresholds (hourly wage rates)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Census Poverty Threshold Census LLSIL JobsNow Coalition

Per

cen

t o

f Jo

bs

(200

5 A

vera

ge)

499,000 jobs

Share of Jobs Below Poverty Thresholds (hourly wage rates)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Census Poverty Threshold Census LLSIL JobsNow Coalition

Per

cen

t o

f Jo

bs

(200

5 A

vera

ge)

1,583,000 jobs

Characteristics of Jobs

  All Jobs

Jobs Below JobsNow

Wage

Jobs Below Poverty Wage

Share of Jobs that are Full-Quarter

71.1% 62.2% 43.6%

Ave. Hrs per Quarter of Full Qrter Jobs

410 hours 356 hours 232 hours

Share of Jobs Below Poverty Thresholds (quarterly wages paid)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Census Poverty Threshold Census LLSIL JobsNow Coalition

Per

cen

t o

f Jo

bs

(200

5 A

vera

ge)

)

971,000 jobs

Share of Jobs Below Poverty Thresholds (quarterly wages paid)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Census Poverty Threshold Census LLSIL JobsNow Coalition

Per

cen

t o

f Jo

bs

(200

5 A

vera

ge)

)

1,137,000 jobs

Share of Jobs Below Poverty Thresholds (quarterly wages paid)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Census Poverty Threshold Census LLSIL JobsNow Coalition

Per

cen

t o

f Jo

bs

(200

5 A

vera

ge)

)

1,764,000 jobs

Share of Jobs Below Poverty Thresholds (quarterly wages paid)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Census Poverty Threshold Census LLSIL JobsNow Coalition

Per

cen

t o

f Jo

bs

(200

5 A

vera

ge)

)

1-adult 1-child family

2-adult 2-child family

818,000 jobs 1,033,000 jo

bs

1,412,000 jobs

Median Wages of Job Vacancies

$0.00

$2.00

$4.00

$6.00

$8.00

$10.00

$12.00

Jobs Paying at or below JobsNow Living Wage ($ per quarter)

for a Family of Two Persons (1 Adult + 1 Child) in Selected Counties,

Average Quarter 2005

JobsNow Number ofJobs at or below JobsNow

wage level

 County Wage Level Total Jobs     Percent

  ($/quarter)   Number Of Total

Beltrami 6,994 77,217 52,178 67.6

Clay 6,984 75,025 50,176 66.9

Crow Wing 7,862 125,901 89,020 70.7

Meeker 8,070 29,299 20,215 69.0

Otter Tail 6,807 94,112 64,051 68.1

Pine 8,871 33,665 27,777 82.5

Todd 7,628 27,452 19,239 70.1

Wright 9,594 152,959 115,506 75.5