Regional Analysis

1
Labor Force Analysis for Willmar Kandiyohi
County

• Cameron Macht, Regional Analyst
• Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic
  Development (DEED)
• Labor Market Information
• www.deed.state.mn.us/lmi
• 320-231-5174 ext. 7535
• cameron.macht_at_state.mn.us

2
Location Factors

• What do employers and site selectors look for
  when deciding where to locate or expand their
  business?
• The bottom line from a half-century of economic
  research is
• THE BOTTOM LINE
• In other words, the extent to which a locations
  features contribute to lower costs or higher
  sales largely determines business growth
• The impact of a locations attributes on costs
  and sales depends on the type of business and the
  industry it is in, but a number of factors
  consistently emerge as generally important for
  business location
• Much like location in real estate, researchers
  consistently find that the quality,
  affordability, and availability of labor are the
  most important location factors

3
Kandiyohi County Willmar Demographic Growth

• The Willmar lakes area is a vital, growing
  regional center in the middle of Minnesota
• Population grew 7.0 (2,726 people) from 1990 to
  2005
• Population is projected to grow 10.9 from 2005
  to 2020
• The total population in Kandiyohi County has
  passed 41,000 and is growing steadily through a
  healthy, aging population and increased
  in-migration
• Kandiyohi Co. has the sixth-largest Hispanic
  population in the state (approx. 4,100 people)
  and is expected to more than double (128)
  between 2000 and 2030
• Willmar is a perfect demographic example of
  Minnesota in 20 years
• Willmar is the 6th largest regional population
  center in greater Minnesota that is not an MSA
  (St. Cloud, Rochester, Duluth, Fargo)
• With well over 16,000 non-farm jobs, Willmar is
  the 4th largest regional employment center in
  greater Minnesota (and 1,286 farms)

4
Kandiyohi County Willmar Regional Center Growth

• Kandiyohi County is a net importer of labor (more
  jobs than people)
• Workers commute mainly from 9 surrounding
  counties
• 3,000 commuters each day
• According to Local Area Unemploy-ment Statistics,
  Kandiyohi County has between 23,000 and 24,000
  workers in 2007
• Kandiyohi Countys unemployment rate was 5.0 in
  Apr. 2007, with 1,168 people available and
  looking for work
• Region 6E has around 66,500 available workers in
  2007

Kandiyohi County Laborshed Map
5
Kandiyohi County WillmarIndustry Employment
Statistics

• According to QCEW industry employment statistics,
  Kandiyohi County has 22,678 jobs, a 5 increase
  from 2002
• Information services provided 586 jobs
• Information grew 13.6 from 2002 to 2006, adding
  70 jobs
• Including 189 jobs at data processing related
  services and 145 jobs in other information
  services
• Professional technical services provided 376
  jobs
• Industry grew 2.5, adding 9 jobs
• Including over 100 jobs at architecture
  engineering services and over 90 jobs in mgmt.
  technical consulting services
• The fastest growing industries in the region
  include admin. services and professional
  technical services, as well as healthcare
• Administrative waste services grew 20.7,
  adding 158 jobs

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7
Kandiyohi County Willmar Educational
Attainment and Tenure

• Kandiyohi County has more than 10,800 students in
  primary, secondary, and post-secondary
  institutions in the area
• 9.5 of the population aged 25 years and over
  have an Associate Degree
• One of the highest percentages in the state!
• 24.5 of the population have attended some
  college
• 18.3 have a bachelors degree or higher
• Ridgewater College, with campuses in Willmar
  Hutch, has 4,285 students
• Minnesota West Community Technical College
  serves 3,183 students
• Median employee tenureis twice as long in
  Willmaras the U.S. (7 years!)

8
Kandiyohi County Willmar The Bottom Line

• Kandiyohi County has one of the largest available
  resident employment pools in greater Minnesota,
  with shorter commutes
• Kandiyohi County has a strong agricultural and
  manufacturing foundation buoyed by an
  entrepreneurial spirit
• Kandiyohi County has the jobs, shopping centers,
  lakes, and amenities to draw in workers,
  tourists, and new businesses
• Kandiyohi County has a cost-of-doing-business and
  cost-of-living structure that allows for
  reasonable wages which are attractive to
  businesses combined with productive workers
• Kandiyohi County has a strong education
  infrastructure and can train, expand, and sustain
  a qualified workforce
• Kandiyohi County has a loyal workforce that is
  willing to stay with an employer long-term