Economic profile of the county
- Employment: Stable employment and job growth that outpaces its neighbors.
- The largest employers come from manufacturing, trade, health care, leisure and hospitality, and professional business services.
- From 2010 to 2023, the growth of employment has been strong in manufacturing and leisure and hospitality, while employment in agriculture and trade has declined.
- Workforce: The population ages 65 to 69 has grown significantly, while the cohorts from 45 to 59 years have declined.
- Overall, the workforce is becoming more diverse.
- The number of people in the workforce has remained relatively stable.
- Commuting patterns are relatively balanced, with 3,772 workers commuting into the county, 5,195 commuting out of the county, and 6,380 remaining within the county.
- Wages: Wages have been rising. The current average weekly wage in Becker County is around $850, compared to an average wage of $1,300 for Minnesota.
- Consumer spending: The surge in consumer spending between 2019 and 2021 was a challenging time for producers of durable and non-durable goods, manufacturers, as well as services.
- The economic forecast calls for continued growth in consumer spending, while unemployment will remain relatively low.
- Challenges/opportunities
- There are more jobs than people looking for work.
- There is an acute shortage of childcare, with current demand outpacing supply by 648 slots, and many households choose to decline or withdraw from employment to care for their children.
- Housing starts and listings have been declining. Housing for middle-income families is a major concern.
Projects selected during the workshop
- Regional branding — Headline: We have the jobs, we have the quality of life; all we need is you!
- Becker County Community Connect — Headline: Improving volunteer opportunities and welcoming new residents
- Daycare — Headline: Public, private partnership builds daycare facility
- Housing — Headline: Becker County grows housing availability
About the workshop
The Becker County Economic Futures Workshop was held on May 29, 2024, at the Becker County Courthouse. There were 25 participants and four Extension facilitators. The economy of Becker County is growing, and the goal of this workshop was to help the Becker County Economic Development Authority (EDA) identify community priorities and opportunities for business, civic, and workforce development.
The EDA reached out to Extension’s Department of Community Development for suggestions on programming to fulfill that goal. From the range of offerings in community economics, an Economic Futures Workshop was chosen as the first engagement with the community. The EDA invited a group of community leaders to the workshop.
The workshop consisted of three distinct activities:
- The general session;
- A facilitated exercise for idea generation in small groups called the preserve, change, create exercise; and
- Projects selected for advancement from clusters of the ideas generated by the small groups.
These three activities are discussed in greater detail in the linked report.
Reviewed in 2024