Nine Minnesota counties, all non-metro, have surpassed pre-recession economic levels — based on jobs, unemployment rate, economic output, and home prices — according to a national survey.
Only 2.1 percent of counties nationwide, 66 of 3,069, are ahead in all four categories, and Minnesota has the third highest number of counties on the list prepared by the National Association of Counties.
The Minnesota counties on the list are:
- Clay, Marshall, Pennington and Polk counties in northwest Minnesota;
- Pope, Stevens and Wilkin counties in west central Minnesota
- Jackson and Murray counties in southwest Minnesota.
Katie Clark Sieben, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, said that while the survey shows that some areas of Greater Minnesota are leading the way, “We must continue to focus on growing jobs and increasing economic opportunity for all of Minnesota.”
Most states don’t have any counties that have recovered in all four categories. The short list is:
- Texas (24 counties)
- North Dakota (16)
- Minnesota (9)
- Kansas (8)
- Montana (3)
- Iowa (2)
- Alaska (2)
- South Dakota (1)
- South Carolina (1)
