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11/25/2024 11:53:02 AM
Tim O'Neill
On Monday, November 11, Veterans Day, we recognize and honor military veterans across the state of Minnesota and the United States. This month, we'll look at data about veterans in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), including a breakdown by age and disability status, and how veterans contribute to the region's labor market. We'll also look at resources that veterans can utilize through the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and CareerForce.
According to the latest 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates, the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA is home to nearly 146,000 veterans, making up 5.1% of the region's total population 18 years of age and older. In terms of period of service, the largest number of veterans in the region reported serving during the Vietnam Era, with a significant number also reporting serving either during the first or second Gulf Wars. Just under 5% of the region's veterans were in the oldest age groups and served during the Korean War or World War II.
Between 2013 and 2023, the number of veterans in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA decreased by nearly 45,600 people, but the share of older veterans greatly increased. In 2013, for example, 23.2% of the region's veterans reported being 75 years of age and older. In 2023, that increased to 33.4%. The share of veterans in the oldest age group is significantly higher than the respective nonveteran population, where just 7.0% of nonveterans were 75 years of age and older. While 55.4% of veterans reported being 65 years of age and older in 2023, 19.0% of nonveterans were of that age. Due to age and/or service, a significantly higher share of veterans in the region report having a disability (31.0%) than the nonveteran population (11.8%) (Figure 1).
Whether serving in WWII or more recently in Iraq and Afghanistan, veterans in the region are highly educated. As of 2023, nearly all veterans (97.0%) 25 years of age and older reported having a high school diploma equivalency or higher. 71.5% of veterans reported having some level of postsecondary education, with 35.0% having a bachelor's degree or higher.
And these highly educated veterans are participating in the region's labor market. In 2023, 83.5% of veterans between the ages of 18 and 64 years reported participating in the labor market; that's equivalent to approximately 54,450 veterans. Though veterans are highly educated and participating in labor market at a high rate, there were still nearly 2,000 unemployed veterans actively searching for work in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA in 2023. DEED's CareerForce services are available to assist those unemployed veterans looking for work opportunities in the region and state.
To discover more about veterans and employment services in the Twin Cities Metro Area, contact Tim O'Neill, Labor Market Analyst, at timothy.oneill@state.mn.us
