[Recommended reading] WCCO | 4 Things To Know About Minnesota Millennials

Thanks to Ali Lucia for featuring Minnesota Rising in her kick-off to her WCCO series about Minnesota's Millennials! Read on for more details about the state's rising generation, and check out other stories in series, focused on education and college costs for Millennials, the future of jobs for Minnesota Millennials, and local Millennials making a difference!

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – According to Pew Research Center, Millennials make up 75 million of the United States’ population. Just like across the country, Millennials make up the largest generation in the state.

So, here’s a look at the generation.

Who are Minnesota Millennials?

It’s a question that doesn’t necessarily have a definite answer, but we can tell you this — they are the largest population in Minnesota.

Population by generation in 2012:

Digital: 14 percent
Millennial: 28 percent
Gen X: 21 percent
Baby Boom: 25 percent
Greatest: 12 percent

Source: MN Compass Project

I think there’s a lot of potential and hope for this generation,” Diane Tran, a senior project manager at Grassroots Solutions in Minneapolis, said.

Where do Minnesota Millennials live?

Like a lot millennials, Tran has taken a liking to the Twin Cities urban living. She works in Minneapolis and lives with her husband in St. Paul. Nearly 30 percent of the two cities are made up of millennials.

Top 5 Millennial Populations in Minnesota:
Minneapolis – 31 percent, 118,892
St. Paul – 28 percent, 79,469
Brooklyn Park – 22 percent, 16,589
Bloomington – 15 percent, 15,815
Burnsville/Plymouth – just over 13,000

– According to most recent Census Date (2010)

For research on where millennials are moving, click here.

“I think there’s a lot of opportunity that comes from a young perspective a fresh perspective and this technological revolution that we are in the midst of currently,” Tran said.

Where to Minnesota Millennials rank compared to other states?

While Minnesota millennials may not be in the top of every category they do rank high in civicengagement, voter turnout, and education. While nearly 1 in 4 is a person of color.

Volunteering: 6th
Education: 7th
Voter Turnout: 2nd

Tran founded an emerging-leader network, called Minnesota Rising.

“It’s about an interest in connecting with others and there’s a larger community that I can help contribute to,” Tran said.

Tran was born from hard working parents. Her parents, who both still work full-time, spent a year living in Palau Bidong, refugee camp, before transferring to the Phillippine Refugee Processing Center in Morong, Bataan, Philippines. Her family was sponsored by a Lutheran Church in Lindstrom and eventually moved to Minnesota. Diane was born in St. Paul, along with her brother.

As the daughter of Vietnam refugees, volunteering has been a priority.

How much to Minnesota Millennials make?

Minnesota Average Salaries by age, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development:

14-18: $5,604
19-21: $12,012
22-24 : $22,044
25-34: $39,468
35-44 : $57,696

Craig Helmstetter, Ph.D., is a Senior Research Manager at Wilder Foundation and has been studying this newest generation to take over the workforce. His research shows across the state Millennials aren’t bringing home the bacon, well not like they used to.

“If we compare ages 20-24 to that age group today versus that age group in 1980 in real dollars the incomes are 24 percent lower,” Helmstetter said.