Minnesotans losing economic ground

Minnesotans have been losing economic ground over the past decade, and new census data show one in 10 in the state lives in poverty.

Poverty in Minnesota increased by 4 percent, compared to a 3 percent increase nationally over the last decade.

Minnesota's poverty rate of about 10 percent trails the national average of 15 percent, but has been growing more quickly, said Christina Wessel, who tracks this data for the non-profit Minnesota Budget Project.

"The trend is even more dramatic when we look at median income," Wessel said. "Only Michigan, with all the challenges of the automotive industry, has seen a larger drop in median income over the last decade."

Census department data also show the median income of Minnesotans is dropping more quickly than the national average, down 16 percent over the last decade versus the 6 percent experienced nationally.

Minnesota's median income for 2009 to 2010 was $55,000, down from $65,000 in 1999 to 2000.

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