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Suppose the entire population of Winona disappeared over five months. We'd notice. And we'd ask, what's going on?

Winona's still there. But 32,217 Minnesotans left the state's labor force (sum of the employed plus the unemployed) between April and August. There are guesses why, but no one good explanation. 

show another drop -- not nearly the cliff dive we 

The crucial question we've been asking: Why isn't the improving economy bringing discouraged workers back into the labor force the way experts expected? That's the way it's supposed to work -- things get better and all those folks who gave up start trying again.

 is jumping. So where are the workers to fill them?

Minnesota's August labor force participation rate -- the percentage of working age people who have a job or are unemployed and seeking a job -- slipped to 71.8 percent. We haven't see a rate that low here 

Online, state seasonally adjusted labor force data go back to 1976. There's never been a drop even close to what we've seen since April. (Click on the chart below for a larger view.)

"There is certainly no single obvious reason for the decline. We can really only speculate at this point," said Kyle Uphoff, assistant labor market information director with Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development.

The alternative explanation, he added, may be more simple.

"The jobless may be going back to school, retiring early or taking care of family until the labor market creates opportunities that use their skills and match their reservation wage."

Why is this a big deal? Towns aren't disappearing and people aren't being kidnapped. But Minnesota's economic success has always been a draw. We don't really expect people to leave Minnesota to look for opportunity.

But that's no longer the case. We've highlighted the ongoing 

struggles of young adults in the Great Recession

 and Minnesota's ability to keep its young talent in state.

is stunning -- people in the construction trades who built the Twin Cities but can't afford to live here now.

Yes, it's just one family. And if the labor force swings back around by year's end, our hand-wringing will be forgotten quickly.

State experts, though, have been worried for more than a year about the future health of Minnesota's economy given what's already 

projected to be a slow growth, aging workforce

We've always believed that when the job opportunities return, the people will, too. Right now, that's not the case.

The absolute worst scenario coming out of a recession this bad would be a Minnesota economy where the jobs are here but the people are not.

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Minnesota’s labor force: The exit continues

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