Labor Force

Washington County’s population includes a talented, engaged and growing labor force. As of 2023, it has the fifth-largest population of all Minnesota counties but has experienced the most growth of the Top Five since 2010, per U.S. Census County Population Estimates.

Highlights of the 2023 Washington County Labor Demand & Supply Study are illustrated below.

Supply Summary

  • Washington County is home to an estimated 277,283 residents of all ages as of 2022, growing by 21,566 over the last five years and is projected to grow by 23,061 over the next five years. That growth of the local population is expected to be higher than most other parts of Minnesota at about 1.1% growth annually and about 7.7% of the total population growth forecast for the entire state of Minnesota.
  • A total of 99,098 workers are employed in Washington County, which is approximately 5% of the total Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area workforce. 
  • The largest adult age cohorts in Washington County’s population are between 45-54 and 55-64, suggesting a local population approaching retirement age. 
  • Of Washington County’s population aged 25 and older, 96% have a high school degree, while 47% have a Bachelor's degree or higher.
  • Washington County has just under 100,000 housing units, with a median value of $301,000, above the statewide median of $235,700. Homeowner vacancy rates are at 0.6% or about 486 total vacant homesteaded units. 

Demand Summary

  • 2021 Washington County nominal GDP expanded 12.2% to $12,119,877,000, with Manufacturing, Real Estate, Healthcare and Social Assistance and Retail Trade as the leading contributors. 
  • Employment outlook for Washington County is strong, with an estimated average annual growth of 0.8% over the next five years.
  • Washington County has a net migration of -50,742 workers, with approximately 55,316 workers commuting into and approximately 106,058 residents commuting out of Washington County.
  • The industry with the highest forecast growth rate over the next ten years in Washington County is the Information Industry (22.3%), followed by Accommodation and Food Services (19.3%).
  • All sixteen career clusters forecast growth in Washington County over the next ten years. Human Services, Hospitality and Tourism and Health Science careers will likely see the most significant overall positive change in employment volume.
  • The Detailed Occupation Forecast indicates General and Operations Managers and Software Developers are expected to add the most jobs over the next ten years in Washington County.

2023 Washington County Labor Supply Study

2023 Washington County Labor Demand Study

 

Washington County, Minnesota, 2022 Q3* 

    Current 5-Yr History 5-Yr Forecast
NAICS Industry Empl Avg Ann Wages LQ Empl Change Ann % Total Demand Exits Transfers Empl Growth Ann % Growth
44 Retail Trade 15,232 $32,426 1.52 1,141 1.6% 10,943 4,654 6,155 134 0.2%
62 Health Care and Social Assistance 14,614 $57,666 1.03 2,264 3.4% 8,999 3,589 4,206 1,204 1.6%
31 Manufacturing 11,108 $75,300 1.39 1,467 2.9% 6,318 2,257 3,839 222 0.4%
72 Accommodation and Food Services 9,544 $23,444 1.14 -79 -0.2% 9,557 3,925 4,753 879 1.8%
61 Educational Services 7,469 $52,834 0.95 -60 -0.2% 4,088 1,783 1,971 334 0.9%
23 Construction 5,747 $68,943 0.98 1,131 4.5% 3,058 1,024 1,830 203 0.7%
81 Other Services (except Public Administration) 5,316 $31,268 1.25 1 0.0% 3,729 1,397 1,927 405 1.5%
54 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 4,951 $77,655 0.68 567 2.5% 2,601 841 1,444 316 1.2%
48 Transportation and Warehousing 3,681 $48,582 0.75 610 3.7% 2,462 919 1,343 200 1.1%
92 Public Administration 3,618 $68,277 0.79 -104 -0.6% 1,869 748 1,063 58 0.3%
52 Finance and Insurance 3,446 $96,437 0.86 131 0.8% 1,764 622 1,021 121 0.7%
56 Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services 3,399 $48,464 0.53 -82 -0.5% 2,197 848 1,241 108 0.6%
42 Wholesale Trade 3,094 $94,353 0.83 393 2.8% 1,829 643 1,097 89 0.6%
71 Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 2,628 $22,800 1.39 6 0.0% 2,204 844 1,168 191 1.4%
55 Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,624 $119,371 1.08 -16 -0.2% 831 288 490 54 0.7%
53 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 1,367 $54,265 0.78 152 2.4% 743 320 394 29 0.4%
11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 1,108 $45,217 0.84 84 1.6% 772 317 403 51 0.9%
51 Information 851 $59,886 0.42 -258 -5.2% 525 154 281 90 2.0%
22 Utilities 245 $141,309 0.49 -59 -4.2% 88 41 72 -24 -2.1%
  Total -All Industries 99,098 $54,920 1.00 7,295 1.5% 63,051 24,377 33,963 4,711 0.9%

*Source: Chmura JobsEQ 2022Q3 Dataset. Industries not shown: 21-Mining, 99-Unclassified

 

Workforce

Total Businesses

7,337

Total Employed

94,965

Workers 16+

133,617

2022 Retail Trade Businesses

cp-industries

Businesses

1,052

Employed

22,939

2022 HealthCare/Social Assist

cp-industries

Businesses

774

Employed

12,333

2022 Accommodation/Food Service

cp-industries

Businesses

482

Employed

10,050

2022 Building Matl/Garden Equip

N

Businesses

118

Employed

8,103

2022 Food Service/Drinking Estab

cp-industries

Businesses

426

Employed

8,076

2022 Other Service excl Pub Admin

cp-industries

Businesses

780

Employed

5,655

Some
High School

3,674

Graduated
High School

34,410

Associates
Degree

21,524

Bachelor's
Degree

56,484

Graduate
Degree

32,115

Average Commute Time

26 min.



Resident Commuters

54,632

Non-Resident Commuters

75,144

Drive Alone

107,023

Carpooled

9,447

Public

2,525

Work At Home

12,128