Blandin Foundation - 1998 Rural Minnesota Pulse Survey

1998 Rural Minnesota Pulse Survey
BLANDIN FOUNDATION
September, 1998

THE BLANDIN FOUNDATION COMMISSIONED a random sample survey of rural Minnesotans during the summer of 1998. The purpose of the survey was to document issues of critical importance to residents outside the seven-county metropolitan area and to share those results with policy leaders throughout the state. The Blandin Foundation plans to continue the Rural Minnesota Pulse to track and report rural issues on an annual basis.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS

Rural Minnesotans (1,072) were interviewed by telephone from June 16 through July 9, 1998. Rural residents were defined as those living outside the seven-county metro area and in communities of less than 35,000. The survey, conducted by C. J. Olson Market Research, Inc., has a statistical reliability at the 95 percent confidence level of plus or minus 3 percent.

Rural Minnesotans Rank Attracting Business and Involving Teens as the Two Greatest Local Needs
Addressing the critical needs of economic development and actively involving teens in their communities are the two biggest issues facing rural Minnesotans, according to survey respondents. Regardless of geographic region in the state, the communities consistently ranked these two issues highest in importance--and lowest in how well local communities were addressing the issues.

Most Satisfied with K-12 Education Locally
Education scored high as a very important local issue. Rural residents rated their communities as good to excellent in addressing quality K-12 education.

Top Ten Issues
Three issues emerged as the most critical to rural communities. Each of these top concerns rated almost equally among respondents.

Most critical issue in your community:

20% - providing quality K-12 education
19% - attracting businesses that provide high-quality jobs
18% - actively involving adolescents or teens in your community

Controlling crime was also noted as an important issue, with 11 percent of respondents ranking it as the top issue in their communities. Other issues--local infrastructure, services for the elderly, providing a nurturing environment for young children, protecting the natural environment, health care access and access to technology--scored much lower by comparison.

Rating Rural Communities on Top Ten Issues
When asked how well their communities are addressing the top ten issues, rural residents scored their hometowns lowest on actively involving adolescents or teens and attracting businesses that provide high-quality jobs. Rural residents scored their local communities highest in providing quality K-12 education.

Other Issues Rural residents were also asked if there were other issues of concern. Some of the topics raised by respondents were:

Housing - shortage; lack of affordable housing
Taxes - too high
Churches - need good strong churches in the community
Farming economy - we need a safety net for farmers

In analyzing the Rural Minnesota Pulse findings, the Blandin Foundation was most struck by the following observations.

ADOLESCENTS

Rural communities must address head-on the need to involve adolescents and young adults in the future of their communities.
Rural Minnesota Pulse Findings:

Nearly 1 of every 10 respondents in the 18- to 24-year-old age group would not recommend their communities to someone as a place to live.
More 18- to 24-year-olds than any other age group said actively involving adolescents or teens is the most important issue in their communities.
Of all issues, 18- to 24-year-olds rate their communities lowest in involving adolescents and attracting buesinesses.
In southwestern Minnesota, half of rural residents say gangs are present in their communities.

ADOLESCENTS AND RACIAL TENSION

Ethnic diversity is rapidly increasing in rural Minnesota--especially in southwestern Minnesota. This issue is hitting hardest among the young adults who are witnessing more racial tension.
Rural Minnesota Pulse Findings:

Nearly 30 percent of all rural residents say ethnic diversity has increased in their community in the last year. More than
40 percent of those in southwest Minnesota say ethnic diversity has increased.
18- to 24-year-olds were more likely than any other age group to say their communities are much more diverse than a year ago.
Community racial tension is observed most by the youngest members of the communities; 18- to 24-year-olds and 25- to 35-year-olds were the two age groups that noted the most racial tension in their communities.
Racial tension is worst in southwestern Minnesota, where more than 40 percent of respondents claim there is considerable racial tension in their communities.
Young people rate their communities the lowest in establishing community programs to increase understanding of different cultures. In addition, those in the smallest rural communities rate their communities the lowest in dealing with racial tension.
Young people (18- to 24-year-olds) also rate their communities lowest on encouraging individual leaders and public celebrations that promote cooperation and understanding among residents.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The need for high-quality jobs remains a top issue with rural Minnesotans--especially in northeastern and southeastern Minnesota--underscoring the state's need to address the rural labor shortage and the need for worker training and education.
Rural Minnesota Pulse Findings:

Economic development, or attracting businesses that provide high-quality jobs, is the second most important issue among all respondents.
Nearly half of northeastern Minnesotans say their communities are poor or very poor at attracting high-quality jobs.
Attracting business is the top issue for all male respondents.
This issue rates No. 1 for the northeast and southeast regions and is the top issue for individuals age 45 and older.

WORKER TRAINING

The question of who should pay for worker training and education was resoundingly answered by rural Minnesotans--employers should pick up the tab. The need for worker training is felt greatest among women.
Rural Minnesota Pulse Findings:

There is no question rural Minnesotans believe employers should be paying for worker training--71 percent say employers should pay.
46 percent of those 45 to 54 say employees should pay.
Nearly one third of all respondents don't believe they have adequate training to meet their career objectives.
More women than men believe they do not have adequate training.

LABOR SHORTAGE

The labor shortage continues to plague rural Minnesota, with the hardest blow in southeastern Minnesota.
Rural Minnesota Pulse Findings:

In southeastern Minnesota, 57 percent of respondents said it is difficult or very difficult to find quality workers.
Even in northeastern Minnesota where there is a need for additional jobs, 35 percent also say it is difficult or very difficult to find quality workers.

ECONOMIC AND QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS

Respondents were also asked to compare their communities' current economy and quality of life now with one year ago. On both issues, respondents rated their communities "about the same" as last year.

For more information or to have a Rural Minnesota Pulse brochure sent to you, please contact: Blandin Foundation at (218) 326-0523, fax number (218) 327-1949 or e-mail bldnfdtn@uslink.net.

MPR's Mainstreet Radio is made possible by a grant from the Blandin Foundation; visit the Blandin Foundation Web site at http://www.blandinfoundation.org/.