Status of Women and Girls in Minnesota

The Status of Women and Girls in Minnesota is an ongoing collaborative research project between the Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. The project represents a unique approach to research by using a gender-race-place-equity lens.

The included data comes from original analysis of publicly available datasets such as the American Community Survey, the Minnesota Student Survey, and others; and from published reports produced by government agencies and nonprofits. By disaggregating the data by gender, race, place, and additional identities pushed to the margins, we begin to understand how inequities impact communities differently and the community- specific solutions needed to achieve equity. 

Curious about these statistics? Gender, Race & Place in MN, a blog series in the Gender Policy Report, explores the “why” behind the Status Report findings. These causal stories--for example, why Native American girls have the highest suicide rate among young people in the state, or why older Minnesota women are more likely than men to wind up in poverty--are crucial. Without identifying causes, we cannot identify appropriate policy solutions. Visit the Gender Policy Report now.

Previous reports:  

Status of Older Women in Minnesota

The Center led the research of the 2019 Status of Older Women in Minnesota Report for the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota. This report outlines the social and economic well-being of older Minnesota women including their health, financial well-being, and care supports. 

Young Women’s Initiative of Minnesota

The Center provided research support to this collaborative project of the Minnesota Governor’s Office and the Women’s Foundation of Minnesota, including a 2018 piece focused on the role of young women in addressing the state’s labor shortage