Hispanic/Latino and Black/African American Minnesotans ages 16 to 64 participate in the labor force at a higher rate than White, Asian and American Indian Minnesotans. That's according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. Hispanic/Latino residents have a 77 percent labor force participation rate and Black/African Americans participate in the labor force at a rate of 73 percent. That compares to an Asian participation rate of 70 percent, a White participation rate of 69 percent and an American Indian participation rate of 57 percent.
However, despite a high labor force participation rate, Hispanic/Latino and Black/African American households in Minnesota have significantly lower median household income than Asian and White households in Minnesota according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates. Asian households and White households have a median income of $74,800 and $71,900 respectively. Hispanic/Latino households have a median income of $50,900, Black/African American households have a median income of $38,100 and American Indian households have a median income of $36,900.
The disparity in household and per capita earnings contributes to poverty rates for Black/African American and American Indian Minnesotans that are four times the rate of White Minnesotans. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2017 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, the poverty rate for American Indians is 29 percent, for Black/African Americans it is 28 percent, for Hispanic/Latino residents it is 19 percent, for Asians it is 12 percent and for White Minnesotans it is 7 percent.
