Northland Data Points 2022

FWIW Dept. 

For years I was a subscriber to Harper’s. When my magazine came in the mail, I would invariably read the Harper’s Index first. It was a page of statements with stats, sometimes trivial but usually pointed. Rather than an essay or news story approach, they simply delivered the facts, but in a manner that did serve to tell stories. 

Here are some stats that I came across, while researching other things. I enjoy statistics, assessing them for the underlying messages they convey. Based on your feedback I may continue to do more of this now and then.

DATA POINTS
Percentage of renters in St. Louis County paying more than 30% of their income on rent: 48 to 56%
Percentage of subsidized housing in Minnesota that is in the seven-county Northland region: 9%
Percentage that rents in St. Louis County increased from 2000 to 2019: 25%
Percentage that wages increased during the same period: 8%
The gap: 17%
Percentage increase in median home value in St. Louis County, 2000 to 2019: 43%
--Source: 2021 Sate of the State’s Housing, MN Housing Partnership 

Percentage increase in number of Minneapolis carjackings from 2019-2020: 537%
--Source: Senator Amy Klobuchar roundtable

Iron Ore shipments from Duluth, March 2022 (in tons): 89,805
Iron Ore shipments from Duluth, March 2021: 152,933

In March 2017: 277,318 

Decrease in tonnage from last year, year to date: 37.5%

--Source: BusinessNorth.com, April 20, 2022

Number of Minnesota cities listed in the "Top 100 desirable cities to live in" according to the WSJ/Realtor.com Housing Market Index, Spring 2022: 0
Highest ranked Minnesota city: Rochester, 116

(Criteria: Affordability, with strong local economies)