Friends and neighbors,

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce just released its 2026 Business Benchmarks report, and it confirms exactly what many of us have been warning about. Minnesota is not keeping up. From 2019 to 2024, we fell to 33rd in GDP growth, 39th in job creation, 40th in labor force growth, and 46th in real median household income growth. Our per-capita GDP grew barely 1 percent a year while the national average grew at nearly double that pace.

For decades Minnesota was comfortably ahead of the national pack. Now we are getting caught and passed by everyone else.

The deeper you dig into the report, the worse it gets. Our working-age population is flattening. We rank 44th in tax competitiveness, with the second-highest corporate tax rate in America and the sixth-highest personal income tax rate. Manufacturers say the business climate is getting worse.

Democrats like to talk about “investing” in Minnesota, but their decisions have resulted in people fleeing this state. Minnesota has lost residents in 20 of the last 24 years. From 2020 through 2024, we suffered a net loss of 47,930 people to other states. Housing shortages, high child-care costs, and a general decline in affordability are driving people to places where life is simply cheaper and government gets in the way less.

This decline is the result of choices made by Democrat leaders over many years: High taxes, crippling mandates, more costs, rules and regulations.

I hope you will all take some time to read the full report, which is available here: https://www.mnchamber.com/2026-business-benchmarks-report

If you have any questions, contact me any time. Thank you for staying involved and informed.

God Bless,