Minnesota 2014
The capital city of Minnesota is Saint Paul, located in the east-central part of the state. The city is situated on both banks of the Mississippi River, near its confluence with the Minnesota River. It is known as the “Twin Cities” due to its close proximity to Minneapolis, which is located just across the river. According to countryaah.com, Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and is home to a diverse population of over 422,000 people. The city has a thriving art and music scene, as well as numerous cultural attractions such as museums and theaters. Additionally, Minneapolis boasts a vibrant nightlife with many bars and restaurants that cater to all tastes. The Twin Cities are a great place to explore and experience all that Minnesota has to offer!
Politics of Minnesota in 2014
2014 was an important year in Minnesota politics. In November, voters elected their first Democratic governor in over two decades, Mark Dayton. He had previously served as a United States Senator and was the son of a former governor. Republicans retained control of both chambers of the legislature, though Democrats made gains in both the House and Senate.
During 2014, the legislature focused on addressing issues such as health care reform, education funding, and environmental regulation. Governor Dayton proposed a number of initiatives to expand access to health care for low-income residents through Medicaid expansion. He also pushed for increased funding for public schools and universities throughout the state and for more stringent environmental regulations to protect air and water quality.
In addition to legislative efforts, Governor Dayton also took executive action during 2014. He signed an executive order creating a task force on climate change which was tasked with developing strategies to reduce carbon emissions in Minnesota and promoting renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. He also signed an executive order requiring state agencies to increase their use of recycled products whenever possible as part of an effort to reduce waste and promote sustainability.
Other important political events that occurred during 2014 included the election of Minnesota’s first Somali-American legislator Ilhan Omar; the approval by voters of a constitutional amendment legalizing same-sex marriage; and the passage by legislators of a bill raising the minimum wage from $6.15 per hour to $9 per hour by 2016.
Overall, 2014 was an eventful year in Minnesota politics with numerous legislative efforts aimed at addressing various issues facing the state coupled with Governor Dayton’s executive actions on climate change, sustainability, and other topics. These initiatives have helped ensure that Minnesota remains a leader in progressive policies while still providing its citizens with access to quality health care, education opportunities, job opportunities with livable wages, and other important services they need for success in today’s economy.
Population of Minnesota in 2014
In 2014, according to beautyphoon, the population of Minnesota was estimated to be 5,457,173 people. Of this population, approximately 85% identified as white, 6% identified as African American or Black, 4.4% identified as Asian American or Pacific Islander, 2.2% identified as Native American or Alaskan Native, and 2.4% identified as another race or two or more races. The state also had a large immigrant population with 8.7% of the population having been born outside of the United States.
In terms of age distribution in 2014, approximately 20.1% of Minnesota’s population was under the age of 18 while 13.3% was between 18 and 24 years old; 22.5% were between 25 and 44 years old; 22.9% were between 45 and 64 years old; and 21.2 % were 65 years old and over. The median age for the state was 37 years old in 2014 with a gender ratio that favored females over males (50/50).
In terms of language distribution in 2014, English was the most commonly spoken language at home with 80 percent of Minnesotans reporting it as their primary language followed by Spanish (6%), Hmong (3%), Somali (2%), Lao (1%) and other languages such as German, Russian, Vietnamese and French each making up less than 1%.
Finally, in terms of educational attainment in 2014, an estimated 94 percent of Minnesotans had completed high school while 36 percent had obtained a Bachelor’s degree or higher from an accredited college or university according to data from the U-S Census Bureau’s American Community Survey 5-year estimates released that same year.
Overall, Minnesota is a diverse state with a variety of racial backgrounds represented among its population along with a significant immigrant population who speak many different languages at home which contributes to its unique cultural identity within the United States.
Economy of Minnesota in 2014
In 2014, according to ablogtophone, Minnesota’s economy was thriving and was ranked as one of the most economically competitive states in the United States. The state’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was estimated to be $329 billion that year which ranked it 11th among all states in terms of GDP.
The largest industries in the state that year were healthcare and social assistance, retail trade, manufacturing, finance and insurance, accommodation and food services as well as professional scientific and technical services. In terms of employment, the largest industry sectors in 2014 were health care and social assistance (15%), retail trade (11%), manufacturing (10%), accommodation and food services (9%) followed by professional scientific and technical services (7%).
In terms of median household income in 2014, Minnesota ranked 10th highest among all states with a median household income of $59,814. This figure was higher than the national average at that time which was $53,482. Similarly, Minnesota also had a higher percentage of its population living above the poverty line than the national average with 11% compared to 15%.
The unemployment rate in Minnesota also remained below the national average throughout 2014 with an average unemployment rate of 4.6% compared to 6.2% nationally according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This could be attributed to a combination of factors such as relatively low taxes on businesses along with an educated workforce that had access to high quality education and job opportunities through various government initiatives such as workforce development programs which helped many Minnesotans find gainful employment during this time period.
Overall, Minnesota’s economy performed well during this time period due to a combination of factors such as low business taxes along with access to education opportunities for its citizens which allowed them access to better jobs.
The state also had a strong housing market in 2014 with the median home value estimated to be $191,000 which was higher than the national average of $175,700. This was likely due to the influx of new businesses that had opened or relocated to Minnesota during this time period as well as increases in wages for many of its citizens.
In addition, Minnesota’s exports were also doing well in 2014 with total exports estimated at $21 billion which placed it 12th among all states. This figure was up from $19 billion in 2013 due to an increase in exports of agricultural products such as soybeans and corn along with manufactured products such as machinery and transportation equipment.
Overall, Minnesota’s economy performed well during 2014 due to a combination of factors such as low taxes on businesses, access to education opportunities, and an influx of new businesses which allowed its citizens access to better jobs and wages. This strong economic performance enabled the state’s GDP growth rate for 2014 to reach 2.7% making it one of the fastest growing economies among all states that year.
Events Held in Minnesota in 2014
In 2014, Minnesota experienced a number of exciting events that attracted visitors from all over the country. The most popular event of the year was the Minnesota State Fair, which is one of the oldest and largest state fairs in the United States. Held at the State Fairgrounds in Falcon Heights, it featured a variety of attractions such as carnival rides, concerts, food vendors, agricultural exhibits, and much more. It was estimated that over 1.8 million people attended the 11-day long event in 2014.
Another major event held in 2014 was Art-A-Whirl, which is an annual celebration of art and music held in Northeast Minneapolis. This three-day event included live music, visual art displays from local artists, food trucks, craft beer tastings and other activities for attendees to enjoy.
The Minneapolis Aquatennial also attracted visitors from all around the country to Minneapolis during its weeklong celebration of water-related activities. This event featured a fireworks display on July 25th along with boat races on Lake Calhoun and a sandcastle building competition on Lake Harriet. Other attractions included kayaking competitions and other outdoor activities for attendees to enjoy throughout the week.
The Twin Cities Marathon was another major sporting event held in Minnesota during 2014 that attracted thousands of runners from around the world to take part in this 26-mile race through downtown Minneapolis and St Paul. The marathon began at Minnehaha Park and ended at Target Field with participants running past some of Minneapolis’s most iconic landmarks along their way such as Stone Arch Bridge and Nicollet Mall.
In addition to these larger events, there were also numerous smaller festivals held throughout 2014 such as Grand Old Day in St Paul; Northern Spark in Minneapolis; Loring Park Art Festival; St Anthony Main Street Festival; Red Hot Art Festival; Rock The Garden Music Festival; Taste Of Minnesota; Renaissance Festival; Uptown Art Fair; Powderhorn Art Fair; May Day Parade & Festival; Twin Cities Pride Festival; and many more. All these events provided plenty for people to do throughout 2014 while giving them a chance to experience some unique cultural offerings that can only be found here in Minnesota.
