So much so that Minnesota outperformed all other states in 1999 by posting the highest workforce participation rate for women at 69.9 percent and besting the national rate for women of 60.0 percent. This compares to about 50 percent of Minnesota women who worked in 1975. Many theories have been advanced.
More education usually means higher workforce participation.
If Minnesota women are younger on average than elsewhere, this might add to the labor force participation rate since in general Baby Boomers and GenX'ers show higher workforce attachment rates than older people. Possibly there are more part-time situations available that appeal to mothers of young children. After all, Minnesota is supposed to be the state where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and the children are above average. 3 Let's examine these theories of workforce participation. The most basic reason for higher labor force participation among Minnesota women could be as simple as a booming economy.