Out of the 69 rural counties in Minnesota, only 17 are considered economically nonspecialized, meaning not reliant on any one particular industrial sector, by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In contrast, counties such as Roseau, where Polaris Industries is located, or Cottonwood, where Toro has a major production facility, are more dependent on the strength of one or two major employers for their economic viability. As rural areas continue to grow their employment opportunities, keeping an eye towards industry diversity will help them protect against local economic crises in the event of plant layoffs or closures. With the increase in employment opportunities, rural workers now need worry less about finding a job. Instead, wages and housing availability have become important concerns.
Wages are generally significantly lower in rural Minnesota than in the state's metropolitan areas.
Additionally, wages tend to be higher in rural counties near metropolitan areas and in the northern and eastern parts of the state. The cost of living in rural areas of Minnesota has been estimated to be only about 11 percent lower than in metropolitan counties, mainly due to lower housing prices. However, though housing does cost less in rural areas, it tends to be in short supply. There is an estimated shortage of 5,600 housing units per year in the non-metropolitan areas of Minnesota, a problem that limits the ability of rural areas to expand their workforce. Thus, while new jobs continue to be created in outlying areas, rural workers may face problems in finding both a place to live and a job offering an adequate wage.