MN Broadband Conference 2019: Blandin Foundation

1. © 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
Will Telework Save Rural
Minnesota?
Ryan Pesch- Extension Educator,
Center for Community Vitality

2. OUTLINE
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 What?
– Past research
– Trends
 So What?

3. WHERE ARE WE HEADED?
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4. NET MIGRATION
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5. Cohort Age 30-34, Percent Change 1990-2000

6. Cohort Age 30-34, Percent Change 2000-2010

7. Rural Prairie County

8. Rural Recreational County

9. Core Metropolitan County

10. Newcomers chose rural for:
Simpler pace of life
Safety and Security
Low Housing Cost

11. Who are the newcomers?

12.  36% lived there previously
 68% attain bachelors degree
 67% household incomes over $50k
 51% have children in household
 May be leaving their career or underemployed
 Yet, Quality of Life is the trump card

13. Preliminary Findings: 2019 State
Newcomer Survey
© 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
 1,600 respondents
 Mix of rural county types across MN
“Do you typically telecommute or work
remotely for a company not located in
your region?”
YES
• 12% of respondents
• 14% of spouses

14. Preliminary Findings: 2019 State
Newcomer Survey
© 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
“Do you currently own a business?
YES
• 16% of respondents (13% nationally)
• 62% Created Business
• 38% Already-existing Business
**30% of all respondents moved primarily for a job

15. Second Homeowners
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• 25% report teleworking from
second home
• 56% plan to transition to
second home
• 53% own or operate a
business
• 24% would consider
transitioning business to
second home area
Pesch and Bussiere, 2014

16. We don’t live in an economy, we
live in a community
Recruitment: Help people envision
their LIFE here, not just their JOB.

17. What we Know: American Time
Use Survey
© 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
 Workers who occasionally worked at home: 24.8%
 Workers with days worked exclusively at home:
14.7%
 Workers who worked exclusively at home at least
one day per week: 8.0%

18. What we
know:
Change in
Working
World
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 25% of workers
occasionally
work at home

19. What we know: Change over
time
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20. Well, So What?
© 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.

22. How do we support them?
© 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
Chatman, 2008
Positive
Entrepreneurial
Climate
High Speed
Internet
Local Patronage
Business
Networks
Fair Treatment

23. American Community Survey
© 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
“Do you work at
home?”
• % workers 16+ in
2017
• Infrastructure
makes all the
difference?

24. American Community Survey
© 2018 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
“Do you work at
home?”
• % CHANGE workers
16+ in 2009-2017
• Infrastructure
makes all the
difference?

25. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act, this PowerPoint is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to 612-624-1222.
© 2019 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
pesch@umn.edu
Make It Home Program Page
www.extension.umn.edu/commu
nity/making-it-home/
Brain Gain Landing Page
http://z.umn.edu/braingain/