Contributions of Immigrants in the Saint Cloud Area

Data for Decision Makers Series Bruce P. Corrie, Ph.D Professor of Economics, Concordia University corrie@csp.edu

• Immigrants continue to add to the vitality of the Saint Cloud Area in many ways as consumers, workers, business owners or international students. Immigrants through their global networks help institutions and individuals in the St. Cloud area develop global connections in the area, whether it is trade, sister cities or cultural ties.
• The Saint Cloud area attracts international students from all over the world. Just in two institutions, Saint Cloud State University and the College of Saint Benedict-Saint John’s University there are over 1000 international students from over 80 countries. These institutions invest a lot to make the area attractive to international students.
• Leading industries in the area need workers. In Stearns County, Latino and Asian workers, most of whom are immigrants make up at least 10 percent of workers in the following industries with 100 or more workers:
• Food
• Petroleum and coal products
• Plastic and rubber products
• Computer and electronic products

• Businesses benefit from the consumer power of immigrants/minorities estimated to be:
• Stearns county over 100 million dollars.
• St. Cloud - 84 million dollars.
• Waite Park - 9 million dollars
• Rockville - 1 million dollars
• Long Prairie - 6 million dollars
• Sauk Rapids - 6 million dollars
• St. Joseph - 3 million dollars
• Princeton - 1.4 million dollars
• Hutchinson - 11 million dollars
• Big Lake - 4 million dollars
• Dassel - 700,000 dollars
• Paynesville – 760, 000 dollars
• Willmar - 67 million dollars
• Staples - 2 million dollars

• Minorities/immigrants make up around 4 percent of the labor force in the St. Cloud MSA. However in the following occupation categories they make up:
• 11.26 percent of the workers in All Computer and Mathematical occupations
• 9.7 percent of All Protective Service Occupations
• 8.4 percent of all Production Occupations
• In certain sub categories the percentages are much higher:
• 19 percent of computer scientists and system analysts
• 12 percent of postsecondary teachers
• 11 percent of news analysts, reporters
• 25 percent of editors
• 11 percent of dentists
• 11 percent of hotel, motel and resort desk clerks
• 37 percent of loan interviewers and clerks
• 11 percent of postal service clerks
• 12 percent of cement masons and concrete finishers
• 16 percent of electrical, electronic and electromechanical assemblers
• 18 percent of bakers
• 35 percent of meat processors
• 20 percent of job printers
• 43 percent of upholsterers

Sources: Census 2000; Author estimates of buying power from Census 2000 data; DEED LMI data. List of Representatives/Senators in the Saint Cloud Area Representative Mary Ellen Otremba (DFL -11B) Representative Greg Blaine (R - 12B) Representative Bud Heidgerken (R -13A) Representative Dan Severson (R -14A) Representative Larry Hosch (DFL - 14B) Representative Jim Knoblach (R - 15A) Representative Joe Opatz (DFL - 15B) Representative Sondra Erickson (R-16A) Representative Scott Newman (R-18A) Senator Dallas Sams (DFL - District 11) Senator Paul Koering (R - District 12) Senator Michelle Fischbach (R-District 14) Senator Dean Johnson (DFL - District 13) Senator Dave Kleis (R - District 15) Senator Betsy Wergin (R - District 16) Senator Amy Koch (R - District 19) Senator Steve Dille (R - District 18)