An improving manufacturing climate, solid housing growth and a bumper crop in corn in Minnesota and North Dakota all are contributing to a pretty economic picture in the upper Midwest. The robust Minneapolis economy is posting solid numbers in the residential, commercial and industrial markets, according to several sources. While the Minneapolis housing market is currently a bit sluggish, with over nearly 20,000 total building permits issued through September, it's one of the largest home-building markets in the United States. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis says the city and its suburbs added 46,000 households and almost 100,000 people between 2000 and 2003. Surprisingly active housing markets in the Dakotas and decent manufacturing numbers in the Kansas City and St. Louis markets add breadth to the economic recovery in this region.

NA — Not available

MSA — Metropolitan Statistical Area

PMSA — Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area

CMSA — Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area

EC — Electrical contractor employees for April 2004. Electrical Wholesaling estimates these numbers based on Current Employment Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau's County Business Patterns.

M — Manufacturing employees for August 2004. Source: Current Employment Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

C — Commercial account employees (professional and business services, retail trade, financial activities, educational and health services, leisure and hospitality, and other services) for August 2004.

Source: Current Employment Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

G — Government employees for August 2004. Source: Current Employment Statistics from the Bureau of Labor Statistics

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