Income
Photo Credit: Chappy Achen
For Red Wing to prosper, our economic opportunities need to expand — and with wages that keep up with the cost of living.
A living wage is the minimum income required to provide basic needs without financial assistance. In Goodhue County, in 2024, a working adult supporting two children would need to earn $48.05 per hour. For two working adults supporting two children, each would need to earn $26.51 per hour.
Starting January 2024, Minnesota’s minimum wage is $8.85 for small companies and $10.85 for large companies - much lower than the living wage.
Source: MN Department of Labor and Industry 2024, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Living Wage Calculator for Goodhue County, 2024
Household Income
Summary: More than half of our households bring in $50,000 or more per year. More than a quarter of our households take home $35,000 or less
Definition: Income (including pre-tax cash income) in the 12 months prior to the Census count in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars. This measurement includes the incomes of all members of a household who are over 15 years old.
Source: US Census - American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates (2018-2022)
Median Household Income
Summary: At more than $65,000, Red Wing’s median household income increased by more than $14,000 between 2017 and 2022. It is still significantly lower than the median household income of the county, state, and country.
Definition: Median income per household in the 12 months prior to Census count (in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars). The medium income is the amount in which half the households in Red Wing make more than this amount and half make less than this amount.
Source: US Census - American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates (2008-2012, 2013-2017, 2018-2022)
Median Household Income by Race
Summary: There is still a radical difference in the median household incomes between white and Black households. Wider disparities exist in Red Wing and Goodhue County compared to those in Minnesota and the U.S. Red Wing’s goal to close that gap will require changes that address disparities across all sectors.
Definition: Median income in the 12 months prior to Census survey (in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars). The medium income is the amount in which half the households in each category make more than this amount and half make less than this amount.
Source: US Census - American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates (2018-2022). Data not shown is either not reported or the margin of error is too large to be reliable.
Median Income for Individuals Working Full-time, Year-round
Summary: Our median individual income in Red Wing is over $52,000 for people working full-time, year-round. That number has increased steadily but is still less than Goodhue County and Minnesota overall.
Definition: This measurement identifies median income for individuals who are aged 16 to 64 working full-time, year-round. (This is different than household income.)
Source: US Census - American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates (2013-2017, 2018-2022)
Gender Pay Equity
Summary: Women in Red Wing, currently only make 83% of what men make. This is a similar percentage as for Goodhue County (82%) and Minnesota (83%).
Definition: Median income for population 16 and over working full-time, year-round. Median is the middle of the income distribution of all households. At the time of this Census, gender identity categories were limited to Female and Male, however, beginning in 2021 the Census has changed the way it asks this question.
Source: US Census - American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates (2018-2022).
