On paper, Minnesota’s economy looks solid. Jobs remain near record highs . Economic output is growing . Major employers, from the Mayo Clinic to 3M, are hiring. And the state’s unemployment rate remains below the national average — a statistic often cited as proof of broad economic health.

On the ground, the story feels different. Many Minnesotans experience a daily reality marked by high prices, shrinking financial cushions, and a feeling of being stuck in their jobs. And yet, as they read positive headlines and see others thriving, many are left with a pervasive sense that the economy is working well — just not for them.

And economists say both impressions are true, rather than contradictory. Minnesota isn’t experiencing one post-pandemic recovery. It’s experiencing two.

“The

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