Overview

The purpose of this section

This section of the web site enables users to quickly access information throughout the Twin Cities Compass site that shows differences based on race, income, gender, and/or place of residence and ways to get involved to end them.

Why do we look at disparities?

Overall trends don't tell the whole story. Differences – including by race, income, location – influence our ability to maintain a strong, sustainable region. 

The Twin Cities has historically benefited from a strong economy, high median household income, top-ranked public schools and an overall high quality of life.  However, our prosperity is not equally shared. A 2006 report by the Brookings Institution, called Mind the Gap, highlighted stark disparities in the Twin Cities region among Whites and People of Color, higher- and lower-wage workers, and households living in the central cities and the suburbs. Some data show that these disparities among groups are higher in our region, than they are nationwide. 

Why is this important?

Here in the Twin Cities region, we take pride in our belief that all people have opportunities to become successful.  In addition, we know that the future for all of us in the region critically depends upon the strength and well-being of all who live here, especially our younger people.

People Of Color make up the fastest growing members of our population. These individuals will continue to make up an increasingly large part of our workforce. Many will also be among the future parents, caregivers and leaders of our region. Data also show that these members of our community are:

• More likely to live in poverty
• Less likely to graduate from high school
• Less likely to own their own home
• More likely to suffer from chronic illness

The future for all of us in the Twin Cities critically depends upon the strength and well-being of all of us – not just some of us.  All people, from birth through young adulthood need to acquire the skills necessary to succeed in jobs essential to our economy. Reducing income and racial disparities in education is key to maintaining a strong workforce.

If a growing part of our community is unhealthy, we lose the value of their productivity and the many contributions they can make to our society in civic life, the arts, business, and other activities. In addition, we have to pay increased insurance costs and taxes needed to fund health care programs and services.  

Can we really do anything about this?

While the root causes of disparities lie in historical experiences of oppression and exclusion, many gaps illustrated by current data can be explained by insufficient income, unhealthy environments, and inadequate access to opportunities. We can address all of these.

Data from the 2007 Wilder Research Survey of Twin Cities Region Residents indicate that most people in our community recognize that disparities are a “problem.”

By highlighting disparities across important quality of life topics such as education and health care, we hope that practitioners and policymakers will gain a broader understanding of the issues we face and use objective data to make sound decisions that will lead to a higher quality of life for all Twin Cities residents. 

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451 Lexington Parkway North, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55104  ·  info@tccompass.org

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