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Page | 21 MN STATE DEMOGRAPHIC CENTER JANUARY 2015 Conclusion The residents of Minnesota today are not the same ones as yesterday, nor tomorrow. The composition of our state is being continually transformed by demographic changes—births, deaths, and migration. Minnesota is entering a new demographic era, where migration’s relative influence on our total population will rise. According to our projections, by the early 2040s, if our state is to experience any population growth at all, it will necessarily be from migration. Over these same coming decades, the Baby Boomer generation will continue to exit the labor force, and overall labor force growth will slow nearly to a halt. Thus, our state will experience a heightened need for migration to grow at all, but especially to shore up its labor force needs. While Minnesota has experienced decades of continuous net in-migration from international arrivals, net losses from state-to- state migration have been observed since 2001. More than 100,000 people come to Minnesota from other states each year, and an even greater number leave Minnesota for other states. These sizeable flows of people present an opportunity to change the migration equation to better benefit our state. Minnesota leaders should work to stem and reverse domestic losses, redouble efforts to attract and integrate new residents, especially young adults, and seek to retain its current resident population. Positive migration is key to fueling our economy and maintaining a high quality of living in Minnesota in the years to come.