Labor Market Area
Mower County is located in the Southeast region of Minnesota. The labor market area includes the counties of: Mower, Freeborn, Steele, Olmsed and Mitchell (Iowa).

With almost 24,000 people, Austin is the largest city in Mower County and one of the largest employer centers. 

Austin Labor Pool
13,700 jobs
59% filled by Austin residents
2,000 workers from Mower County
28,000 workers available within 20 miles of Austin's city center
36,000 workers available within 25 miles (includes 8,700 in manufacturing workers, 5,900 health care and social assistance workers)

Currently, some workers commute to employment centers like Rochester, Albert Lea and Owatonna. New and expanding businesses in Mower County have the potential to regain these out-commuters.

Industry Employment
Regional communities embrace the manufacturing industry and area residents have experience in and aptitude for manufacturing work. Manufacturing employment in the City of Austin accounts for one in four jobs with similar high manufacturing concentrations in almost every labor market county. A large share of Austin’s manufacturing employment is in food manufacturing. Other prominent manufacturing industries include:

  • printing
  • machinery
  • fabricated metal
  • furniture
  • computer and electronic product
  • wood product
  • nonmetallic mineral product (including glass)
Thanks to local corporate headquarters, there is also a pool of professional and technical workers in the city. Other large employment sectors include:
  • trade
  • transportation
  • utilities
  • education
  • health services
Schools and health care providers account for the largest share of employment in education and health services, but there is also growing employment in research and development jobs at places like the Hormel Institute.

For more detailed county workforce statistics, please visit the MOWER COUNTY section of the state map on the State of Minnesota’s Department of Employment and Economic Development site.