The name of the county is said to derive from a Dakota legend regarding a woman, referred to Winona, who was betrothed to marry a warrior whom she did not love. Rather than marry him, she is said to have leapt to her death from a rock now called “Maiden’s Rock” on Lake Pepin. This legend is colloquially referred to as the Princess Winonalegend.
Minnesota Top Ten Employers
| Employer | Service / Product | Number of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Mayo Clinic | Health Care | 48,200 |
| Allina Health System | Health Care | 40,663 |
| State of Minnesota | State Government | 36,002 |
| United States Federal Government | Federal Government | 31,936 |
| Fairview Health Services | Health Care | 31,758 |
| University of Minnesota | College / University | 26,331 |
| HealthPartners | Health Care | 25,000 |
| Walmart | Retail | 24,771 |
| UnitedHealth Group Inc. | Health Care | 18,000 |
| Wells Fargo Bank Minnesota | Banking | 16,000 |
Source: Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, July 13, 2022
Economic Overview
lightgate, 2023
Region Takeaways
- As of 2022 the region’s population declined by 2.6% since 2017, falling by 1,330. Population is expected to decrease by 2.3% between 2022 and 2027, losing 1,130.
- From 2017 to 2022, jobs declined by 3.5% in Winona County, MN from 26,840 to 25,890. This change fell short of the national growth rate of 3.4% by 6.9%. As the number of jobs declined, the labor force participation rate decreased from 68.9% to 65.2% between 2017 and 2022.
- Concerning educational attainment, 21.2% of Winona County, MN residents possess a Bachelor’s Degree (0.4% above the national average), and 15.2% hold an Associate’s Degree (6.4% above the national average).
- The top three industries in 2022 are Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, Education and Hospitals (State Government), and Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing.
lightgate, 2023