State desk
Ranks 39th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Minnesota stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 13 Minnesota outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Minnesota in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A permit-to-carry is required; sheriffs must issue it to qualified applicants who complete training and background checks.
Minnesota is 1 of 15 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Minnesota taxes individual income at graduated rates rising to 9.85 percent across 4 brackets, ranking 6 of 41 among the states that tax income.
Minnesota is 1 of 26 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only15 · Single Flat Rate
Minnesota charges 32.70 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 21 of 50, which is near the middle nationally. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 51.10 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 32.70 cents.
Minnesota is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Among the Highest17 · Among the Lowest
Abolished in 1911.
Minnesota is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
Not a right-to-work state; union-security agreements are permitted.
Minnesota is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $11.41, above the federal $7.25 floor.
Minnesota is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
No ID is required; voters confirm identity by signature or personal information matched against the registration rolls.
Minnesota is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)
Offers a K-12 education tax credit and deduction for expenses, but no scholarship or ESA.
Minnesota is 1 of 16 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal17 · No Private-Choice Program
NCSL does not list Minnesota among no-duty-to-retreat states, and does not state a rule for it here. Verify with a primary source before relying on it.
Minnesota is 1 of 12 states with this rule
31 · No Duty to Retreat7 · Recognized by Court Decision
Any registered voter may request an absentee ballot by mail without giving a reason.
Minnesota is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Minnesota's unemployment rate was 4.5% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, up 0.1 percentage points from 4.4% in August. It ranks 39th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.), down from 37th. A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.1%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Minnesota is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court