The Northland

The Northland Region is made up of seven counties in the Minnesota Arrowhead and Douglas County, Wisconsin. The area borders the western tip of Lake Superior, from Minnesota’s North Shore to a portion of Wisconsin’s South Shore.

The hub of economic and cultural activity, the “Twin Ports” of Duluth, Minn. and Superior, Wisc., acts as a gateway to Minnesota’s Iron Range. There are dozens of interrelated communities across the area, each with unique strengths, resources, and opportunities for development.

Major industries include mining, wood and paper products, aviation and aerospace, back office, shipping/transportation, utilities, metal fabrication, health care, and hospitality and tourism. The area offers convenient access through the air at three commercial airports, four Class I railways, and highway transportation. The region provides border-to-border and global shipment of goods through an inland seaport. There are three points of entry. The Northland also features excellent K-12 education and 13 higher education campuses, flourishing medical campuses, and boundless recreational opportunities. See data for the whole region here.