§1The market
Minnesota had 62 private establishments in NAICS 321920, wood container and pallet manufacturing, in the 2025 annual average, 2.0% of the U.S. total of 3,143. That ranks 18th of the 50 states with QCEW data for the industry.
That is down 7.5% from 67 in 2020, against +5.8% nationally.
Employment averaged 1,436 in 2025 (+10.8% since 2020), at an average annual pay of $56,126, 3.3% above the industry's national average.
For raw material, Minnesota had 38 sawmill establishments (NAICS 321113) in 2025, employing 269 in 2025. Pallet plants outnumber sawmills in the state.
Pallet plants were recorded in 37 counties in 2025.
Freight context: retail diesel in the Midwest (PADD 2) region averaged $6.344 a gallon in October 2026, +74.3% on a year earlier (EIA).
§2Minnesota by year
| Year | Plants | Employment | Average pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 67 | 1,296 | $44,452 |
| 2021 | 72 | 1,393 | $48,632 |
| 2022 | 70 | 1,437 | $51,987 |
| 2023 | 68 | 1,528 | $54,554 |
| 2024 | 68 | 1,482 | $55,335 |
| 2025 | 62 | 1,436 | $56,126 |
Sawmills (NAICS 321113) in Minnesota: 2020 33, 2021 34, 2022 35, 2023 34, 2024 37, 2025 38.
§3What it means for buyers
With 62 plants, Minnesota supports a competitive RFQ inside the state: invite suppliers close to each delivery point, since freight is a large share of delivered price.
Supply clusters in Minneapolis, MN, St. Cloud, MN; see the metro pages below.
States with a similar number of plants: Oregon (61), South Carolina (64), New Jersey (60), Alabama (82).
Ask each bidder which plant will ship to you, and price delivery as its own line in the bid-leveling sheet.
§4Metro areas
| Metro area | Plants | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 28 | 683 |
| St. Cloud, MN | 8 | not disclosed |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | 7 | 71 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | 5 | 60 |
§5Neighbouring states
| State | Plants | Average pay (latest disclosed) |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 103 | $50,320 |
| Iowa | 44 | $55,226 |
| South Dakota | 11 | not disclosed |
| North Dakota | 7 | $51,824 |