In this brief, authors Marybeth Mattingly, Andrew Schaefer, and Douglas Gagnon explore challenges and opportunities for youth in Southwestern (SW) Minnesota. They analyze data on various demographic, economic, educational, and social indicators to gain a better understanding of the circumstances youth face and the opportunity available in SW Minnesota. They report that more than 1 in 6, or roughly 11,000 children in SW Minnesota are poor and that, as in the United States as a whole, the income gap between high- and low-income families has grown in SW Minnesota over the past 15 years. The authors compare important indicators of educational opportunity and risk in SW Minnesota to state, regional, and national trends, offering suggestions as to the particular challenges and strengths of the area. [This work was supported by the Southwest Initiative Foundation.]