By Nick Dobbins
August 2023
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA lost 12,413 jobs (0.6%) over the month in July. Declines like this are common in July as many schools are off for the summer. Government employers posted the largest job losses, off by 14,827 jobs or 5.9%, with Local Government Education down 15,204 jobs (17.2%) and State Government Education down 1,984 (5.6%). Educational and Health Services was down by 2,022 (0.6%) caused in large part by the loss of 1,791 jobs (4.1%) in Educational Services. The largest real and proportional monthly growth was in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which was up 2,661 or 0.8%. Wholesale Trade added 1,184 jobs (1.4%), and Retail Trade added 1,918 (1.1%).
Over the year employment in the metro area was up by 34,971 (1.8%). This was down from June's 2.5% over-the-year growth. Leisure and Hospitality added 12,745 jobs (6.8%). Educational and Health Services was up 14,489 (4.3%) with comparable growth in both major components. Government employers added 8,801 jobs (3.9%), with most of that coming at the Local Government level (up 7,132 jobs or 4.9%), although all three levels of government posted positive growth. Five supersectors lost jobs on the year, with the largest real and proportional declines coming in Financial Services, which was off by 3,777 jobs or 2.5%, with losses in all published component sectors. Professional and Business Services employment was off by 2,266 (0.7%) primarily from the loss of 2,401 jobs (2.4%) in Administrative and Support and Waste Management Services, with that in turn stemming from the loss of 2,285 jobs (5.2%) in component Employment Services.
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 427 jobs (0.3%) over the month in July. Only one supersector posted negative growth, but it was the largest real and proportional growth of any in the area as Government employers shed 1,285 jobs (5.2%). State Government employers lost 533 jobs (7.4%) and Local employers lost 767 (4.7%). By contrast, the larges real and proportional growth in the area came from Leisure and Hospitality, which added 284 job or 1.9%.
Over the year employers in the Duluth-Superior MSA added 3,281 jobs (2.5%). Educational and Health Services employment was up 1,974 (6.6%), Government employment was up 1,175 (5.2%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 935 (4%) thanks to the addition of 775 jobs (5.3%) in Retail Trade. Five supersectors posted negative annual growth. Mining, Logging, and Construction had the largest real and proportional decline, off by 438 jobs or 4%. Leisure and Hospitality was down 332 (2.2%), and Professional and Business Services was down 271 (3.5%).
The Rochester MSA added 505 jobs or 0.4% in July. Not only was this the strongest monthly growth of any MSA in the state, it was also the only overall positive growth. Educational and Health Services drove the gains, adding 464 jobs (0.8%) in a month where the state at large and every other Minnesota MSA was posting negative growth as schools let out for the summer. Professional and Business Services also added 104 jobs (1.6%). The steepest monthly losses came in Government employment, which was off by246 or 1.8%.
On an annual basis, the Rochester MSA added 3,512 jobs, or 2.8%. Educational and Health Services had by far the largest real job growth, adding 2,427 jobs (4.6%). The largest proportional annual growth came in Other Services, which was up 6.7% or 242 jobs. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 851 jobs (5%), thanks to the addition of 784 jobs (6.5%) in Retail Trade.
The St. Cloud MSA lost 1,086 jobs (1%) over the month in July. Government employers drove the monthly decline, shedding 1,153 jobs or 8.2%, with most of that loss coming at the Local Government level (down 1,072 jobs or 12%). The next-largest decline was in Trade, Transportation and Utilities, which was off by 181 or 0.8%. Seven of 10 published supersectors posted positive growth, led by Manufacturing (up 87 jobs or 0.6%) and Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 82 jobs, 1%).
Over the year the St. Cloud MSA added 1,148 jobs or 1.1%. Educational and Health Services added 1,270 jobs or 6.2%. Manufacturing was up 493 jobs or 3.2%. The largest real and proportional losses came in Professional and Business Services, which was off by 519 (6.6%). Mining, Logging, and Construction was down by 214 (2.5%), and Government employers shed 242 jobs (1.8%).
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA lost 775 jobs (1.2%) in July. Goods producers lost 112 jobs (1%), and service providers lost 613 (1.3%). Public sector employers lost 611 jobs (5.9%) while the private sector lost 114 (0.2%).
Over the year the MSA added 3,760 jobs or 6.9%. This was the highest proportional growth of any MSA in the state and well outpaced the statewide growth of 1.7%. Government employment helped drive the growth, up 22.1% (1,751 jobs), while the private sector chipped in 2,009 jobs (4.3%). Service providers added 3,214 jobs (7.3%), and goods producers added 546 (5.2%).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA lost 2,343 jobs (1.6%) over the month in July. Government employers drove the decline, shedding 2,763 jobs (15%) with losses at the State (down 1,294 or 25.9%) and Local (down 1,460 or 13.5%) levels. In comparison the largest real job growth came in Educational and Health Services, which added 418 jobs (1.4%). Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 1.7% or 168 jobs.
Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 364 jobs or 0.3%. Six of 10 published supersectors posted positive growth. Educational and Health Services was up 1,709 or 6.1%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector. Government employers had the largest negative growth, off by 1,597 jobs or 9.2%.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 1,187 jobs or 2.2% in July. It was the largest proportional loss of any supersector in the state. Government employment drove the decline, shedding 1,531 jobs or 12.2%, with losses at all three levels of government. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 130 jobs (1.2%) thanks to the addition of 151 jobs (2.2%) in Retail Trade.
Over the year the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 705 jobs or 1.4%. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 499 jobs or 4.9% with Retail Trade driving that growth (up 459 or 7.1%). Professional and Business Services employment was up 5% or 191 jobs. The largest real and proportional declines were in Government employment (off by 519 or 4.5%).
