by Nick Dobbins
December 2016
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St Paul MSA decreased by 10,557 (0.5 percent) in December. The largest employment declines were found in Mining, Logging, and Construction which shed 7,428 jobs (down 9.2 percent), and Leisure and Hospitality which lost 4,063 (2.3 percent). The next largest over-the-month changes were in Other Services, which added 511 jobs (up 0.6 percent) and in Government, which lost 1,460 (down 0.6 percent) largely from the loss of 1,573 jobs (3.4 percent) from State Government Educational Services. Employment declines are normal for the area in December. 2005 was the last time the MSA didn’t lose jobs for the month. Annually the Minneapolis-St. Paul area added 27,693 jobs (1.4 percent). The largest sources of job growth remained the Professional and Business Services supersector (up 12,783 or 4.2 percent) and the Education and Health Services supersector (up 12,974 or 4 percent). Growth in Educational and Health Services was spurred primarily by Health Care and Social Assistance, which added 12,244 jobs (4.5 percent) on the back of an additional 8,384 jobs (9.5 percent) in component Ambulatory Health Care Services. The most notable loss came from Leisure and Hospitality, which shed 5,263 jobs (3 percent) since December of 2015. This is a fairly large change from November’s over-the-year estimate, which had the supersector losing just 1,416 jobs (0.8 percent) over the prior year.
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 1,769 jobs (1.3 percent) in December. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 306 jobs (3.5 percent), Professional and Business Services lost 389 (4.6 percent), Educational and Health Services lost 450 (1.4 percent), Leisure and Hospitality lost 316 (2.4 percent), and Government employers lost 202 (0.8 percent). Growth was modest in Other Services which added 43 jobs (0.7 percent), Financial Activities which added 42 (0.7 percent), and Information which added two jobs (0.1 percent). Over the year, employment in the Duluth area was generally relatively flat as the MSA added 254 jobs (0.2 percent), a markedly slower growth rate than the state’s 1.3 percent.
Employment in the Rochester MSA was down by 529 (0.4 percent) in December, the fourth straight month of job losses for the area. Notable losses came in Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 473 or 9.8 percent), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 173 or 0.9 percent), and Professional and Business Services (down 70 or 1.2 percent). Government employers had the most over-the-month growth, adding 136 jobs or 1.1 percent. Annually the Rochester MSA added 3,031 jobs (2.6 percent). Educational and Health Services accounted for 1,533 new jobs (up 3.3 percent). Over-the-year growth also occurred in Leisure and Hospitality (up 430 or 4.6 percent), Professional and Business Services (up 241 or 4.3 percent), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 626 or 3.4 percent). Only three supersectors had negative job growth for the year, and their losses were generally small. Financial Activities lost 28 jobs (1 percent), Other Services lost 35 (0.9 percent), and Manufacturing lost 25 (0.2 percent).
Employment in the St. Cloud MSA was flat in December, as the area lost just 20 jobs (0 percent) in a month where employment declines are common. Mining, Logging, and Construction shed 455 jobs (6.3 percent), and Professional and Business Services lost 216 (2.4 percent). These losses were largely countered by a gain of 511 jobs (2.2 percent) in Educational and Health Services, as well as a gain of 157 jobs (1.1 percent) in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities. Annually the St. Cloud area added 2,491 jobs (2.3 percent). The largest number of new jobs appeared in Educational and Health Services, which added 1,715 jobs (8 percent).
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was down by 477 (0.8 percent) in December. Goods Producers lost 200 jobs (2 percent) while Service Providers lost 247 (0.5 percent). Most of the monthly losses were concentrated in the private sector, (0.2 percent). Annually the Mankato MSA added 56 jobs (0.1 percent). This was the slowest annual growth rate of any of the seven Minnesota MSAs covered here. Service Providing industries added 112 jobs (0.2 percent), but that growth was undercut by a loss of 56 jobs (0.6 percent) in Goods Producing industries.
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was down by 1,193 (0.8 percent) in December. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 1,284 jobs (12.3 percent), making it the area’s biggest job loser by a large margin. Other supersectors with notable losses included Finance and Insurance (down 254 or 1.5 percent) and Educational and Health Services (down 234, 1 percent). Annually the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 515 jobs (0.4 percent). Mining, Logging, and Construction added 274 jobs (3.1 percent), and Financial Activities added 304 (2.8 percent).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA was down by 972 (1.7 percent) in December. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 363 jobs (9.6 percent), Professional and Business Services lost 137 (4.5 percent), and Educational and Health Services lost 147 (1.5 percent). Annually the area added 122 jobs (0.2 percent). Manufacturing had the most notable increase, adding 410 jobs (10.3 percent), while Leisure and Hospitality had the biggest losses (down 516 or 8.2 percent).
