by Amanda Rohrer
February 2013
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
January employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA declined 1.8 percent (32,305) over the month and increased 2.0 percent (33,893) over the year. Goods-producing industries saw a disproportionate share of the monthly decline with Mining, Logging, and Construction falling 9.9 percent (5,437) over the month. Manufacturing fell only 0.5 percent (974). Service industries that saw large declines over the month include Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 2.4 percent, 7,937) and Professional and Business Services (down 3.3 percent, 9,187), but both were up slightly over the year. Most other industries saw slight to moderate monthly declines in line with seasonal trends. Government employment fell 1.5 percent (3,739) over the month and was up 2.6 percent (6,040) over the year.
Employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA declined 3.0 percent (3,882) over the month but increased 1.1 percent (1,349) over the year. Most of the numeric decline over the month was in Private Service-providing industries - notably Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 4.0 percent, 1,016) and Leisure and Hospitality (down 3.1 percent, 413). State Government also saw significant declines (down 12.8 percent, 1,025) as did Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 6.7 percent, 502). Over the year the most substantial gains were in Leisure and Hospitality (up 6.3 percent, 759).
Employment in the Rochester MSA declined 1.6 percent (1,646) over the month but increased 1.3 percent (1,370) over the year. Significant monthly declines were seen in Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 12.9 percent, 391), a highly seasonal industry that often sees January declines, and in Professional and Business Services (down 6.2 percent, 318). Nearly all other industries saw small to moderate employment losses over the month. On an annual basis the largest gains were in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 2.6 percent, 406), Information (up 7.8 percent, 125), and Educational and Health Services (up 2.9 percent, 1,257), while losses were in Government (down 2.1 percent, 224) and Manufacturing (down 3.0 percent, 311).
Employment in the St. Cloud MSA fell 2.9 percent (3,022) over the month but gained 1.1 percent (1,109) over the year. Because this is not seasonally-adjusted data, the monthly decline for January is fairly typical, but the moderate over-the-year growth indicates improvement in the local economy. Over the year the strongest industries were Mining, Logging, and Construction (9.5 percent, up 366), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (2.8 percent, up 548), and Financial Activities (5.1 percent, up 213). Government fell 1.9 percent (312) over the year, while in the Private sector only Leisure and Hospitality (down 1.0 percent, 90) and Other Services (down 1.3 percent, 45) saw significant over-the-year declines. On a monthly basis all industries declined moderately as expected, considering seasonal patterns.
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA declined 1.5 percent (804) over the month but increased 1.9 percent (1,000) over the year. The largest contributors to over-the-month declines were Goods-producing industries, which declined 3.1 percent (306). Numerically, a larger share of the decline came from Private Service-providing industries, which fell 578 (1.6 percent). Of the estimated industries, only Government employment saw monthly growth - up 0.9 percent (80). Goods-producing industries also provided the largest share of the annual growth - up 4.5 percent (405), although all other estimated industries saw small increases as well.
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA declined 1.9 percent (2,550) over the month but was up 5.0 (6,116) over the year. Losses were fairly evenly spread across industries with the largest percentages coming from Leisure and Hospitality (down 4.1 percent, 557), Government (down 3.5 percent, 611), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 2.3 percent, 696). Over the year there were large gains in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 16.8 percent, 1,034) and in Professional and Business Services (up 11.9 percent, 1,660), although most industries saw solid increases.
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA declined 2.8 percent (1,577) over the month but increased 1.9 percent (1,015) over the year. The largest monthly declines were in Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 8.9 percent, 253), Professional and Business Services (down 3.4 percent, 93), and Government (down 3.9 percent, 579). No industries saw monthly increases. Over the year, industry change was sporadic with large and small increases and declines. The largest annual increase was in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 13.0 percent, 298).
