by Nick Dobbins
January 2023
Monthly analysis is based on seasonally adjusted employment data.
Yearly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in Minnesota was down 5,200 (0.2%) over the month on a seasonally adjusted basis in December. Private sector employers added 900 jobs (0.0%), while public sector employers lost 6,100 jobs (1.5%).
Over the year employers in Minnesota added 91,936 jobs (3.2%). Goods producers added 9,061 jobs (2%), and service providers added 82,875 jobs (3.4%). Private sector employers added 87,587 jobs (3.6%), and public sector employers added 4,349 jobs (1.1%).
Employment in Mining and Logging was up by 100 (1.6%) over the month in December on a seasonally adjusted basis. It was the fifth consecutive month with flat or positive growth for the supersector. On the year employers in Mining and Logging added 35 jobs (0.6%). Annual employment growth was positive in the supersector for the first time since March, owing at least in part to an especially weak December of 2021.
Construction employment was down by 2,600 (2%) in December. It was the largest proportional loss of any supersector and the third consecutive month of seasonally adjusted job losses for Construction employers.
On an annual basis Construction employers lost 3,468 jobs (2.8%), the first negative over-the-year growth for the supersector since April. It is possible that large winter storms that hit much of the state in mid-December contributed to both the monthly and annual employment declines.
Employment in Manufacturing was off by 1,100 (0.3%) over the month of December. Durable Goods employers added 700 jobs (0.3%), but those gains were overshadowed by the loss of 1,800 jobs (1.5%) in Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing.
Over the year Manufacturing employers added 12,494 jobs or 3.9%, which was the third-highest proportional growth of any supersector, trailing Leisure and Hospitality and Educational and Health Services. Annual Manufacturing growth remained above 3% for every month of 2022. Durable Goods Manufacturing drove the growth in December, adding 10,923 jobs (5.4%), while Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing added 1,571 jobs (1.4%).
Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was up by 2,400 (0.5%) in December. All three component sectors added jobs. Wholesale and Retail Trade each added 600 jobs (0.5% and 0.2%, respectively) while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 1,200 jobs (1.1%). Over the year the supersector added 13,124 jobs (2.5%). Wholesale Trade was up 3,745 (3%), Retail Trade was up 6,616 (2.3%), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities was up 2,763 (2.4%).
Employment in Information was off by 100 (0.2%) over the month in December, after adding jobs in the previous two months.
Over the year Information employers added 890 jobs (2.1%). Despite the annual growth, both published component sectors posted negative growth, with Telecommunications off by 355 (3.5%) and Publishing Industries down 197 (1.1%).
Financial Activities added 1,400 jobs (0.7%) in December. Finance and Insurance added 900 jobs (0.6%), and Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 500 jobs (1.4%).
Over the year the supersector added 3,559 (1.9%). This was up from November's 0.1% over-the-year increase. Real Estate and Rental and Leasing added 1,957 jobs (5.7%) in December, and Finance and Insurance added 1,602 (1%).
Employment in Professional and Business Services was down by 6,200 (1.6%) in December. Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 200 jobs (0.1%), and Management of Companies and Enterprises added 1,000 (1.1%). Those gains were overcome by losses in Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (down 7,400 jobs or 5.4%).
Over the year the supersector added 13,108 jobs (3.5%). Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services added 8,558 jobs (5.4%), Management of Companies added 1,834 (2.1%), and Administrative and Support Services added 2,716 (2.1%). Employment Services lost 369 jobs (0.6%).
Educational and Health Services employment was up by 4,000 (0.7%) on a seasonally adjusted basis in December. It was the 11th consecutive month of positive growth for the supersector. Educational Services was up 1,300 (1.8%), and Health Care and Social Assistance was up 2,700 (0.6%). Over the year, employers in Educational and Health Services added 25,676 jobs (4.7%). Educational Services added 5,041 jobs (7.2%), and Health Care and Social Assistance added 20,635 (4.4%). Annual growth in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities grew to 3.1% after being in the negative consistently from April of 2020 through August of 2022.
Employment in Leisure and Hospitality was up by 4,300 jobs or 1.6% in December. This was the highest proportional annual growth of any supersector in the state. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation added 1,500 jobs (3%), and Accommodation and Food Services added 2,800 (1.3%). Over the year, Leisure and Hospitality employers added 23,084 jobs (10%). This was the largest proportional growth of any supersector and an increase over November's 7.3% annual increase. Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation employment was up 10,777 jobs or 30.4%, while Accommodation and Food Services added 12,307 jobs or 6.3%.
Employment in Other Services was down by 1,300 (1.2%) over the month in December. It was the fourth consecutive month of seasonally adjusted declines for the supersector.
On an annual basis Other Services employers lost 915 jobs or 0.8%, in comparison to a strong December of 2021. It was the first negative annual growth for the supersector since March of 2021. . Repair and Maintenance lost 1,443 jobs (6.6%), and Personal and Laundry Services lost 631 jobs (2.4%), while Religious, Grantmaking, and Civic Organizations added 1,159 jobs (1.9%).
Government employers lost 6,100 jobs (1.5%) in December. The losses came almost entirely at the Local Government level, where employment was off by 6,100 (2.2%). Federal employers lost 100 jobs (0.3%) while State employers added 100 (0.1%).
On an annual basis Government employers added 4,349 jobs (1.1%). Local Government drove the growth, adding 4,200 jobs (1.5%) with all of that growth coming in non-educational employment, up 4,240 jobs or 3.1%. State employers added 426 jobs (0.4%) while Federal employers lost 277 (0.9%).
| Minnesota Seasonally Adjusted Nonagricultural Wage and Salary Employment (In Thousands) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Dec-22 | Nov-22 | Oct-22 |
| Total Nonfarm | 2955.5 | 2960.7 | 2954.2 |
| Goods-Producing | 464.3 | 467.9 | 468 |
| Mining and Logging | 6.5 | 6.4 | 6.3 |
| Construction | 126.9 | 129.5 | 131.3 |
| Manufacturing | 330.9 | 332 | 330.4 |
| Service-Providing | 2491.2 | 2492.8 | 2486.2 |
| Trade, Transportation, and Utilities | 523.7 | 521.3 | 520.9 |
| Information | 43.6 | 43.7 | 43.4 |
| Financial Activities | 192.2 | 190.8 | 190.9 |
| Professional and Business Services | 388.4 | 394.6 | 395.5 |
| Educational and Health Services | 564.7 | 560.7 | 558.5 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 265.8 | 261.5 | 259.8 |
| Other Services | 107.2 | 108.5 | 109.7 |
| Government | 405.6 | 411.7 | 407.5 |
| Source: Department of Employment and Economic Development, Current Employment Statistics, 2022. | |||
