by Nick Dobbins
January 2023
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA lost 16,382 jobs (0.8%) over the month in December. This was the strongest growth of any MSA in Minnesota, tied with Rochester and Fargo-Moorhead. Monthly employment declines are common in December as seasonal employment slows down in the state. The largest real and proportional declines came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which shed 9,753 jobs or 10.9%. Professional and Business Services lost 8,737 jobs (2.6%). Government employers lost 8,550 jobs (3.4%) with that decline primarily driving by Local Government Non-Educational employment, which was off by 6,161 or 8.3%. The highest real and proportional positive growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 6,315 jobs (1.8%). The Retail Trade component was up by 3,382, or 1.9%, and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities was up 1,820 or 2.3%.
Over the year the metro area added 68,723 jobs (3.5%). This was the strongest annual growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Manufacturing employers added 12,582 jobs (6.3%) with growth in both Durable and Non-Durable Goods Manufacturing. Educational and Health Services employment was up 21,345 (6.3%), with Nursing and Residential Care facilities adding 3,999 jobs (6.1%) on the year. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 10.6% (16,371 jobs). The lone supersector to post negative job growth over the year was Mining, Logging, and Construction, which can be heavily dependent on weather conditions this time of year. Employers there lost 3,715 jobs (4.4%).
The Duluth-Superior MSA lost 2,141 jobs or 1.6% in December. This was the lowest proportional over the month growth of any MSA in the state, with seven of 10 published supersectors posting negative job growth. The largest real job loss came in Government employment, which shed 1,196 jobs (4.9%) with large declines at the State and Local levels (down 474 or 6.4%, and 713 or 4.6%, respectively). The largest proportional loss was in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was down by 7.1% (765 jobs). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities posted the largest real and proportional gains, adding 272 jobs or 1.1%, despite small declines in Wholesale Trade.
On an annual basis the Duluth MSA added 1,385 jobs or 1.1%. This was the lowest proportional annual growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota, though it was higher than both MSAs we share with North Dakota. Just three of 10 published supersectors lost jobs, led by Government employment which was down by 1,004 or 4.1%, with declines at all three levels of government. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 743 (5.6%), Mining, Logging and Construction was up 440 (4.6%), and Manufacturing was up 237 (2.9%).
The Rochester MSA lost 964 jobs (0.8%) over the month of December, with seven of 10 published supersectors posting negative monthly growth. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 480 jobs or 8.5%, which was the largest real and proportional decline of any supersector in the area. The largest real growth came in Educational and Health Services (up 127 or 0.2%), while the largest proportional growth was in Financial Activities (up 0.3 percent or 8 jobs).
Over the year the Rochester area added 3,386 jobs or 2.8%. Educational and Health Services added 1,691 jobs (3.2%), Leisure and Hospitality added 968 jobs (9.4%), and Manufacturing added 380 jobs (4%). Just two supersectors posted negative annual growth, and both of them lost fewer than 100 jobs. Information employment was down 2.9%, and Financial Activities employment was down 2.1%.
The St. Cloud MSA lost 984 jobs (0.9%) in December. Two supersectors employers drove the decline, with Mining, Logging and Construction off by 805 jobs (9.5%) and Government shedding 400 jobs (2.6%), with most of that loss coming at the State Government level (down 397 or 10.1%). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities had the largest positive real and proportional growth, adding 353 jobs or 1.6%, thanks to the addition of 308 jobs (2.2%) in Retail Trade employment.
Over the year the St. Cloud MSA added 1,758 jobs (1.6%). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 773 jobs (3.5%) with all of that growth coming in Retail Trade (up 883 or 6.6%). Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 381 (5.2%), and Educational and Health Services was up 702 (3.3%). The largest real and proportional job losses in the area came in Financial Activities, which shed 90 jobs or 1.7%.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA lost 718 jobs (1.2%) in December. Private sector employers lost 308 jobs (0.6%), and public sector employers lost 410 (4.2%). Goods producers lost 256 jobs (2.3%), and service providers lost 462 jobs (1%).
Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 1,310 jobs (2.3%). Goods producers added 642 jobs (6.3%), and service providers added 668 jobs (1.4%).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was down by 1,179 (0.8%) over the month in December. Mining, Logging, and Construction drove the losses, off by 1,117 jobs or 11.8%. The next-largest decline was a loss of 266 (2%) in Leisure and Hospitality, while the largest positive growth came in Government, up 253 or 1.3%.
Over the year, the Fargo-Moorhead area added 201 jobs (0.1%). This was the lowest proportional annual growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Manufacturing added 401 jobs (3.8%) and Education and Health Services added 701 jobs (2.5%), while notable declines came in Financial Activities (down 905 jobs or 7.7%) and Leisure and Hospitality (down 332 jobs or 2.5%).
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 566 jobs (1.1%) in December, with seven of 10 published supersectors shedding jobs, and one holding steady. The largest declines came in Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 247 or 8.1%) and Leisure and Hospitality (down 198 or 3.3%). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 113 jobs (1.1%), and Financial Activities added 4 jobs (0.3%).
On an annual basis the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 153 jobs (0.3%). Seven of 10 published supersectors added jobs, but the largest real job movement came in Government, which was down 509 (3.9%), and the largest proportional movement was in Financial Activities, which was down 4.2% (71 jobs). Educational and Health Services added the most jobs, up 265 (2.9%), and the largest proportional growth was in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was up 3.4% (92 jobs).
