By Nick Dobbins
July 2021
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 24,306 jobs, or 1.3%, over the month in June, which was right in line with the state's 1.3% change. The metro added jobs in all but Financial Activities, which was down 0.4% or 620 jobs. Leisure and Hospitality once again posted the largest real and proportional growth, up 8,808 jobs or 5.7%, although this was down from May's 10.8% over-the-month growth. Other Services was up 3.1% (2,214 jobs), Manufacturing was up 1.5% (2,907 jobs), with most of that growth coming in Durable Goods Manufacturing (up 1.9% or 2,574 jobs), and Professional and Business Services was up 1.2% (3,868 jobs), with growth of 16% (2,865 jobs) in Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services.
Over the year the metro area added 109,447 jobs or 6%. While employment increased over the month, the over-the-year growth declined from 8.3% in May. Two supersectors posted somewhat large over-the-year declines, with Financial Activities losing 2,539 jobs (1.6%) and Information losing 1,111 jobs (3.5%). Growth was led by Leisure and Hospitality, which was up by 38,375 (30.9%) on the year. Other Services employment was up 14.1% (9,192 jobs), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 5.5% or 18,058 jobs. Professional and Business Services employment was up 6.5% or 19,610 jobs, with component industry and traditional bellwether Employment Services posting 18% over-the-year growth (6,612 jobs). Educational and Health Services added 16,119 jobs (5.1%), with Educational Services up 18.3% (7,084 jobs).
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 1,474 jobs or 1.1% over the month in June. Leisure and Hospitality added 1,120 jobs or 8.8%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the area. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 477 jobs or 5.2%. Two supersectors lost jobs on the month, as Educational and Health Services employment was off by 666 (2.1%), and Financial Activities employment was off by 30 (0.6%).
Over the year the Duluth area added 10,743 jobs or 8.9%. It was the highest proportional over-the-year growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Leisure and Hospitality was up by 26.3% (2,894 jobs), Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 16% (1,329 jobs), and Government employment was up 10% (2,330 jobs), with the state and local levels driving that growth. Financial Activities was the only supersector in the area to shed jobs on the year, down 1.1% or 58 jobs.
The Rochester MSA added 2,588 jobs or 2.1% in June. This was the best proportional over-the-month growth of any MSA in Minnesota, well ahead of the state's 1.3% change. Bucking the larger trend, this growth was not primarily driven by Leisure and Hospitality (up 439 or 4.5%), as two supersectors posted larger real job gains: Government, up 604 or 4.8% and Educational and Health Services, up 545 or 1%, and two posted larger proportional gains: Mining, Logging, and Construction, up 4.8% or 252 jobs and the aforementioned Government.
Over the year the Rochester MSA added 9,960 jobs or 8.8%, once again outpacing the state's 6.4% change. Leisure and Hospitality added 21.1% (1,791 jobs), the largest proportional increase, and Educational and Health Services added 6,096 jobs (12.9%), the largest real employment increase. Manufacturing employers in the area shed 673 jobs or 6.3%.
The St. Cloud MSA added 185 jobs or 0.2% in June. This was much weaker than the state's 1.3% over-the-month growth. Government had the largest real and proportional decline, off by 5.5% or 872 jobs, driven primarily by the loss of 835 jobs (22.4%) in State Government. The largest real and proportional growth was in Mining, Logging, and Construction, up 570 jobs or 7.2%. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 318 jobs (1.5%) on the strength of 231 new jobs in Retail Trade (up 1.8%).
Over the year the St. Cloud area added 5,020 jobs or 5%. This was the worst proportional over-the-year growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. Grand Forks-East Grand Forks, which is primarily in North Dakota, posted lower growth. However, all but one supersector added jobs - Financial Activities was down 3.6% or 198 jobs. The largest proportional growth came in Other Services (up 12.7% or 418 jobs) and the largest real job growth was in Educational and Health Services (up 1,150, or 5.7%). Leisure and Hospitality, which helped drive growth in much of the state, was up just 4.1% or 264 jobs.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 14 jobs (0%) in June. It was the lowest over-the-month growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota although both MSAs shared with North Dakota lost jobs on the month. Goods producers added 127 jobs (1.3%), but service providers lost 113 jobs (0.2%), with that loss coming from private sector service providers, who lost 325 jobs (0.9%).
Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato area added 2,956 jobs (5.6%). The growth was almost entirely among service providers, who added 2,954 jobs (6.9%) while goods producers added 2 jobs (0%).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA lost 492 jobs (0.3%) in June. It was one of only two MSAs in the state to lose jobs on the month, the other being its counterpart in North Dakota, Grand Forks-East Grand Forks. Government employment drove the decline as public sector employers shed 954 jobs or 5%. Mining, Logging, and Construction had the largest real and proportional growth, adding 268 jobs or 2.5%.
Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 9,665 jobs or 7.2%. Leisure and Hospitality was up by 3,188 jobs or 29.9%. The only supersector to lose jobs on the year was Information, off by 61 or 2%.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 418 jobs (0.8%) in June. It was the worst over-the-month performance of any MSA in Minnesota. Government employers lost 529 jobs (4.1%), and Manufacturing employers lost 162 jobs (4.3%).
The Grand Forks area also had the worst over-the-year performance of any MSA in the state, adding 1,998 jobs or 4.1%. Leisure and Hospitality employers had the largest proportional growth, up 24.4% (1,139 jobs), while Government employers had the largest real job growth, up by 1,295 (11.8%). Four supersectors in the area lost jobs on the year, with the biggest real and proportional declines coming in Manufacturing, which was off by 8.6% or 338 jobs.
