by Nick Dobbins
June 2015
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul- Bloomington MSA increased dramatically again in May as the metro added 24,727 jobs (1.3 percent). While the increase in employment was fairly large in real numbers, it is worth noting that this is a time of year that regularly sees substantial hiring increases. Warm weather brings additional opportunities in a variety of industries, such as Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 8,508 or 12.7 percent) and Leisure and Hospitality (up 8,381 or 4.7 percent), which often require large amounts of outdoor activity. For the year the metro area added 34,245 jobs (1.8 percent). Professional and Business Services maintained the highest over-the-year actual growth, up 10,453 jobs (3.5 percent), although the largest proportional gain moved to Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was up 2,815 or 3.9 percent. On the other side of the ledger, Other Services (down 340 jobs or 0.4 percent) joined Information (down 54 jobs or 0.1 percent) as the only supersectors to lose employment since May of 2014.
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 2,759 jobs (1.3 percent) in May. The growth was led by Leisure and Hospitality, which added 1,215 jobs (9.2 percent), a strong performance even when compared to previous springs. As would be expected, the MSA also added significant employment in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 651 or 7.7 percent) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 649, 2.6 percent). Government (down 144 or 0.5 percent) and Information (down 3 jobs, which still represents a 0.2 percent decline) were the only supersectors to shed jobs in May. Annually, Duluth added 1,798 jobs (1.3 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added more jobs than any other supersector, up 1,036 (4.1 percent), while the largest proportional growth came in Other Services, which was up 361 (6.1 percent). Annual losses came in Government (down 70, 0.3 percent), Financial Activities (down 247, 4.3 percent), and Educational and Health Services (down 44, 0.1 percent).
Employment in the Rochester MSA was up 1,420 (1.2 percent) in May, with the usual spring suspects leading the job growth. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 259 (6.5 percent), Leisure and Hospitality added 479 (4.8 percent), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 382 (2.2 percent). Over-the-year growth in Rochester remained roughly flat from April, as the MSA supported 685 additional jobs (0.6 percent) over May of 2014. One noteworthy job-shedding industry was Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was down 74 jobs (1.7 percent) despite its addition of 259 jobs. The same supersector had shown 6.5 percent growth between Aprils 2014 and 2015. Information was among the notable job adders, up 109 (5.5 percent) from May of 2014.
The Saint Cloud MSA added 620 jobs (0.6 percent) in May. This growth came in spite of a loss of 316 jobs (2 percent) in Government employment. Leisure and Hospitality added 318 jobs (3.7 percent), Mining, Logging, and Construction added 294 (5.3 percent), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 283 (1.3 percent). Annually, the MSA added 134 jobs (0.1 percent). The additional jobs came in large part thanks to a gain of 1,004 jobs (4.8 percent) in Educational and Health Services, which overcame losses of 650 (7.5 percent) in Professional and Business Services and 232 (3.8 percent) in Mining, Logging, and Construction. After Educational and Health Services, the next largest growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 112 jobs (0.5 percent) as Retail Trade lost 218 jobs (1.7 percent), Wholesale Trade added those all back with one to spare (up 219, 4.8 percent), and Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities pitched in an additional 111 jobs (2.9 percent).
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was up very slightly in May, supporting 78 jobs (0.1 percent) more than in April. A decline of 311 jobs (3.3 percent) among Government employers was countered by an additional 389 jobs (0.8 percent) with Private Sector employers. For the year Mankato added 187 jobs (0.3 percent) with Goods Producers adding 237 jobs (2.4 percent) and Service-Providing employers shedding 50 (0.1 percent).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 620 jobs (0.5 percent) in May. Their growth was driven by Mining, Logging, and Construction, which added 740 jobs (9 percent). Annually, employment in Fargo-Moorhead was up 2,145 (1.6 percent). The largest chunk of new jobs came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 1,024 (3.4 percent). Professional and Business services employment remained down, off 513 (3.2 percent) following a monthly drop of 181 (1.2 percent) in May.
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA was down 37 (0.1 percent) in May, making it the only MSA in the state to lose employment for the month. Expected gains in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 357, or 12.1 percent) were overcome by a loss of 421 (2.9 percent) in Government, almost entirely from a decline of 586 (7.8 percent) in State Government. For the year the MSA was up 1,533 jobs (2.7 percent), with Trade, Transportation, and Utilities adding 1,165 (9.4 percent).
