By Nick Dobbins
June 2023
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 39,907 jobs (2%) over the month in May. This was the highest real and proportional growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up 7,739 (9.5%), the largest proportional growth of any supersector. Leisure and Hospitality was up 11,742 (6.4%), and Professional and Business Services was up 6,596 (2.2%). Two supersectors lost jobs on the month. Information was down 342 (1.1%), and Financial Activities was down 156 (0.1%).
Over the year the metro area added 39,907 jobs (2%), slightly better than the state's 1.9% annual change. Growth was highest in Leisure and Hospitality (up 9.8% or 17,384 jobs), Educational and Health Services (up 11,803, 3.4% ), and Government (up 7,299, 3%). Three supersectors in the metro area lost jobs on the year. Mining, Logging, and Construction was off by 2.8% (2,583 jobs), with Specialty Trade Contractors down 1,779 (2.9%) while Building Construction employment was mostly flat. Financial Activities shed 2,446 jobs (2.3%), with losses in all published component sectors and subsectors save Insurance Carriers, which added 135 jobs (0.3%). Information employment was down 53 or 0.2%.
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 800 jobs (0.6%) over the month in May. Leisure and Hospitality employers added 505 jobs (3.7%), and Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 348 jobs (3.7%). In all, six of 10 published supersectors posted positive growth. The largest real and proportional losses came in Government, which was off by 191 jobs (0.8%) caused by the loss of 346 jobs (4.5%) at the state government level. Local and federal government employers both added jobs.
Over the year employment in Duluth was up by 547 or 0.4%. This was the lowest proportional over-the-year growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Four supersectors lost jobs on the year, with Mining, Logging, and Construction off by 257 jobs (2.6%) and Government employment down 368 (1.5%), with all of that loss coming at the Local Government level (down 614 or 3.7%). The largest proportional gain of any supersector came in Other Services, which was up by 5.3% (300 jobs), and the largest real gain was in Educational and Health Services (up 752 or 2.4%). While strong statewide, annual growth in Leisure and Hospitality was relatively small in Duluth, up only 83 jobs or 0.6%.
The Rochester MSA added 886 jobs (0.7%) in May. Growth was driven by Mining, Logging, and Construction, which added 293 jobs or 5.9%. Educational and Health Services was up 187 jobs (0.3%), and Government was up 163 (1.3%), adding 171 jobs (1.6%) at the local level. Three supersectors lost jobs on the month, with each of them (Information, Financial Activities, and Professional and Business Services) losing fewer than 20 jobs.
Over the year the Rochester area added 2,791 jobs (2.3%), outpacing the state's 1.9% growth. Educational and Health Services added 1,712 jobs (3.3%), the largest real job growth in the area. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 3.9% (667 jobs), the largest proportional growth, with all of that coming in the Retail Trade component sector (up 893 jobs or 7.5%). Professional and Business Services employment was down 167 or 2.5% on the year.
Employers in the St. Cloud MSA added 595 jobs (0.6%) over the year in May. Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 507 jobs (7%), the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the area. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up 231, or 2.9%. Five of 10 published supersectors lost jobs, with the largest real and proportional declines coming in Government (off 153 jobs or 1%). State level employers lost 376 jobs or 9.8%.
Over the year the St. Cloud area added 1,636 jobs or 1.5%. The largest proportional movement in any direction was in Professional and Business Services, which was off by 7.8% or 625 jobs. The largest real and proportional growth came in Educational and Health Services, which added 1,076 jobs or 5.2%. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment was up 373 (1.7%), owing primarily to the addition of 363 jobs (2.9%) in Retail Trade.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 63 jobs (0.1%) in May. This was the lowest real and proportional monthly growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota, though it was stronger growth than what was posted in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA. Goods producers added 133 jobs (1.3%), but the growth was offset by the loss of 132 jobs (0.3%) among private sector service providers. Government employers added 62 jobs (0.6%).
Over the year employment in the Mankato area was up 2,747 or 4.9%, the largest proportional annual growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Goods producers added 467 jobs (4.5%), and service providers added 2,280 (5%). Private sector employment was up 2,055 (4.4%) while the public sector added 692 jobs (7.3%).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was up by 722 (0.5%) over the month in May. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up by 601 (6.8%), the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the MSA. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 250 (1.7%). Government employers lost 225 jobs (1.1%).
Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead area added 1,946 jobs (1.3%). Educational and Health Services added 1,345 jobs or 4.9%, the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the region. Manufacturing employers added 340 jobs (3%), and Leisure and Hospitality added 669 jobs (4.7%). The largest decline came in Information, which was off by 208 jobs or 7.3%.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 61 jobs (0.1%) in May. It was the only MSA in Minnesota to post negative monthly growth. Government employers lost 199 jobs (1.5%) with the declines driven by State Government employment, which was off by 233 (4%). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 74 jobs (0.7%) led by the loss of 64 jobs (0.9%) in Retail Trade. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up 206 (7.4%), the largest real and proportional movement in either direction for any supersector.
Over the year the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 1,024 jobs (1.9%). Government employers added 258 jobs (2%), Leisure and Hospitality added 208 jobs (3.9%), and Manufacturing added 175 jobs (4.2%). The only supersector to lose jobs on the year was Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was off by 125 (4%).
