by Amanda Rohrer
March 2013
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA increased 0.5 percent (8,856) over the month and increased 2.4 percent (40,927) over the year. Much of the gain came from Government employment which was up 2.3 percent (5,484) over the month and 3.0 percent (6,970) over the year. State Government education employment had the largest share of that gain, with an 8.4 percent increase (3,440) over the month. In the Private Sector significant gains in Professional and Business Services (up 1.9 percent, 5,111) and Educational and Health Services (up 1.6 percent, 4,634) were partially offset by losses in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 1.5 percent, 4,658) and in Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 2.0 percent, 989).
Employment in the Duluth-Superior MSA increased 1.6 percent (2,046) over the month and 1.2 percent (1,507) over the year. The largest part of the monthly gain was in Government employment (up 5.8 percent, 1,505), but which declined over the year (down 1.3 percent, 371). Significant monthly changes in Private Sector industries include a decline of 1.1 percent (257) in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, an increase of 1.3 percent (398) in Educational and Health Services, and an increase of 2.4 percent (316) in Leisure and Hospitality.
Employment in the Rochester MSA declined 0.1 percent over the month and increased 1.6 percent (1,672) over the year. In the Private Sector, industries were pretty evenly split between gains and losses. Some of the largest numeric changes were in Manufacturing (down 103, 1.0 percent), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 154, 1.0 percent), Leisure and Hospitality (down 103, 1.2 percent), Educational and Health Services (up 253, 0.6 percent), and Professional and Business Services (up 54, 1.1 percent). Government employment was down 9 (0.1 percent) over the month and 431 (4.0 percent) over the year.
Employment in the St. Cloud MSA increased 0.9 percent (918) over the month and 1.5 percent (1,488) over the year. Most of the gain came from Government employment (up 4.6 percent, 730), but over the year it increased only 0.8 percent (129). In the Private Sector there were over-the-month declines in Mining, Logging, and Construction (down 0.5 percent, 19) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 1.4 percent, 290). The only substantive increase was in Educational and Health Services (up 2.4 percent, 458).
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA increased 0.8 percent (439) over the month and 2.2 percent (1,142) over the year. Of the estimated industries, the only decline over the month was in Goods Producing (down 0.9 percent, 82). Over the year, however, employment in the industry was still up 5.1 percent (449). The largest monthly gain was in Government employment with an increase of 2.6 percent (239).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA increased 0.8 percent (1,037) over the month and 4.1 percent (5,186) over the year. Government employment contributed significantly to the monthly gains, but ran counter to the annual gains, increasing 2.9 percent (496) over the month but declining 0.6 percent (109) over the year. The over-the-year growth came from Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 19.9 percent, 1,200), from Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 5.0 percent, 1,372), and from Professional and Business Services (up 11.9 percent, 1, 674). The most substantial monthly change was in Educational and Health Services, up 1.5 percent (307).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA grew by 0.4 percent (248) over the month and by 1.6 percent (885) over the year. On a monthly basis all of the gains came from Government employment (up 361, 2.5 percent). Annually, however, Government employment fell 0.5 percent (69). In the Private Sector there were significant monthly employment changes in Leisure and Hospitality (down 1.8 percent, 110), in Educational and Health Services (up 1.1 percent, 103), and in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 1.1 percent, 137).
