by Nick Dobbins
March 2020
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA lost 1,000 jobs (0.1 percent) in February, one of only three MSAs to lose jobs on the month. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities drove the decline, shedding 6,766 jobs (1.9 percent) on the month, with all three component sectors showing negative growth. The only other supersector to show a decline of greater than 1 percent was Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was off by 1.3 percent (982 jobs). Government employers added 4,790 jobs (1.9 percent), with large increases at both the State and Local levels, and Other Services employment was up by 2,219 (2.8 percent). Over the year metro area employment was mostly flat, down by 900 jobs (0.0 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities had the largest real and proportional over-the-year job loss, down 4,125 or 1.2 percent. Wholesale Trade was down 1,429 (1.6 percent), and Retail was down 2,834 (1.5 percent) while Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities added 138 jobs (0.2 percent). Other Services had the largest proportional growth, up 3.5 percent (2,709 jobs), and Government employers added the most jobs, up 3,578 (1.4 percent), with positive growth at all three levels of government.
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 1,259 jobs (0.9 percent) in February, the largest proportional growth of any MSA in Minnesota. Seven of the 10 published supersectors added jobs, with growth led by Government (up 682 or 2.7 percent) and Educational and Health Services (up 560, 1.7 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 262 jobs (1.1 percent), the largest real and proportional decline in the area. Over the year Duluth lost 1,289 jobs (0.9 percent). It was one of two MSAs in the state to lose jobs on the year. The other is the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA. Mining, Logging, and Construction lost 905 jobs (10.4 percent), the largest real and proportional loss of any supersector. Government employers lost 748 (2.8 percent) and Financial Activities lost 211 (3.8 percent). Manufacturing had the largest growth, adding 179 jobs or 2.2 percent.
The Rochester MSA lost 129 jobs (0.1 percent) in February, in line with statewide declines. Leisure and Hospitality led the declines, off by 158 jobs (1.4 percent), and Professional and Business Services lost 86 jobs (1.6 percent). The largest increase by far came in Educational and Health Services, up 168 (0.3 percent). Financial Activities, Mining, Logging, and Construction, and Other Services added 19, three, and one job, respectively. On an annual basis Rochester added 228 jobs (0.2 percent). Mining, Logging, and Construction added 434 jobs (10.1 percent), and Government added 404 (3.2 percent), with most of those gains coming at the Local Government level. The largest declines came in Educational and Health Services (down 338 or 0.7 percent), Professional and Business Services (down 299, 5.2 percent), and Information (down 149, 9.7 percent).
The St. Cloud MSA added 510 jobs (0.5 percent) in February. Educational and Health Services led the way, adding 465 jobs (2.2 percent), and Government employers added 273 (1.8 percent). By far the largest job losses came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which lost 361 jobs (1.6 percent), with most of that decline coming in Retail Trade (down 308 or 2.2 percent). On the year the area added 192 jobs (0.2 percent). Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 314 (5.5 percent), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 187 (0.8 percent). Educational and Health Services lost 335 jobs (1.6 percent), the largest real job loss of any supersector, and Information lost 47 jobs or 3.3 percent, the largest proportional drop.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 358 jobs (0.6 percent) in February, outpacing the state’s 0.1 percent growth. Service providers added 417 jobs (0.9 percent), more than covering the loss of 59 jobs (0.6 percent) among goods producers. Both public and private sector employers had positive monthly job growth. On the year the area added 1,220 jobs or 2.1 percent. It maintained the strongest proportional over-the-year job growth in the state. Most of those jobs came in the private sector, which added 1,175 jobs (2.4 percent) as public sector employers added just 45 jobs (0.5 percent). Both goods producers and services providers had strong positive growth, up 367 jobs (3.7 percent) and 1,175 jobs (2.4 percent) respectively.
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 1,609 jobs (1.1 percent) in February. Government employers added 1,097 jobs (5.7 percent) as State-level jobs increased by 877 (16.4 percent). Leisure and Hospitality employment was up by 293 (2.1 percent), and Educational and Health Services was up 390 (1.4 percent). The largest loss came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, off by 135 or 1.7 percent. Annually the Fargo-Moorhead area added 1,486 jobs (1.0 percent). Professional and Business Services added 511 jobs (3.7 percent) with Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services up 552 (7.9 percent). The only supersectors with negative annual growth were Manufacturing (down 220 or 2.2 percent) and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 276 or 0.9 percent). All of those losses came from Retail Trade, which was off by 426 (2.8 percent) while the other two component sectors added jobs.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 442 jobs (0.8 percent) in February. Public sector employers shed 525 jobs (3.7 percent), with most of those losses coming at the State level (down 595 or 8.9 percent). Leisure and Hospitality had the largest real and proportional growth, adding 117 jobs or 2 percent. Over the year the MSA lost 194 jobs (0.4 percent). It was one of only two MSAs in Minnesota to lose jobs on the year. Private sector employers added 261 jobs (0.6 percent), but those gains were erased by the loss of 455 jobs (3.2 percent) in the public sector.
