By Nick Dobbins
March 2024
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 9,372 jobs or 0.5% over the month in February. This was slightly higher than the statewide growth of 0.4%. The metro's growth came entirely among service providers, who added 10,808 jobs (0.6%) while goods producers lost 1,436 jobs (0.5%). Government employers added 5,115 jobs (2%) with positive growth at all three levels of government. The largest proportional growth came in Other Services, which was up 2.4% or 1,858 jobs, with growth in all published component sectors. Three supersectors lost jobs on the month, with Mining, Logging, and Construction down 2,276 jobs (3.1%), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities down 3,718 jobs (1.1%), and Financial Activities down 259 jobs (0.2%).
Over the year the metro area added 20,392 jobs or 1.1%. This was better than January's 0.7% annual growth, but still slightly below the statewide growth of 1.3%. The largest real and proportional growth came in Government employment, which was up by 19,729 or 8%. The growth was driven by Local Government employers, who added 16,863 jobs (10.7%) although all three levels posted positive growth. Educational and Health Services was up 14,334 (4.1%) with that growth coming entirely in Health Care and Social Assistance (up 15,584 or 5.2%), as Private Educational Services was off by 1,250 (2.5%). The largest proportional decline was in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was down 8.9% (6,953 jobs). The largest real job loss came in Professional and Business Services, which was down 10,436 jobs or 3.5%. This was an improvement over January, when the supersector was off by 4.2% over the year.
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 876 jobs or 0.7% in February. This was the highest proportional growth of any MSA in the state. Government employers added 464 jobs (1.9%) with growth at all three levels. This was the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the area. Leisure and Hospitality employment was up 265 (2%), and Educational and Health Services was up 129 (0.4%). Three supersectors lost jobs on the month, with all three (Mining, Logging, and Construction; Trade, Transportation, and Utilities; and Financial Activities) losing fewer than 100 jobs and less than 1%.
Over the year the Duluth-Superior MSA lost 485 jobs or 0.4%. This was a notable change from January's 0.6% positive annual growth. It was the only MSA in the state to post negative annual growth in February. Mining, Logging, and Construction had the largest proportional declines, off by 8.4% or 784 jobs. Government employers lost 1,248 jobs or 4.9%. The largest real job growth came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which added 513 jobs (2.1%), and the largest proportional growth was in Other Services, which was up 7.3% or 431 jobs.
The Rochester MSA added 384 jobs (0.3%) over the month in February. Educational and Health Services added 238 jobs (0.4%), the largest real job growth of any supersector. The largest proportional growth came in Other Services, up 1.9% (72 jobs). Overall, eight of 10 published supersectors added jobs on the month. The only supersectors to lose jobs were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (down 117, or 0.7%, from the loss of 120 jobs or 1% in Retail Trade), and Financial Activities (down 13 jobs or 0.5%).
Over the year the Rochester area added 4,341 jobs or 3.6%. This was the largest proportional annual growth of any MSA in the state. Growth was driven in large part by Educational and Health Services, which added 3,839 jobs (7.2%), the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector. Overall, five of 10 supersectors added jobs. The largest real job loss came in Manufacturing (down 204 or 2.2%), while the largest proportional loss came in Information (down 4.3% or 49 jobs).
The St. Cloud MSA added 216 jobs or 0.2% in February. This was the lowest proportional growth of any MSA on the month. Five supersectors added jobs and five lost jobs. Growth was driven by Government (up 244 or 1.6%), Leisure and Hospitality (up 114 or 1.5%), and Educational and Health Services (up 148 or 0.7%). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 227 jobs or 1% due primarily to the loss of 229 jobs (1.8%) in Retail Trade. No other supersector lost more than 100 jobs or 1%.
Over the year the St. Cloud MSA added 1,153 jobs or 1.1%. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up 320 or 4.8%. Other Services was up 176 or 4.6%, and Government employers added 160 jobs, or 1%, with growth in all three component sectors. Manufacturing employers lost the largest number of jobs, off by 429 (2.9%). The largest proportional decline came in Professional and Business Services, which was off by 3.5% or 253 jobs.
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 270 jobs (0.5%) over the month, slightly outpacing the state's 0.4% growth. The jobs came entirely from services providers, who added 336 jobs (0.7%), while goods producers lost 66 jobs (0.6%). Private sector employment was up 0.4% (171 jobs), and public sector employment was up 1% (99 jobs).
Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 115 jobs or 0.2%, well below the statewide growth of 1.3%. Goods producers added 149 jobs (1.5%), but service providers lost 34 jobs (0.1%), with most of that decline coming among private service providers, who lost 121 jobs, or 0.3%.
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 717 jobs (0.5%) over the month of February. Goods producers lost 69 jobs (0.3%), while service providers added 786 (0.6%). Most of that growth came in Government employment, which was up 613 or 3%, with State Government employment up 374 or 6.5%. Three supersectors in the area lost jobs in February, with the largest real job loss coming in Manufacturing (off 99 jobs or 0.8%) and the largest proportional decline coming in Information (down 1.9% or 45 jobs).
Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 1,306 jobs or 0.9%. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 816 jobs (2.6%), with most of that growth coming in Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities (up 606 or 8.1%), while Retail Trade was down 64 or 0.4%. Four of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the year. The largest proportional decline was in Information (off 11.6% or 305 jobs), and the largest real job loss was in Professional and Business Services (down 569 jobs or 3.8%).
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 348 jobs (0.6%) in February. The largest real and proportional movement in any direction came in Government, which was up 390 jobs or 2.9%, with growth at all three levels. Six of 10 published supersectors lost jobs. Manufacturing was off by 52 jobs (1.2%), and Information was down 2% (12 jobs).
Over the year employers in Grand Forks-East Grand Forks added 1,106 jobs or 2.1%. Six of 10 published supersectors added jobs on the year. Mining, Logging, and Construction was up 138 (5.4%), Manufacturing was up 216 (5.2%), and Government was up 654 jobs (4.9%), with growth at all three levels of government. No supersector lost more than 38 jobs (Trade, Transportation, and Utilities), with the largest proportional decline coming in Financial Activities, off 1.4% or 25 jobs.
