by Nick Dobbins
May 2016
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul MSA increased by 29,663 (1.5 percent) in April. This represented the largest monthly increase in metro area employment since one year prior, in April of 2015, when 33,748 jobs (1.8 percent) were added. Given the highly seasonal nature of many industries in the area, it is not uncommon for the biggest unadjusted growth to occur during spring months. April’s growth was widespread, but industries with notable additions included Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 5,713 or 8.3 percent), Leisure and Hospitality (up 7,101, 4.1 percent), and Professional and Business Services (up 8,455, 2.9 percent), which saw most of its growth in the component sector Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (up 8,751, 9 percent). Annually, employment in the metro area was up by 28,784 (1.5 percent). Every industry in the area, save the long-declining Information supersector (down 169 or 0.4 percent), saw over-the-year employment gains. Educational and Health Services added the most jobs of any supersector, up 11,620 (3.7 percent) on the year. While both of its component sectors had significant over-the-year growth, most of the jobs came from Health Care and Social Assistance (up 8,924, 3.3 percent), which growth was in turn driven by the Ambulatory Health Services subsector (up 6,835 or 7.9 percent).
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 2,251 jobs (1.7 percent) in April. Unsurprisingly, Leisure and Hospitality led all supersectors in the area for monthly growth, adding 952 jobs (7.8 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities (up 793 or 3.2 percent) also had notable gains on the month, with component sector Retail Trade (up 605 jobs or 3.9 percent) driving a large part of that growth. Over the year, employment in Duluth remained down in April, off 2,270 (1.7 percent) from a year prior. It marked the ninth straight month of annual employment losses for Duluth. The area continued to struggle with the effects of a recently down mining industry, as the Mining, Logging, and Construction supersector was off 761 jobs (8.7 percent) for the year. Manufacturing, the other large goods producing supersector, was also down for the year, shedding 685 jobs (9.3 percent) since April of 2015.
Employment in the Rochester MSA was up by 2,052 jobs (1.8 percent) on the month. The gains were widespread, with Other Services (down 30 jobs or 0.8 percent) and Government (down 39, 0.3 percent) the only supersectors to lose jobs from March estimates. The two supersectors with the fastest over-the-month growth were Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 363 or 9.4 percent) and Professional and Business Services (up 516, 9.4 percent). Annually, employment in the Rochester MSA was up by 2,608 jobs (2.3 percent). Educational and Health Services was by far the biggest driver of that growth, as the supersector added 1,965 jobs (4.3 percent) on the year. The steepest annual decline came in the Leisure and Hospitality supersector, which shed 377 jobs (3.7 percent). The only other annual declines were minor, with Government employers losing 6 jobs (0.2 percent) and Financial Activities dropping 7 (0.3 percent).
The St. Cloud MSA added 1,333 jobs (1.2 percent) in April. Mining, Logging, and Construction saw notable growth, adding 497 jobs (8.5 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities also contributed to the effort, supporting 464 new jobs (2.2 percent) for the month. Over the year the area added 1,622 jobs (1.5 percent). Across industries growth was mixed, with six supersectors adding employment while five lost it. The most dramatic annual changes came in Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 457 jobs (5.3 percent), and Professional and Business Services, which added 444 jobs (5.2 percent).
Employment in the Mankato-North Mankato MSA was up in April as the area added 631 jobs (1.1 percent) over March estimates. The growth was entirely concentrated in the private sector (up 693 or 1.5 percent) as Government employers shed 62 jobs (0.7 percent). Both Goods Producing (up 268 or 2.8 percent) and Service Providing (up 363, 0.8 percent) industries added jobs. Annually, Mankato added 569 jobs (1 percent). This growth was driven completely by Private Service-Providing employers, who added 835 jobs (2.3 percent) while the public sector lost 46 jobs (0.5 percent) and Goods Producers dropped 220 jobs (2.2 percent).
Employment in the Fargo-Moorhead MSA was up by 1,861 jobs (1.3 percent) in April. Mining, Logging, and Construction had the fastest growth and added the most jobs, up by 794 (9.6 percent) over March estimates. Somewhat surprisingly, the largest over-the-month decline came in Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 128 jobs (0.9 percent). Annually, the area added 2,349 jobs (1.7 percent). That growth was concentrated most heavily in Professional and Business services, which added 1,047 jobs (6.7 percent).
Employment in the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA shrank in April, as total nonfarm employment was off by 186 (0.3 percent) from March estimates. It was the only MSA in Minnesota that lost employment for the month. The loss was part of a shared effort by the Manufacturing (down 228 or 6.1 percent) and Leisure and Hospitality (down 202 or 3.2 percent) supersectors. Employment was also down over the year, as the area lost 692 jobs (1.2 percent) from April of 2015. The single supersector to lose the most jobs was Government, which was down by 338 (2.3 percent).
