by Nick Dobbins
May 2019
Monthly analysis is based on unadjusted employment data.
Employment in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA was up by 22,645 jobs (1.1 percent) in April, matching the state’s monthly growth pace. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 5,647 jobs (7.6 percent) Professional and Business Services also grew, adding 7,592 jobs or 2.4 percent, and Other Services added 1,947 jobs (2.5 percent). The sharpest over-the-month declines came in Information (down 612 or 1.6 percent) and Educational and Health Services (down 4,902 or 1.4 percent). Annually employment in the region has grown by 6,814 (0.3 percent). Mining, Logging, and Construction added 5,647 jobs or 7.6 percent, with 4,512 of those jobs coming via Specialty Trade Contractors. Professional and Business Services also saw substantial growth, adding 7,592 jobs (2.4 percent) thanks to 5,798 new jobs in Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services (up by 5.9 percent). Only the long-struggling Information industry lost (41 jobs or 0.1 percent) on the year.
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 2,251 jobs (1.7 percent) in April. This was the largest proportional over-the-month growth of any MSA we report on in Minnesota. Mining, Logging, and Construction set the pace, adding 721 jobs or 8.3 percent. Educational and Health Services added 770 jobs, (2.4 percent), Leisure and Hospitality added 490 (3.6 percent), and Professional and Business Services added 208 (2.6 percent). The only two supersectors to lose jobs were Information (down 55 or 1 percent) and Government (down 72 or 0.3 percent). Over the year the Duluth area added 140 jobs (0.1 percent). Mining, Logging, and Construction added 532 jobs (6 percent), and Professional and Business Services added 275 (3.5 percent). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 683 jobs (2.8 percent) with losses in every component sector. Financial Activities employers lost 232 jobs (4.1 percent).
The Rochester MSA added 1,018 jobs (0.8 percent) in April. As was the case across the state, growth was concentrated in supersectors helped by the warming weather. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 368 jobs (8.6 percent), and Leisure and Hospitality added 541 (5 percent). Manufacturers lost 136 jobs (1.3 percent), and Government employers shed 116 jobs (0.9 percent). Over the year the area added 1,967 jobs (1.6 percent). Educational and Health Services added 758 jobs (1.5 percent), Leisure and Hospitality added 626 (5.8 percent), and Mining, Logging, and Construction added 292 (6.7 percent). The largest annual decline, both in real and proportional terms, came in the Information supersector, which lost 148 jobs or 8.4 percent. Financial Activities and Other Services also lost jobs, off by 70 jobs (2.5 percent) and 35 jobs (0.9 percent), respectively.
The Saint Cloud MSA added 1,667 jobs (1.5 percent) in April. As was the case across the state, Mining, Logging, and Construction led the growth, adding 656 jobs or 10.1 percent. Leisure and Hospitality added 167 jobs (2.1 percent). The only supersector with negative job growth was Financial Activities, off by 36 or 0.7 percent. Annually the area added 2,339 jobs (2.1 percent). This was the largest over-the-year job growth of any reported MSA in Minnesota. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 1,431 jobs (24.9 percent), by far the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector in the area. Professional and Business Services lost 295 jobs (3.3 percent), and Information employment was down by 100 (7.2 percent).
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 759 jobs (1.3 percent) in April. The private sector added 775 jobs (1.6 percent), more than erasing the loss of 16 (0.3 percent) among public sector employers. Most of the growth was in goods production, where 452 jobs (4.6 percent) were added. Annually employment in the area was up by 501 (0.9 percent), with growth in every published series. As with the over-the-month growth, goods producers led the way both in real jobs added and proportional growth, up by 339 (3.3 percent) to service providers’ 162 jobs or 0.3 percents.
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 1,458 jobs (1 percent) in April. Mining, Logging, and Construction employers added 579 jobs (8 percent), leading the growth. Leisure and Hospitality added 435 (3.2 percent). Although three supersectors (Manufacturing, Government, and Information) shrank on the month, total job losses from the three supersectors combined were just 65 jobs. Annually the Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 492 jobs (0.4 percent) in spite of the fact that the two biggest movers in terms of total jobs were Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which lost 395 jobs (1.3 percent) and Leisure and Hospitality, which lost 378 (2.7 percent). The largest numerical growth came in Manufacturing (up 184 or 1.8 percent), and the largest proportional growth was in Information (up 114, 3.9 percent).
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 67 jobs (0.1 percent) in April. It was the only published MSA in the state to lose jobs. The decline was driven by the loss of 220 jobs (3.6 percent) in Leisure and Hospitality. Four other supersectors also experienced negative growth. Annually the MSA lost 756 jobs (1.4 percent). As with monthly growth, it was the only MSA in the state to lose jobs on the year. Government employers lost 492 jobs (3.4 percent), Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 402 (3.6 percent), and Other Services lost 137 (6.9 percent).
