by Nick Dobbins
May 2023
The Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MSA added 25,799 jobs or 1.3% over the month in April. This was the highest proportional growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. Mining, Logging, and Construction employment was up 6,199 jobs (8.2%), Professional and Business Services was up 7,876 (2.7%), and Leisure and Hospitality was up 6,943 (3.9%). Just two supersectors posted negative growth in April. Manufacturing was off by 1,191 jobs (0.6%), with losses in both its Durable and Non-Durable Goods components, and Financial Activities was off 268 jobs (0.2%) as its Finance and Insurance component shed 401 jobs (0.3%).
Over the year the metro area added 26,254 jobs or 1.4%, which was slightly worse than the state's 1.5% growth. Eight of 10 supersectors in the area posted positive annual growth. Leisure and Hospitality continued to lead, adding 15,244 jobs or 9.1%. Educational and Health Services was up 7,629 jobs (2.2%), and Government employers added 6,124 jobs (2.5%), with positive growth at all three levels of government. The largest proportional job losses came in Mining, Logging, and Construction (off by 3.4% or 2,855 jobs). The largest real decline was in Financial Activities, which shed 3,098 jobs or 2.1%. Professional and Business Services employment was down by 0.4% (1,161 jobs) over the year, with Employment Services notably off by 4,199 jobs or 9.1%.
The Duluth-Superior MSA added 226 jobs or 0.2% in April. This was the lowest proportional over-the-month growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota, tied with Rochester, although it had a stronger month than the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA (-0.6%), which is primarily in North Dakota. Nine of 10 published supersectors either added jobs or were flat. However, the largest real job movement in any supersector came in Trade, Transportation, and Utilities, which lost 516 jobs (2.1%) caused primarily by the loss of 480 jobs (3.2%) in the Retail Trade sector. The largest growth came in Leisure and Hospitality (up 340 jobs or 2.5%) and in Mining, Logging, and Construction (up 212 jobs or 2.3%), two supersectors which traditionally see strong growth as spring begins.
Over the year the Rochester area added 1,081 jobs or 0.8%. This was the lowest proportional growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. Other Services employment was up 3.5% (199 jobs), the largest proportional growth of any supersector, while Educational and Health Services added 564 jobs (1.8%), and Leisure and Hospitality added 403 jobs (3%). Three supersectors lost jobs on the year, with Government off by 398 (1.6%), Mining, Logging, and Construction down 211 (2.2%), and Information down 27 (2.7%).
The Rochester MSA added 241 jobs (0.2%) over the month of April. This was tied with Duluth as the lowest proportional growth in an MSA primarily in Minnesota, although it was higher than the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA, which is primarily in North Dakota and was down 0.6%. Three of 10 published supersectors lost jobs on the month. The largest real and proportional decline came in Government employment, which was off by 124 or 1%, from the loss of 144 jobs (1.4%) at the Local Government level. The largest growth came in Mining, Logging, and Construction, which was up by 251 jobs (5.3%). Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 141 jobs (0.8%) thanks to the addition of 189 jobs (1.5%) in Retail Trade.
Over the year the Rochester MSA added 3,153 jobs (2.6%). Nine of 10 published supersectors added jobs, led by Educational and Health Services, which added 1,458 jobs (2.8%), and Government, which added 469 jobs (3.8%) thanks to the addition of 431 jobs (4.3%) at the Local Government level. Professional and Business Services lost 109 jobs (1.6%), and Information lost 12 jobs (1.1%).
The St. Cloud MSA added 624 jobs (0.6%) in April, with nine of 10 published supersectors posting positive growth. Mining, Logging, and Construction added 280 jobs or 4%, by far the largest real and proportional growth of any supersector. Leisure and Hospitality was up 77 (1%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities was up 44 (0.2%) thanks to the addition of 130 jobs (1%) in Retail Trade.
Over the year the St. Cloud area added 1,814 jobs (1.7%). Mining, Logging, and Construction added 464 jobs (6.8%), Educational and Health Services added 892 (4.2%), and Manufacturing added 523 (3.5%). The largest declines came in Professional and Business Services (down 517 or 6.5%) and Government (down 277 or 1.8%).
The Mankato-North Mankato MSA added 422 jobs (0.7%) over the month in April. Goods producers drove the growth, adding 367 jobs (3.5%), while service providers added 55 jobs (0.1%).
Over the year the Mankato-North Mankato area added 2,247 jobs or 4%. This was the largest proportional over-the-year growth of any MSA primarily in Minnesota. Private sector employers added 1,929 jobs (4.2%) while their public sector counterparts added 318 jobs (3.2%). Employment in goods production was up 6.7% (668 jobs).
The Fargo-Moorhead MSA added 96 jobs (0.1%) over the month. This was the lowest proportional growth of any MSA in the state. Six of 10 published supersectors added jobs, but the largest real and proportional movement came in Leisure and Hospitality, which shed 259 jobs or 1.7%. Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 193 jobs (0.6%) with declines in all component sectors. Educational and Health Services added 196 jobs or 0.7%.
Over the year the Fargo-Moorhead area added 2,547 jobs or 1.7%. Educational and Health Services added 1,055 jobs (3.8%), and Leisure and Hospitality added 666 jobs (4.8%). Information employment was off by 275 or 9.5%, the largest real and proportional decline of any supersector.
The Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA lost 340 jobs (0.6%) over the month. It was the only MSA in the state to post negative monthly growth in April. Government employers lost 217 jobs (1.7%) with declines at all three levels of government, and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities lost 161 jobs (1.5%) with declines in all three of its published supersectors. The largest real growth supersector was Manufacturing, which added 36 jobs (0.8%).
Over the year the Grand Forks-East Grand Forks MSA added 1,167 jobs (2.2%). Every published supersector posted positive annual growth. Leisure and Hospitality added 216 jobs (4%), and Trade, Transportation, and Utilities added 204 jobs (2%).
